Heated high tunnels create more control, but they also create new management challenges
Crop planning and data tracking made recovering from crop losses much easier
Overwintering flowers may be the key to earlier blooms and higher profitability
Summary of the Episode
This week, Dr. Liz Fiedler Mergen shares a transparent look at her first year operating a heated high tunnel in Zone 4B Minnesota. From grant funding and installation costs to propane failures and frozen crops, this episode dives deep into what worked, what failed, and what changes are coming next season.
If you've considered adding season extension infrastructure to your flower farm or agritourism business, this episode offers practical lessons about costs, crop selection, risk management, and scaling production.
Key Topics Covered:
Heated vs unheated high tunnels
How NRCS grants work for high tunnel funding
Hidden costs of greenhouse and tunnel infrastructure
Crop losses caused by heating failures
Overwintering ranunculus and cool flowers in Zone 4B
Planning earlier blooms for Mother's Day sales
Scaling flower production strategically
Managing inventory and storage for wedding flowers
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Liz Fiedler. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Liz Fiedler och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
