AMES, Iowa – Three workshops will be held to help growers, industry representatives, local food coordinators, extension staff and county horticulturists learn to manage common challenges in high tunnels while also discussing new advances in high tunnel production.
Topics to be covered include soil management, tomato grafting, vegetable disease and insect management and environmental control. A visit to a local farm operating a high tunnel is also part of the workshop. These workshops are supported by USDA North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
“Participants will learn how to protect the health of soil in a high tunnel so that it stays productive long term,” said Joe Hannan, commercial horticulture specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
The all-day classes will be held:
- April 6 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Henry County office in Mt. Pleasant
- April 10 at the North Iowa Events Center’s 4-H Learning Center in Mason City
- April 13 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Cass County office in Atlantic.
Ajay Nair, associate professor of horticulture and extension vegetable production specialist, will lead the workshops along with Hannan; Donald Lewis, professor and extension entomologist at Iowa State; Laura Iles, director of the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic; and Lina Rodriguez-Salamanca, plant pathology diagnostician with the ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic.
Online registration is required as space is limited. Registration must be completed by March 30. There is no cost for the workshop. Workshop sign-in begins at 8 a.m. on the day of the workshop, with the event running until 3:30 p.m.
Additionally, copies of the ISU Extension and Outreach publication “Iowa High Tunnel Fruit and Vegetable Production Manual” (HORT 3060) will be given to all who have not previously attended a high tunnel workshop.