Success StoryHigh Tunnel Tomato Shortcourse: A Virtual How-To Series
High Tunnel Tomato Shortcourse: A Virtual How-To Series
Author: Nicole Gauthier
Planning Unit: Plant Pathology
Major Program: Plant Disease ID
Outcome: Initial Outcome
High tunnels continue to gain popularity across Kentucky, with nearly 2,000 high tunnels in the commonwealth to date. High tunnels help extend the growing season and are typically used to produce crops early or late in the season; spring/summer tomatoes are one of the most profitable crops grown in high tunnels in Kentucky. However, production and pest management in high tunnels is vastly different from field production. As growers transition to high tunnels, they require additional and more detailed resources. Further, over 60% of vegetable growers in Kentucky farm part time and need virtual or on-demand sources of information. In 2025, the IPM Specialty Crops Working Group developed a virtual high tunnel tomato shortcourse. The 12-video series followed real-time events from soil sampling and tunnel preparation to pest scouting and disease management. The shortcourse had over 500 views during the first season. These viewers represented a farm value of over $14M. Because this resource remains available online, grower reach will increase each year. Materials presented in this course are Kentucky-specific, but a majority of the information included in the course may be appropriate for neighboring states, increasing reach.
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