Growing Peaches, Pears, Cherries and Strawberries in an Unheated High Tunnel

Project Overview

FNC14-961
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2014: $7,499.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2015
Region: North Central
State: North Dakota
Project Coordinator:
Alyce Ann Lunde
Email
Lakeside Garden

Annual Reports

Information Products

Commodities

  • Fruits: cherries, peaches, pears, berries (strawberries), general tree fruits

Practices

  • Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
  • Farm Business Management: feasibility study, agritourism
  • Production Systems: general crop production
  • Soil Management: soil chemistry
  • Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities

    Proposal summary:

    This project involves planting and growing peach, pear, sweet cherry, and sour cherry trees in an unheated 30 by 48 foot high tunnel.  Strawberries are planted along the outer edges where the tunnel is too low for trees to grow.  Similar trees are planted outside for use as a control.  

        

    Project objectives from proposal:

    Peach, pear and cherry trees do not thrive in Zone 3 where we live and garden.  We hope that by planting these fruit trees in an unheated high tunnel they will grow and thrive when they are sheltered from the elements.  Fall bearing strawberries will be planted along the 2 outer walls where it is not high enough to grow fruit trees.  This will enable us to further diversify our crops and increase our sales at local farmer's markets.  We hope to show other growers that it is economically feasible to grow these fruit trees in high tunnels.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.