Assessing the Effects of Trellising and Compost Tea on Soil Health and Production in High-Tunnel and Orchard Systems at Shalomba Farm

View the project report

Commodities

• Fruits: apples, apricots, peaches, nectarine
• Vegetables: cucurbits, tomatoes

Practices

• Crop Production: fertilizers, high tunnels or hoop houses, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, Trellising, compost tea
• Education and Training: farmer to farmer, on-farm/ranch research
• Pest Management: compost extracts

There is a growing need for sustainable agricultural practices
that improve soil health and reduce reliance on synthetic
fertilizers, while enhancing crop yields. Conventional farming
practices degrade soil fertility, leading to decreased
productivity and increased dependency on chemical inputs. Our
project assesses the combined effects of compost tea and vertical
axis tree trellising on soil health and crop production, offering
a solution that supports both regenerative soil practices and
increased agricultural productivity.

Previous research has demonstrated the benefits of compost tea in
enhancing soil microbial activity, improving nutrient
availability, and suppressing soil-borne diseases (Scheuerell,
2004; Pilla et al., 2023). Additionally, trellising has shown
promise in increasing space efficiency and supporting plant
health, particularly in high-density systems (Heilman et al.,
1996; Sanchez-Rodriguez and Bellato Sposito, 2020). However, we
are not aware of studies exploring the combined effects of these
two practices on soil health and crop production. By combining
compost tea with trellising, we hypothesize that this integrated
approach can enhance both soil fertility and plant growth, reduce
the need for external inputs, and create a more resilient,
sustainable farming system. Our project builds upon existing
research and aims to fill critical gaps in our understanding of
these practices’ combined potential.

Proposed Solution: We will use an experimental
design to test the effectiveness of compost tea as a sustainable
and viable fertilizer alternative to conventional fertilizer for
high-tunnel vegetables/fruit and orchard fruit trees and
trellising practices as methods to improve production efficiency.

Through our research design
we aim to achieve the following objectives:

1. Evaluate the Impact of Compost Tea on Soil
   Health:

• • Measure changes in
    microbial activity, diversity, and soil nutrient levels in
    treated vs. untreated plots.
    • Analyze soil
      organic matter and its potential to enhance soil
      fertility over time.

2. Assess the Effects of Vertical Axis Trellising on Tree
   and Vegetable Growth:

• • Measure tree and
    plant growth metrics such as plant height, leaf area,
    chlorophyll content, and overall health in trellised vs.
    non-trellised plots.
  • Evaluate how vertical
    axis trellising influences tree health, tree structure, and
    fruit quality, compared to conventional tree training
    systems.

3. Investigate the Combined Effects of Vertical Axis
   Trellising and Compost Tea on Crop Yield and Quality:

• • Compare crop yields
    and the quality of produce (size, weight, and Brix value,
    cosmetic appearance, firmness, and uniformity) between
    treated and untreated systems.

4. Evaluate Disease Resistance and Pest
   Management:

• • Track pest and
    disease incidence to determine the effects of compost tea and
    vertical axis trellising on disease suppression and pest
    control.
  • Use disease severity
    scales to quantify disease damage and pest resistance.

5. Assess Water Use Efficiency and
   Sustainability:

• • Measure water use in
    both the high-tunnel and orchard systems, comparing the
    impact of vertical axis trellising and compost tea on soil
    moisture retention and water consumption.
  • Quantify the
    long-term sustainability of these methods by evaluating their
    impact on soil health, water use, and overall farm input
    costs.

6. Share findings through a
   farm field day, newsletter, and social media
   posts:

• • Host one farm field
    day with pre/post surveys in partnership with our local
    Sustainable Farming Association chapter.
  • Post quarterly
    newsletter article on project goals and progress on our
    website.
  • Post monthly updates
    on our Instagram and Facebook accounts, during growing season
    from spring to autumn.

We will used the following
experimental design to achieve our objectives:

• Tree Trellising &
  Tea:
  • Vertical axis
    trellising involves supporting trees with a central vertical
    post and training them to grow along the post and horizontal
    wires. We will use steel posts, galvanized wire, and tree
    clips to train the trees into a vertical structure.
  • We will use the
    Aerated Tea Compost Field guide from SARE project FW15-037 to
    ensure FSMA safe tea and consistent quality compost tea.