Colorado State University Greenhouse Extension Programs
Situation Statement
More than 70 percent of the Colorado greenhouse industry is in Weld, Morgan, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson, and Boulder counties. Other counties with significant greenhouse production include Adams, Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Larimer, Mesa, and Pueblo. The major crops grown are container-grown plants, including potted color, bedding and foliage plants, cut flowers, and tomatoes. The Colorado greenhouse industry was established with carnations as a cut flower, but due to increasing offshore pressure, this has changed over the past 30 years. Rose production has declined, but some alternative and specialty cut flowers are increasing. During the 1970s, there were 150 cut flower growers using 7.5 million square feet and today there are less than 20 cut flower growers using 3 million square feet. Those who were once cut flower growers have shifted their production to potted color, bedding plants, herbaceous perennials, and plugs and propagation material consisting of more than 250 enterprises when enterprises with sales of less than $10,000 are included.
Greenhouse tomato production is changing the appearance of the Colorado greenhouse industry. Colorado continues to rank high in the nation in total acreage of tomatoes under cover. Many of these operations use state-of-the-art Dutch hydroponic technology and produce up to one million pounds of fruit per week during the peak season and an annual average of about 500,000 pounds per week. By producing a high quality product, they have made hydroponic tomatoes a mainstream commodity in produce departments of grocery stores statewide. This kind of recognition provides a high profile for small growers. The small grower can compete by focusing on service, alterative markets, and alternative crops, such as fresh market herbs. There is also considerable interest from small growers in producing certified organic vegetables in greenhouses.
Drinking water quality and the environment continues to be a public issue where agricultural fertilizers and pesticides are concerned. Training of all agricultural producers in ground water protection and the proper use of pesticides, fertilizers, and waste management is essential. Greenhouse growers require information that will result in wise management of limited water resources and integrated pest management strategies to comply with regulations, current and future. Extension programs directed toward the development of efficient and innovative methods to minimize the amount of pesticides, water, and nutrients required to produce a floral or vegetable crop to a marketable stage would have a positive impact on the industry. Other areas of water concerns include the potential of using reclaimed waste water, issues with recirculating irrigation water, and water sanitation.
Greenhouse Extension at Colorado State University is supported by two primary individuals: Steven E. Newman, Ph.D., A.A.F. and Laura Pottorff, M.S. Newman is located on campus in Fort Collins and Pottorff is located at the Adams County Cooperative Extension Office in Brighton.
Steven E. Newman, Ph.D., A.A.F.
Laura P. Pottorff, M.S.
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