The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower's Handbook shares best practices for both large- and small-scale production of the eight most profitable crops - tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, leafy greens, lettuce, herbs, and microgreens. Every year, more growers are turning to protected culture to deal with unpredictable weather and to meet out-of-season demand for local food, but many end up spinning their wheels, wasting time and money on unprofitable crops grown in ways that don't make the most of their precious greenhouse space. This book levels the playing field with decision-making framework that goes beyond a list of simple dos and don'ts. With comprehensive chapters on temperature control and crop steering, pruning and trellising, grafting, and more, Andrew Meffer's book is full of techniques and strategies that can help farms stay profitable, satisfy customers, and become an integral part of relocalizing our food system. From seed to sale, this book is the indispensable resource for protected growing.--COVER.

This publication capitalizes on the experience of scientists from the North Africa and Near East countries, in collaboration with experts from around the world, specialized in the different aspects of greenhouse crop production. It provides a comprehensive description and assessment of the greenhouse production practices in use in Mediterranean climate areas that have helped diversify vegetable production and increase productivity. The publication is also meant to be used as a reference and tool for trainers and growers as well as other actors in the greenhouse vegetables value chain in this region.

Celebrated farming expert Coleman continues to lead the way in organic gardening, pushing the limits of the harvest season while working his world-renowned organic farm in Harborside, Maine.

This NEW 2005 edition, 11-section guide was written by T.M. Taylor, one of the nation's quality growers, to encourage & facilitate the environmentally beneficial & profitable home business of growing herbs, vegetables, trees & flowers. Edible flowers, tropical fruits, hydroponically-grown vegetables--pesticide-free, native trees & aquatic plants for air & water purification are just some of the interesting reasons why greenhouse growers are becoming one of the most important business occupations in the environment movement. Organic, pesticide-free vegetables are in huge demand nationwide, mainly because of the popular selling appliance, "the juicer." Specialty vegetables, fruits & herbs are becoming great items to grow & market for the rural or urban gardener because of a 200% sales increase last year. Native tree seedlings are being sold by the millions & many growers are needed. Demand has skyrocketed for aquatic plants for water treatment; sales of bedding & foliage plants have steadily increased. Equally important, it is being used to encourage & help develop greenhouse programs in schools to give students a hands-on experience in biology, agriculture & business while producing a profitable crop. It includes: what are suitable greenhouses for a business venture; the equipment needed; a list of plants to grow for the highest profits; the best way to grow plants; natural pest control; wholesale pricing; list of buyers & suppliers; marketing tips & much more. 280 jam-packed pages, generously illustrated & produced on recycled paper

A comprehensive guide to the basics of growing greenhouse cucumbers, this manual aims to assist Australian greenhouse growers in the development of good agricultural practices. This manual contains science-based information in a simple to use format that is relevant to a basic greenhouse horticultural enterprise to controlled environment horticulture. CONTENTS About this manual List of tables Introduction to greenhouse cucumber production Growing cucumbers Optimising production Greenhouse design and technology Hydroponic systems and technology Feeding the crop Plant nutrition Cucumber disorders and their management Cucumber diseases and their management Cucumber pests and their management Pesticides, sprays and their use in cucumbers Marketing and handling of cucumbers Waste management Health and safety in the greenhouse Some resources and further reading

With more than 45,000 sold since 1989, The New Organic Grower has become a modern classic. In this newly revised and expanded edition, master grower Eliot Coleman continues to present the simplest and most sustainable ways of growing top-quality organic vegetables. Coleman updates practical information on marketing the harvest, on small-scale equipment, and on farming and gardening for the long-term health of the soil. The new book is thoroughly updated, and includes all-new chapters such as: Farm-Generated Fertility—how to meet your soil-fertility needs from the resources of your own land, even if manure is not available. The Moveable Feast—how to construct home-garden and commercial-scale greenhouses that can be easily moved to benefit plants and avoid insect and disease build-up. The Winter Garden—how to plant, harvest, and sell hardy salad crops all winter long from unheated or minimally heated greenhouses. Pests—how to find "plant-positive" rather than "pest-negative" solutions by growing healthy, naturally resistant plants. The Information Resource—how and where to learn what you need to know to grow delicious organic vegetables, no matter where you live. Written for the serious gardener or small market farmer, The New Organic Grower proves that, in terms of both efficiency and profitability, smaller can be better.

