Protected culture fertility survey!

Growing crops under cover is a separate skillset compared to growing under the open sky.  Fertility management, integrated pest management, environmental management are all very different.  Last year a survey went out to find out more about the protected culture industry in Nova Scotia.  To drill deeper on the learnings from that survey, Rosalie Gillis-Madden, Perennia's Vegetable Specialist, Talia Plaskett, Perennia's Protected Crop Specialist, and Caitlin McCavour, Perennia's new Soil Specialist would like to identify where there are knowledge gaps and pain points in protected crop production, specifically targeting fertility management.  Our goal is to determine where outreach and support might help the industry move forward and how we might serve you better.  This applies to growers who grow in soil or in substrate, who use conventional fertility or organic nutrient sources (composts, manures, organic fertilizer, etc.)  Please take the time to complete this survey to help us determine how we might best support growers, it should take you about 10 minutes to complete.

The mission of Perennia is to help farmers, fishers, and food processors be prosperous and profitable.

Soil Salinity in High Tunnels

Drought stress on tomato leaves. Soil salinity can cause
increased susceptibility to drought stress in plants. 
Photo: Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center

Soil salinity can occur in high tunnel production due to some of the characteristics unique to this type of growing system. High tunnels are often used as a season extension tool, meaning that they are in production for a longer period of time and managed more intensively than a typical field. This management can include fertilizer applications, irrigation, and heavy traffic leading to compaction and poor drainage, all of which contribute to salt buildup in the soil.

The other major difference between tunnel and field production with an impact on soil salinity is that the ground under tunnels is protected from the elements, most notably precipitation. In a field situation salts would have more opportunity to be flushed through the system by rainfall, while tunnels aren’t able to take advantage of this type of natural cleansing. 

Soil salinity is a concern for a number of reasons including that plants in saline soils are more susceptible to water stress, which is particularly prevalent in a year with so little excess water around anyway. Saline soils can also lead to salt injury in plants and adverse affects on soil structure. It is important to monitor the salt levels of your soil and take preventative measures to avoid excess buildup. Some strategies for preventing or managing saline soils include utilizing mulch to reduce evaporation from the soil, deep tillage, and exposing the soil to rain by removing the plastic from the tunnel. As you start to think about coming to the end of the production cycle, it might be a good time to employ some of these strategies or plan preventative measures for next season.

For more information, check out Perennia’s factsheet: Soil Salinity in Nova Scotia High Tunnels.