Optimizing Nitrogen Fertility for Overwintered High Tunnel Spinach
Elisabeth Hodgdon, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
![Optimizing Nitrogen Fertility for Overwintered High Tunnel Spinach](https://rvpadmin.cce.cornell.edu/images/submission/image694.jpg)
High tunnel (HT) environments allow for extended greens production during the shoulders of the season in the Northeast. In Northern NY, spinach can be planted in September for harvest in November and December, and will resume growth in February and March for late winter and early spring harvests. While fertility recommendations are fairly well established for field crops, soil nutrient dynamics in HTs are not as well understood. Nitrogen fertilizer application practices for overwintered HT spinach vary widely amongst farms. Although the recommended N fertility rate for field spinach is 100-125 lbs N/acre, anecdotally, we have heard reports of growers applying 200-600 lbs N/acre for overwintered high tunnel spinach. However, our team's previous research has shown little yield benefit of N fertilizer for HT spinach.
The objective of our experiment was to develop recommendations for optimal N fertility rates for overwintered HT spinach in Northern NY. If spinach yields are similar across N fertility treatments, growers may reduce costs of inputs in the fall by reducing fertilizer application.
Optimizing Nitrogen Fertility for Overwintered High Tunnel Spinach (pdf; 710KB)
![more crops](images/more_crops_left_sm.gif)
![more crops](images/more_crops_right_sm,.gif)
Upcoming Events
ENY Orchard Soil Health and Beneficial Fungi Meeting
August 15, 2024 : ENY Orchard Soil Health and Beneficial Fungi Meeting
Peru, NY
Join the members of CCE ENYCHP and the Cornell Soil Health Program for a field meeting on the basics of soil health, the potential benefits of mycorrhizal fungi, and an update on the current project status of our SARE grant on orchard mycorrhizal products.
This meeting is intended for farmworkers, young and beginning orchardists, and experienced orchard managers wanting to learn about the basics of soil health and mycorrhizal fungi within the orchard.
North Point Community Farm Twilight Meeting
![Event Offers DEC Credits](../images/dec_credits.gif)
August 19, 2024 : North Point Community Farm Twilight Meeting
Plattsburgh, NY
North Point Community Farm Twilight Meeting
Monday, August 19th 4-7 pm (rain or shine)
2172 Military Turnpike, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
$10 per farm
Join us for a tour of North Point Community Farm, a diversified vegetable, berry, and flower operation in the North Country. Farmers Marisa and Mike will give us an overview of their decision-making as they expand their business, increasing their high tunnel production, investing in new tillage equipment, and transforming an old dairy barn into an efficient wash-pack shed with food safety in mind. We'll end the evening with local food refreshments and an opportunity to network with growers from NY and VT.
DEC credits: 1.5 credits in categories 1A, 10, 23
Late Summer Orchard Meeting
![Event Offers DEC Credits](../images/dec_credits.gif)
August 21, 2024
Fonda, NY
Join us for our last get together of the summer before we're in the thick of harvest. At this meeting, we will tour Sand Flats Orchard with manager Mitch Hoffman, and we will then discuss late season pest management tasks with our experts from the HVRL and Cornell AgriTech.
DEC Credits: 1.5 credits in categories 1A, 10, and 22.