On-Farm Commercial Vegetable Demonstrations in Western Kentucky - 2003
Shane M. Bogle and Joseph G. Masabni, Department of Horticulture

Four on-farm commercial vegetable demonstrations were conducted in Western Kentucky in 2003. Grower/cooperators were located in Caldwell, Hopkins, and Webster counties. In Caldwell County, the grower planted 1 acre of mixed vegetables (Bell pepper, green bean, staked tomato, okra, and squash, among others). There were two growers/cooperators in Hopkins County with one growing 1.7 acres of mixed vegetables such as staked tomato, Bell pepper, cantaloupe, and squash, and the other growing 5 acres of Bell pepper, 3.5 acres of cucumber, and 0.5 acre of staked tomato. In Webster County, the grower/cooperator planted 0.5 acre of staked tomatoes and 0.5 acre of cantaloupe. All plots were planted on black plastic mulch with trickle irrigation. All growers came from a tobacco production background and were looking for new and innovative ways to diversify their operation and supplement their tobacco income.

As in previous years, growers/cooperators were provided with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation lines for up to one acre and the supervised use of UK Department of Horticulture field equipment for raised bed preparation and transplanting. Soil fertility was tested at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center and fertilizer was applied according to soil test results and recommendations. The growers acquired their own transplants and provided labor for pesticide sprays and crop harvests. Growers used pond, well, and county water for their drip irrigation. An Extension Associate made weekly visits to each plot throughout the growing season to scout for insects and diseases, address grower's concerns, and make recommendations. The County extension agents also worked closely with the growers. Among other duties, the extension agents were helpful in scheduling, promoting, and coordinating field days at each location.

The tomato demonstration plots were transplanted from late April to mid May with the varieties Mt. Fresh, Mt. Gold, BHN 641, and BHN 591. BHN 591 was the most widely used tomato variety. Tomatoes were transplanted on raised beds spaced on 6 ft centers with in-row spacing of 18 inches between tomato plants. Tomato plants were trellised with stakes placed every 3 plants with one metal T post every 30 feet and were pruned and tied according to current recommendations in ID-36 publication. The pepper plots were transplanted with Ironsides, Aristotle, and Wizard varieties. Pepper plants were transplanted 12 inches apart in an offset manner in double rows 15 inches apart. Speedway cucumber plants were transplanted with row spacing similar to peppers. Minerva was the most commonly used cantaloupe variety with in-row spacing of 36 inches. All plots were sprayed with appropriate fungicides and insecticides on an as-needed basis, and each cooperator followed a weekly fertigation schedule suggested by the University of Kentucky.

The 2003 growing season began with wet and cool weather which delayed plastic laying and planting at most locations. The wet conditions early also forced two growers to abandon hopes of using a waterwheel setter for transplanting and opted to manually transplant all their plants. Cooler than normal temperatures and above average rainfall throughout the summer helped reduce temperature and water stress on the plants, which in turn resulted in higher than expected yield goals in three of the four locations.

Three of the growers/cooperators sold there produce through local channels such as farmer’s markets, local wholesale distributors, grocery stores, and the Fairview Produce Auction. Even with the fluctuating sale prices throughout the year, these three growers were able to surpass their projected income goals.

Bacterial and fungal diseases seemed to be the most prevalent problem for tomato growers. Wholesale tomato prices stayed relatively steady throughout the season which made for excellent returns (table 1). The cantaloupe grower experienced lost revenue due to poor variety selection that caused the loss of over 1,000 cantaloupes that could not be marketed due to uneven ripening and short shelf life. One grower/cooperator marketed his cucumber, pepper and tomato through the West Kentucky Growers Cooperative in Owensboro Kentucky. This grower experienced problems with weather related planting delays, inadequate watering, weed pressure and a severe bacterial wilt problem early in the season which slowed plant growth and lowered expected yields.

In general, the biggest concern experienced by most growers throughout the season was weed pressure between the rows of plastic. Also, growers who were producing commercial vegetables for the first time learned that variety selection and timeliness of plantings were two of the most important factors in delivering high quality produce. Moreover, with high disease and insect infestation due to the wet cool spring, growers sprayed insecticides and fungicides frequently to keep insects and disease pressure at manageable levels. Still, despite all the challenges experienced by the first-time vegetable growers, we were pleased to learn that all four growers had positive experience this year and will likely continue to grow vegetables next year.

Table 1. Costs and returns of four commercial vegetable demonstration plots conducted in Western Kentucky in 2003