by Jerry Untiedt

1. High Tunnel
Strawberry Production
Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm, INC.
Jerry Untiedt
Waverly, MN

2. Our History
• Our farm has been working with High Tunnel
crop production for over 30 years
• We have grown “non-covered production”
strawberries for many years
• We enjoyed selling June-bearing strawberries
but there are limitations

5. Day Neutral Strawberries
• A strawberry to fill a
unique market niche
• Growth results with
outside culture
• Began to investigate
High Tunnel Strawberry
production

6. How are High Tunnel
Strawberries Grown?
• Began to investigate this culture
• How does the rest of the Day Neutral world
produce these berries?
• What style of production lends itself to
Minnesota?

13. Getting Started with Strawberries
in High Tunnels
• Select your site
• Design a Soils Analysis and Management Plan
• Select your varieties- investigate, visit,
network

17. Market and Enterprise Analysis
• Recognize the “Harvest Window”
• Understanding the Market
• Develop a PLAN to sell your berries
PROFITABLY
• Realize the potential- know your costs!

20. Success Begins with the Basics

21. • Learn the Sequences
• Think about what can go wrong
• Amend before it is too late

22. Considering Cultural Needs
• Type of culture • Supplies
• Irrigation type and • Machinery Needs
water demand
• Fail Safe Back Up-
• Supplemental consultants, analysis
amending equipment- services, other experts
venturis, etc.

23. Let the Work
Continue
• Prepare the soil
• Pull the bed, lay
the tape and
plastic mulch
• Hook up the
irrigation system
• Test * Test * Test

24. Put the Plants in the Ground
• Take care of the plants
• Layout row and plant • Amend roots to
spacing accommodate your
planting
• Mark the spacing-string,
dibble wheel, spacing • Be there, Be Hands On,
sticks Do it the Right Way
• Obtain or manufacture • Irrigate
planting tool

28. Baby the Crop
• Monitor the soil
moisture
• Remove the runners- at
• Watch the temperatures least every 30 days
and humidity
• Take a tissue sample –
• Be prepared to control Amend as necessary
the variables, frost,
weeds, etc… • Scout for plant diseases
and pests
• Remove the blossoms for
the first six weeks

30. Keep It Healthy and Growing
• Sanitation • Ask an expert
• Ventilation • Tissue Test and Analyze
Again
• Walk the crop – aisle by
aisle every day • Amend as Necessary

32. Penny Wise – Dollar Foolish
• Manage for the max
• Don’t cut corners
• Get ready for the
harvest….taste those
early berries

33. Harvest Time Is Here!
• Train your crew – work
with them
• Maintain your quality
• Take care of the
harvest- take care of
your workers

38. Sales Perspectives
• Only show on the block
– you are unique
• How did you think to
ASK SO MUCH?
• Educate your buyer

39. The Day Neutral Season Continued
• Keep it clean
• Keep it healthy
• Keep it under control
• Keep it harvested

40. Fall is Approaching
• How long do we want to
harvest?
• To keep the crop for
another season….or?
• Frost Preparedness
• When the REAL cold
arrives
• If you have chosen to
keep them- cover them
up

41. In the Spring
• Harvest opportunities-
early or late
• Unique crop
management
opportunities
• Decision Time: Summer
Crop – yes or no

42. Summer and Continuing Cycles
• How am I doing?
• Is it worth while to
keep this crop
growing?
• Our experience
indicates mixed results

43. More High Tunnel Strawberry ?’s
Food for thoughT
• How do we crop rotate?
• Can we grow strawberries on strawberries?
• Bio-fumigants
• Organic matter depletion

49. Thank You and
Good Luck Growing!