Retractable cooling roof proves effective in keeps plants healthy through +40C summer heat to advance the fall harvest

Producers of winter strawberries have always had difficulty achieving the highest window prices when growing in tunnels and the open field due to the impact of hot weather.  High temperatures cause growers to delay transplanting in the late summer and then the arrival of the summer heat brings an early end to the harvest in the spring.

Over the last several years, we have proven at our demo facility in Mexico that a retractable cooling house has been effective at managing the heat which allowed us to transplant earlier in the summer and then extend the harvest several months longer than crops in tunnels or the open field.  So the next logical step was to try using the same plants for a second season.

In May 2023, we pruned one year old Murano and Abion plants and the results have been fascinating.  First of all, both varieties survived the 40C+ temperatures and are extremely healthy but there has been a big difference in the earliness of the harvest between the two varieties.

We also are doing trials this season with plantings in July, August and September using Cocogreen and Coirtech substrate with the varieties Albion, Cabrillo, and Santa Maria.

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