High Tunnel Construction
M. D. Orzolek
Penn State Center for
Plasticulture
University Park, PA
Current High Tunnel
Facilities at Rock Springs
• Thirty-four permanent high tunnels (Aframe or Gothic style)
• Research size - 17 ft x 36 ft
• Three 17 ft x 96 ft (commercial size)
• One 30 ft x 36 ft
• One 30 ft x 96 ft (high tunnel/cold
frame)
• Two 14 ft x 20 ft - home owner size
High Tunnels-Winter 05
Center for Plasticulture HQ
17 x 36’ HT Potter Co. HS
Attach baseboards
End Bow
Baseboards
Carriage Bolt
Ground Level
Support
Post
Lamont, et al. 2002. Design and Construction
of the Penn State High Tunnel. HortTechnology.
17 x 96’ HT Hort Farm
30 x 36’ HT Hort Farm
Bolt on cross braces
Cross Braces
30 x 96’ HT Hort Farm
First, sink support posts (supplied by manufacturer). This depth is
for tunnels 14-17’ wide. Wider tunnels need longer posts sunk deeper.
End Bow
12 in
Ground Level
20 in
Lamont, et al. 2002. Design and Construction
of the Penn State High Tunnel. HortTechnology
Support
Post
Attach hipboard and double
rail track to hipboard
Plastic
Hip Board
Surelock
Aluminum Cap
“Surelock” Aluminum
Double-rail Track
Construct and attach T-frame.
Pipe Conduit
Mending Plate
Add end-wall frame (flips up).
Photo: http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/
Evaluating new plastic films
for HT tops - “Smartlite”
Increased red/far red wavelengths enhance flower prod
What can be grown in
high tunnels?
•
•
•
•
•
•
All horticultural crops:
Vegetables
Small fruits
Tree fruits
Flowers
Herbs
Incorporating amendments
with rototiller
Conventional production of
broccoli and lettuce
Annual raised bed production
Permanent raised bed prod pepper + eggplant
Sweet cherry production
Stones next to baseboard
HT ends lift up for tillage
Plastic panels in HT corners
Polypropylene straps to stop
plastic from billowing
Low tunnels inside of HT
Harvesting beets in
November in HT
Powdery mildew most
serious disease in HT
Strawberry prod in gutters
Multiple cropping in 30’ HT
60 mph damage tearing top
and end of HT
Tornado/Straight Line Winds – Nov,2006
Wiregrass
Any questions from the
audience!