Note for the electronic edition: This draft has been assembled from information prepared by authors from around the world. It has been submitted for editing and production by the USDA Agricultural Research Service Information Staff and should be cited as an electronic draft of a forthcoming publication. Because the 1986 edition is out of print, because we have added much new and updated information, and because the time to publication for so massive a project is still many months away, we are making this draft widely available for comment from industry stakeholders, as well as university research, teaching and extension staff.

"Eliot is the reason I’m cooking. . . . I’ve followed that path because Eliot made it possible, and exciting, to farm in the four seasons."—Dan Barber, chef "There is hardly a more well-known or well-respected name among organic farmers than Eliot Coleman."—Civil Eats Learn season-extending techniques and eat the best food—garden fresh and chemical free—all year long, with little effort or expense. If you love the joys of eating home-garden vegetables but always thought those joys had to stop at the end of summer, this book is for you. Eliot Coleman introduces the surprising fact that most of the United States has more winter sunshine than the south of France. He shows how North American gardeners can successfully use that sun to raise a wide variety of traditional winter vegetables in backyard cold frames and plastic covered tunnel greenhouses without supplementary heat. Inside, you’ll also learn: Composting techniques Simple Mineral Amendments Planning and preparing your garden site Seeds for four seasons How to build cold frames, high tunnels, and mobile greenhouses How to cope with snow How to create a root cellar and other storage techniques And much, much more! Coleman expands upon his own experiences with new ideas learned on a winter-vegetable pilgrimage across the ocean to the acknowledged kingdom of vegetable cuisine, the southern part of France, which lies on the 44th parallel, the same latitude as his farm in Maine. This story of sunshine, weather patterns, old limitations and expectations, and new realities is delightfully innovative in the best gardening tradition. Four-Season Harvest will have you feasting on fresh produce from your garden all through the winter. "The man, the farmer, the legend, is Eliot Coleman."—The Atlantic To learn more about the possibility of a four-season farm, please visit Coleman's website www.fourseasonfarm.com.

Handbook of Vegetables and Vegetable Processing, Second Edition is the most comprehensive guide on vegetable technology for processors, producers, and users of vegetables in food manufacturing.This complete handbook contains 42 chapters across two volumes, contributed by field experts from across the world. It provides contemporary information that brings together current knowledge and practices in the value-chain of vegetables from production through consumption. The book is unique in the sense that it includes coverage of production and postharvest technologies, innovative processing technologies, packaging, and quality management. Handbook of Vegetables and Vegetable Processing, Second Edition covers recent developments in the areas of vegetable breeding and production, postharvest physiology and storage, packaging and shelf life extension, and traditional and novel processing technologies (high-pressure processing, pulse-electric field, membrane separation, and ohmic heating). It also offers in-depth coverage of processing, packaging, and the nutritional quality of vegetables as well as information on a broader spectrum of vegetable production and processing science and technology. Coverage includes biology and classification, physiology, biochemistry, flavor and sensory properties, microbial safety and HACCP principles, nutrient and bioactive properties In-depth descriptions of key processes including, minimal processing, freezing, pasteurization and aseptic processing, fermentation, drying, packaging, and application of new technologies Entire chapters devoted to important aspects of over 20 major commercial vegetables including avocado, table olives, and textured vegetable proteins This important book will appeal to anyone studying or involved in food technology, food science, food packaging, applied nutrition, biosystems and agricultural engineering, biotechnology, horticulture, food biochemistry, plant biology, and postharvest physiology.