1. Florida Tunnel Production
Growing Undercover
Florida Tunnel Production
By: Skeeter Bethea

2. Florida Production
Located nearly at sea level about 25 miles east of the Sarasota Coast on the Gulf of Mexico is Enza Zaden’s Myakka City, Florida Research Station. This location presents a favorable climate for tunnel production, though not without it’s challenges.
Florida’s mild winters bring an average low of 48F (Lowest recorded 18F) and has an average of only 5 days per year with below freezing temperatures.
Those temperatures are balanced by high annual temperatures averaging 92F. The highest recorded temperature reached a steamy 105F, and Florida sees approximately 134 days per year at about 90F.
Florida is also one of the highest light environments on the East coast.
Those warm temperatures are assets, but heavy rain and frost threaten production.

3. Specs

4. The Tunnel Concept
We use gutter connected, 28’ wide by 150’ long tunnel spans that are covered in a single layer of polyethylene with 88% light transmission.
With the use of roll up doors, arched end cap vents, and the use of Svensson’s OLS30 shade cloth over the trellis, we successfully achieve a “Passive Ventilation” system that keeps optimal temperature in the growing zone.
The porous ceiling of the shade cloth inside the tunnel creates a barrier with the hottest air being concentrated in the attic space and ventilated out through the arched end cap vents by wind and buoyancy.

5. Gutters

6. Open View

7. Airflow

8. Airflow

9. Airflow

10. Tunnel Attic
Tunnel Growing Zone
Outside

11. Temperature Monitoring

12. Pollination

13. Harvest Goals Planting Date Harvest Window Round Tomato Yield
Colored Pepper
Cucumber*
9/15
12/1 – 5/1
20lbs/plnt
11lbs/plnt
15lbs/plnt
*Cucumbers are a 10 week harvest so you would need 3 plantings to span the same
Window as the tomatoes and pepper.

14. Pepper

15. Pepper

16. Tomatoes

17. Cucumber

18. Determinates

19. Contact Information
Cravo
Ben Martin
Tunnel Tech
Kathleen Fouse
1-855-TTTunnels

20. Skeeter Bethea william.bethea@enzausa.com
Thank You!
Thanks for the opportunity
Thanks to Enza Zaden
Any questions?
Skeeter Bethea