Tuesday, 03 May 2022

Tunnel greenhouse transplant: the best methods to use

Discover machines and accessories to prepare the tunnel for your cultivation

The period for transplanting plants under small tunnels has begun. In fact, it is time to lay out the transplantation tunnels for the plants’ first development stage, to protect them from atmospheric events and create the ideal development conditions. Starting a tunnel culture in this period allows you to:

• cultivate some species in environments other than those of origin
• schedule early harvests or delay the production (a practice called "semi- forcing"
• produce off-season crops ("forcing").

In horticultural and agricultural companies, cultivation is therefore carried out inside the tunnels to have an early harvest, but also for phytosanitary reasons - the tunnel helps to create the best and controlled development conditions, especially in periods in which adverse weather events and unpredictable ones are more frequent, specifically in April and May.

Tunnels are one of the most used solutions and, if well done, are advantageous for semi- forcing. The tunnels have a semi-cylindrical shape, of variable heights and widths, and are composed of cover sheaths of light and very fine material, supported by iron or plastic arches. Their use is generally limited to the first phase of the culture cycle of the plant - it is in this period that it is most sensitive to temperatures and adverse weather events, in addition to the fact that when the plant grows then it cannot enter the tunnels (unless they are small plants).

For which crops are they suitable?

Tunnels are increasingly popular because they have multiple uses and, and bring various advantages if spread evenly and adequately. They are also suitable for any type of cultivation, such as fruit, vegetables, flowers that go under tunnels:

• early harvests of spring and summer crops, such as tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, aubergines, peppers
• melon and watermelon, for the summer season
• they are the perfect solution for leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, curly endive, endive, radicchio, salad, chicory, tender Catalan sprouts, and also leafy vegetables such as chard, rocket, spinach, big-leaf chicory, chives
• off-season planting of cabbage and artichokes
• vegetables such as celery and parsley

The characteristics of Cosmeco film-layers

To be able to benefit from the previously mentioned advantages and the plants to be well sheltered from the elements to ensure quality production, the tunnel must be laid precisely and evenly. Cosmeco film-layers have been specifically designed to perform precise and rapid work, saving a lot of time on the farm.

Cosmeco agricultural machines are a great help in Protected Agriculture and, in particular, precisely for the techniques of forcing and semi-forcing crops. What are their characteristics?

Towed by a tractor, Cosmeco mechanical film layers have a frame that can be adjusted both in height and width. It is equipped with a descending series of rotors that accompany the film stretched downwards to the final part of the machine, where two cutters fixed on each side tuck the film with the loose soil and anchor it to the ground. The result is a low tunnel with a maximum height of 55 cm, supported by plastic or iron arches that are manually anchored into the ground by the operator before passing the film layer machine over the tunnel.

The machine is fully adjustable in height (up to 55cm) and width (up to 220cm). Different types of cover sheaths can be used, such as:

• PVC
• PE
• Nylon
• EVA
• TNT Agrotextile, extremely light material, which can be placed directly on crops even without supporting arches
• Biodegradable

The machine is used in all types of cultivation because it offers several advantages:

• speeds up work : a major farm customer that produces melons had the job completed with the machine in just 32 seconds, instead of hiring 2 workers who would have done the job in 25 minutes. A reduction in working times can lead to a further anticipation of collection times
• the possibility to adjust the soil to be conveyed on the edges to be tightly or loosely fixed. Given that some crops are left completely covered, while other covers are removed in the hottest hours so as not to burn the seedlings, the adjustment of the soil on the edges to fix the film is useful to both cover and uncover the plants as needed;
• the machine is suitable for all types of terrain
• it can also be used for mulching on the ground
• in addition to the mechanical cover-tunnel machines, the hydraulic film layer machine is also available

What about the Ridger machines?

Cosmeco’s Ridger is a machine designed to tuck the covers of medium-sized tunnels. In fact, the film layer machine can pass over an arch with a maximum height of 55 cm (which usually also depends on the tractor). Above this height, the Ridger is used.

This machine is always fully adjustable, mechanical, towed by a tractor and suitable for any type of terrain. It comes with one or two cutters, and is adjustable in height and width according to the distance between the tunnels. In addition, thanks to its small size it can also be used in narrow intermediate spaces.

A complete range of machinery to improve your business!

Choose the tunnel film layer you need and complete it with the necessary accessories to make it even more efficient, functional and further improve your everyday business, since quality is upgraded and time is saved! The tunnel transplant period has arrived, do not miss the opportunity to improve the quality of crops and processes with Cosmeco machinery.

Cosmeco offers a complete range of equipment, both for the movement and working of the soil and in the field of horticulture, completing them with a very wide range of accessories. In fact, you can complete the film layer machines with trenching solutions for greenhouse reinforcement and drainage. These are efficient, versatile and customizable solutions, available in many different versions according to your needs.

Contact us to find the ideal solution for your business!