design overview DESIGN SUMMARY This soil-based greenhouse polyculture design is centered around the production of apricots, nectarines, and cherries complemented with a number of strategically intercropped plants and fungi. One hectare of such a cultivation system is projected to have a per hectare yield (at maturity) of approximately: 11.700 kilograms of apricots, 5.600 kilograms of cherries, 17.800 kilograms of nectarines, 912 kilograms of chives, 1.800 kilograms of green beans, 3.000 kilograms of lettuce, and 2.200 kilograms of shiitake and 1.800 kilograms of winecap stropharia mushrooms. In addition, the system produces annual harvests of cut flowers (echinacea), edible flowers (calendula), and medicinal herbs (echinacea, comfrey, and calendula). In total, the system produces around 42.000 kilograms of productive yield per hectare, which is much higher than the typical 25.000 kilograms of yield from a high-density orchard. CULTIVATION APPROACH All tree crops in this design are planted in high density rows using intensive orchard practices. Apricots and nectarines are suited for high intensity trellissing using an Open Tatura system. This Y-shaped trellising system is optimal for stone fruit and allows for continuous fruiting from the second year of production. Cherries can be cultivated using either the Open Tatura system or the Upright Fruiting Offshoots (UFO) method, where a number of productive shoots are guided vertically from horizontal leader. In the first three years, while the trees are still young, the orchard is suitable for intercropping with a variety of annual crops – particularly shallow-rooted vegetables such as lettuces and nitrogen fixing crops such as beans. The added nitrogen production from the beans adds valuable nutrients to the tree crops and also provides a secondary source of revenue as the trees mature. Perennial 28 / 64 support crops (such as comfrey, chives, marigold, and echinacea) are also interplanted closer to the trees for additional marketable yields of culinary and medicinal herbs. These plants also provide significant side benefits in the form of pest repulsion and nutrient mining. Comfrey does not compete with tree roots and is also a dynamic accumulator, pulling essential minerals from deep soil into its leaves. The cut comfrey leaves can be used as a direct mulch on the soil below the trees without any additional processing, providing nutrients and preventing weed growth. This practice can easily address mineral deficiencies in the tree crops, which are a key factor in limited productivity in orchard settings. Comfrey, which is a highly productive crop, can also be sold directly as a medicinal herb (leaves and roots) or processed into liquid manure (for own use or sale). Chives are a common culinary herb that can be regularly harvested through the season and sold directly. Planting them as a border crop gives additional pest resistance advantages: most alliums secrete compounds that repel a broad range of predatory insects. Echinacea provides an additional source of revenue and space utilization. It can be sold both as an ornamental flower and a medicinal crop: echinacea root demand continues to increase throughout Europe, with dried root sold at between 20 and 60 euros per kilograms. Mushroom production is also a key component of this intercropping strategy. Bags of shiitake medium can be placed on racks in the shade of the trees. Soil-based mushroom production using mycelium inoculated wood chips can additionally be used to fill shaded gaps in the understory of the system. Winecap Stropharia is suitable for this kind of production. The mushrooms add another stream of revenue, and the soil-based mushrooms can also greatly enrich the soil. Trees in particular flourish in fungal soils. An additional support element in this system includes French marigold. French marigold releases nematode-repelling chemicals from its roots and also acts as a weed suppressant. Nematodes are a common pest problem for the three fruit trees selected in this polyculture, and in soil greenhouse cultivation in general. The marigolds can also be sold as edible flowers, medicinal plants, pigment plants, or ornamental crops for additional revenue. KEY BENEFITS Producing this set of crops in a greenhouse has some key financial advantages: • The grower can avoid common problems facing outdoor orchards: bird predation (all tree crops), fruit loss due to early frost (particularly for apricots), winter frost damage (particularly for cherries), and sunburn. • The production season can be strategically extended: by planting a mix of early and late cultivars, the harvest period can be greatly extended, especially by taking advantage of the early fruiting possible in a greenhouse. • Additional co-products, such as mushrooms, are easier to produce in climate controlled conditions than in an outdoor agro-forestry system. • Crops that are currently not grown in the Netherlands (e.g, apricots) can be grown in this system for potential added local price advantage. Pagina 27
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