Field Trip: BYU-I Greenhouses

I recently visited my sisters in Rexburg and got to see where Emily, another horticulture major, spends her time! The BYU Idaho horticulture department has a great program and I have heard so much about Emily's work, so it was awesome to see it in person. This coming weekend is the bridal show in which she will contribute an interpretive floral design and lots of bridal work. That's what I really wish I could see... but maybe she'll agree to be a guest blogger next week and tell us all about it! :) Good luck Em!

This is the "Jungle Room." It feels so exotic!

This is where the houseplants live. Em waters and cares for certain assigned plants that will go toward plant sales.

I love this picture of the propagation tables. It reminds me of my greenhouse classes back in the day.

I think the coolest part of the tour was the tomato hydroponic greenhouse! The guy that cares for them showed us around and answered all our questions. It is such a neat way to grow tomatoes! I thought it would be fun to share an overview of the process... didn't know you were going to get a lecture did ya? :) Well, keep reading, you might learn something.

"Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in a liquid nutrient solution rather than in soil: soiless growth of plants. The plants are germinated in Rockwool cubes and when they reach 6 inches in height they are transplanted into the buckets which are filled with perlite. The perlite and rockwool have no nutritional value. They only aid in giving stability to the root system and retaining moisture.

The plants are then given the needed nutrients via the injection system in the greenhouse. This computer controlled nutrient injection system will turn on each half hour during day light and irrigate for approximately 2.2 minutes, giving the plants steady amounts of the liquid nutrient solution.

Fifteen 1000 watt grow lights are located above the plants. These turn on in the evening and run until midnight and then again in the early morning hours of the day. By increasing the photo period of the plants we hope to increase production." (from BYU-I info sheet)

I thought the system ingenious. After the vines grow horizontal for a few feet, they hook them up with ropes, pulleys, and cords and they grow vertically. It was quite a sight! The best part was we got to sample some vine-ripened, garden fresh tomatoes in the middle of January! The students who eat from campus food services probably don't even know the difference... but they're lucky.