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GROWING TECHNIQUES
HIGH TUNNEL
(HOOP HOUSE)
“A High Tunnel is a polyethylene-covered metal structure, sometimes called a “Hoop House,” that covers crops to extend the growing season in an environmentally-safe manner.” (USDA)
Growing in a high tunnel can provide many opportunities for producers. It provides a protected environment from weather extremes, extending the growing season into winter and spring.
AQUA / HYDRO - PONICS
Hydroponics is a closed system that produces crops using nutrient rich water instead of soil. Aquaponics is hydroponics that includes aquatic organisms, such as fish, to the system. The fish add the nutrients the crops need to the water.
This is a great way to grow crops indoors year-round and in small spaces.
RASIED BEDS
A raised garden bed is a way for crops to being grown above the existing soil profile. The crops are raised up either by creating a mound of soil or by building a structure that is filled with soil.
This is a great way to ensure that produce is not growing in contaminated soils. They can also create more assessable growing spaces.
Photo: Kelly J Adlington / Bucket Ruckus
COMPOSTING
"Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into a nutrient-rich, biologically-stable soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition." (EPA)
This is a great way to reduce what a household is contributing to the landfill. Composting kitchen scrapes & yard waste creates compost that can be used in a garden, reducing cost spent on commercially made compost or fertilizer.
