Barbara Liedl West Virginia State University

The Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004 and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 have defined specialty crops as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).” Eligible plants must be intensively cultivated and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops. Processed products shall constitute greater than 50% of the specialty crop by weight, exclusive of added water

List of Ineligible Commodities AlfalfaFish (marine or freshwater) PrimroseSugar beets AmylomaizeFlaxQuinoaSugarcane BarleyFlaxseedRapeseed oilSunflower oil BuckwheatFlint cornRange grassesTobacco CanolaFlower cornRiceTofu Canola OilHayRyeTriticale CloverLivestock productsSafflower mealWaxy corn CottonMilletSafflower oilWheat Cottonseed oilMustard seed oilShellfish (marine or freshwater) White corn Dairy productsOatsSorghumWild Rice Dent cornPeanut oilSoybean oil EggsPeanutsSoybeans Field cornPod cornStriped Maize

Fruits and Tree Nuts AlmondGrape (including raisin) AppleNectarine ApricotPeach BlackberryPear BlueberryPecan CherryPersimmon Chestnut (for nuts)Plum (including prune) CranberryQuince CurrantRaspberry DateStrawberry FigWalnut Filbert (hazelnut) Gooseberry

Vegetables ArtichokeCollards (including kale) Mustard and other greens Salsify AsparagusCucumberOkraSpinach Bean. Snap or green Lima. Dry, edible EdamamePea, Garden, English or edible pod Squash (summer and winter) Beet, tableEggplantOnionSweet corn Broccoli (including broccoli raab) EndiveParsleySweet potato Brussels sproutsGarlicParsnipSwiss chard Cabbage (including Chinese) HorseradishPepperTaro CarrotKohlrabiPotatoTomato (including tomatillo) CauliflowerLeekPumpkinTurnip CeleriacLettuceRadish (all types)Watermelon CeleryMelon (all types)Rhubarb ChiveMushroom (cultivated) Rutabaga

Culinary HerbsMedicinal Herbs Cut FlowersAnnual Bedding Plants Potted Herbaceous Perennials Basil (all types)ConeflowerCarnationPansyCoreopsis Chervil/CiliantroFoxglovesDelphiniumSnapdragonDianthus DillGinsengGladiolusVegetable transplants Peony FennelLavenderLilyRudbeckia GingerSteviaRose LavenderSunflower Mint (all types)Zinnia ParsleyDahlia

If a HT is to be most profitable, it should be used for year around cropping. HT real estate is more expensive to use than field space Usually, a grower can have 2 crops of a warm season vegetable and 1 crop of a cool season vegetable or fruit within one calendar year. If annuals, perennials are another matter. Most warm season crops are established in the HT as early as soil temperatures reach the optimal level. Transplants will reach maturity faster than direct seeding.

Warm Season Crops – 50F Cool Season Crops – 35F Row covers, mulches and low tunnels can also modify air and soil temperatures. Portable heater can also provide supplemental heat. Row covers cost about $0.09/ft2 and re-usable for several years. Row covers are 4x more effective in retaining heat in the high tunnel relative to the field.

#1 HT crop Transplant late March Expect first harvest in early June Harvest until late Nov/early Dec ? sequentially plant every six weeks ? remove once field harvest begins ? replant in July Plant 18-24” apart single row Requires staking and training; might require shading in summer Expect about lbs/sq ft

Possible warm season rotation crop Transplant mid April Expect first harvest in June Harvest until Nov ? sequentially plant every six weeks Plant 18-24” apart double row Use shade cloth to reduce sunburn in warm summer months Requires staking and training Expect about 2 lbs/sq ft

Perennial crop Transplant late March Expect first harvest in early June Harvest until late Nov/early Dec Plant 18-24” apart single row Requires staking and training; might require shading in summer Expect about 0.8 lbs/sq ft

Strawberries are a potentially profitable crop for high tunnel production. It is very important to use annual, short day or perhaps day neutral types for high tunnels. Matted row production of June-bearing strawberries has a very high opportunity cost. A commercial high tunnel can accommodate approximately strawberry plants. One of the most significant costs associated with high tunnel strawberry production is cost of the planting material. Rooted plugs can cost approximately $0.25 USD per plug. Thus, it is important to buy runner tips from a certified nursery and root the tips in plug trays. Four weeks later, the plugs are ready to transplant within the high tunnel. Strawberries can yield pounds per plant within a high tunnel. The key to success is to have efficient pollination. Bumblebees may be used, and with our research we have discovered that bumblebees did not increase the number of high tunnel strawberries, but did increase the average fruit weight per strawberry. High tunnel strawberries are ready to harvest approximately 5 weeks earlier than fieldgrown strawberries. Exclusion of rainfall by the high tunnel will prevent many foliar and fruit diseases, but gray mold (Botrytis) and powdery mildew can be potential problems. Packaging costs can be a significant cost associated with strawberries. I recommend marketing strawberries in small volumes (pints). The breakeven price for high tunnel strawberries was calculated to be approximately $1.28 USD per pound. Our test marketing revealed that consumers are willing to pay 3-4 times that amount for early, vine-ripened berries.

An excellent Spring and Fall season crop for high tunnels. Both slicing and “hothouse-type” cucumbers can yield very well within a high tunnel, although we have had greater success with slicing types. Hothouse cucumbers can develop powdery mildew within a high tunnel and don’t seem to grow well in the fluctuating temperatures within a high tunnel.

Cantaloupes, honeydews, watermelons or other specialty melons. For higher yields, they need to be trellised Require bees for cross pollination. Marginally profitable if grown for early markets, with three to four marketable melons per vine as a typical yield. Melons are more profitably produced using low tunnels.