Video: Winter Cover Cropping in High Tunnels -- March 2021 Update
Judson Reid, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
To meet the year-round demand for locally produced food, vegetable farmers have embraced protected agriculture to extend their growing season, improve yields, and enhance crop quality. However, a statewide survey found that after several growing seasons, farmers struggle to maintain productivity due to challenges in long term soil health and fertility management. Cornell Cooperative Extension is exploring practices that high tunnel growers can adopt to better manage soil fertility and improve soil health.
One practice is including winter cover crops in rotations as a way to scavenge leftover nitrogen and/or fix nitrogen. In turn, this could lead to less fertilizer use and result in higher crop health, yield, quality, and profitability. As part of this work, we are investigating suitable cover crop species, seeding dates, and seeding rates. This video highlights this project's goals and preliminary updates as of March 2021.
Video Transcript: Winter Cover Cropping in High Tunnels -- March 2021 Update (pdf; 412KB)


Upcoming Events
Lake Erie Region Summer Meeting

July 24, 2025
Brant, NY
This meeting will cover organic and conventional management and will be relevant for producers of all sizes. This broad-reaching meeting will feature a mixed fresh market field walk, potatoes, sprayer calibration, and disease control in table and wine grapes. We'll cover organic and conventional controls and present information for growers of all scales of production.
2.0 DEC (0.5 CORE, 1.0 Veg, 0.5 Fruit)
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Field Meeting for Auction Growers -- Seneca Produce Auction

July 30, 2025
Romulus, NY
This evening meeting will demonstrate pest management in fresh market vegetables in both field and greenhouse (high tunnel) vegetables, primarily for those growing for wholesale auction. A hands-on demonstration of weed, insect and disease identification in vegetables including management options. Details on each topic will focus on field observations at the farm.
2.0 DEC credits in categories 10, 1a, 23, and 24.
Niagara Region Summer Meeting, 2025

August 7, 2025
Ransomville, NY
We're in for a treat! Professor Steve Reiners is coming as a part of his pre-retirement speaking tour! Steve's a fantastic, down-to-earth speaker with extensive knowledge on horticultural techniques, fertility, varieties, and much more. Don't miss this event! Topics include "what exactly do NPK and other nutrients do inside the plants?", a pest/disease field walk, sweet corn variety trial, a tar spot primer, spraying best practices, and industry updates. Content will be relevant for organic, CNG, and conventional growers.
DEC credits requested.