On-Farm Fertigation Trials in Kansas City-Area Organic High Tunnels

Five certified organic farms in the Kansas City area did one-year comparisons of the use of compost, fertigation and foliar feeding on high tunnel tomatoes, with respect to quantity and quality of yields. The fertilization treatments they tested included foliar feeding and fertigation with fish emulsion, and chicken-litter compost. Each farm developed its own comparison, as opposed to a single experiment replicated on all five farms. The farmers involved in this project gained general impressions about the potential usefulness of fertigation and/or foliar feeding, but no conclusive results were derived. They also discovered the difficulty of coordinating a multi-farm project without dedicated, experienced leadership.

The Kansas City area is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5b and 6a.

Want more information? See the related SARE grant(s) FNC05-577, Kansas City Organic High Tunnel Research Cooperative.