Protect Your Crops from the Elements with High Tunnel Crop Protectors
Although we have generally experienced a milder winter so far, in the new year we can expect the weather to turn much colder and field crop farmers are likely to be looking for solutions to help protect their yields.
High Tunnels like the GGS Crop Protector are used by growers for this very reason. Though not a load bearing house ( ie. It is not designed to hold snow or support a crop ), these crop protectors are designed to cover crops in shoulder seasons when frost damage can dramatically affect a farmer’s bottom line.
In the past Louisiana's strawberry crop has been relatively slow to develop due to the cold weather, and frost stands to damage what is uncovered. Strawberry Growers using High Tunnels are going to be well rewarded for their investment in protecting the crop.
Features of a GGS Crop Protector:
- Anchor posts have a welded auger, enabling growers to drill right into the soil.
- Hoops are connected to the anchor post by use of a T-Bracket system which allows for multiple hoops to be connected increasing the width of the covered area.
- Plastic is connected along the bottom of the hoop and rolled around a tube which is raised to the center ridge for coverage and lowered to open the crop to the elements.
- A simple rope system enables a crew to raise or lower poly.
- Optional gutters and ridge covers are available.
- Catwalks can be placed between arches in order to lengthen the high tunnel beyond the reasonable length of a roll of poly.
- The height of the anchor post can be sized in order to allow farm tractors access inside the high tunnels. See your GGS rep for height specifications.
How a Crop Protector Works:
- During early spring ( when snow is not a concern but frost is a risk ) plastic is pulled up to the ridge of each hoop. Sidewalls and end walls are also covered with poly enclosing the field crop in a protected environment.
- In addition to reducing the risk of frost damage, the warmer enclosed environment will initiate fruit growth sooner than competitor field crops.
- As the weather warms the poly is pulled down, opening the crops to the natural environment. Growers can start picking 2 to 3 weeks earlier than a traditional field crop.
- As Autumn approaches crops within a high tunnel can be kept warmer by again covering the roof. The pull ropes are tied off to keep the roof covered during the fall shoulder season so growers can continue to pick and ship quality crop even after the field crops are gone.
- With yields increased in off season months growers using crop protectors earn higher dollar values for their crop directly impacting the profitability of the farm.
- For growers in snow belt zones, late fall or early winter signals the time to once again to pull the plastic down.
Crop protectors are ideal for field crops like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, lettuce, cut flowers, mums, petunias and other hardier plants.
Author
Amy Carter
Amy Carter was born in Dover, England, and studied graphic design & advertising at Canterbury College and University of Greenwich before moving to Canada. Amy works in the marketing department at GGS Structures Inc. Having previously worked for a large pharmaceutical company Amy understands both B2B and B2C marketing. At GGS Structures Inc. our goal is to help our greenhouse and garden center customers grow their businesses.
