CCD-CP-80: Hops

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | May. 3, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Hop (Humulus lupulus) is a native herbaceous plant with a perennial crown and annual climbing stems (bines). Bines are similar to vines; however, bines wind around a support structure and lack the suckers or tendrils typical of vines. Hop crowns can survive for 25 years or more; however, the fast growing bines die back to the ground each winter. Bines can reach a height of 15 to 30 feet in a single growing season. Hops are valued for their female cones, which contain the resins and essential oils used to provide the distinctive flavor, aroma and bitterness to beer.

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CCD-MP-17: Grower Cooperatives (Co-ops)

Matthew Ernst, Tim Woods | Apr. 25, 2019 (Minor Revision)

ooperatives have historically been utilized to market wholesale quantities of produce in Kentucky. In the early 2000s, as many as four grower co-ops in Kentucky were actively marketing tomatoes, melons, sweet corn, cabbage, bell peppers, pumpkins and other crops to wholesale buyers. By 2006, however, produce marketing by grower co-ops had largely disappeared from Kentucky's produce industry, with only one co-op still operating as growers found other ways to market produce. The involvement of co-ops in marketing produce from Kentucky has since been limited. Cooperatives remain a potential form of business organization for specialty crop growers located in a similar geographic area. Producers interested in exploring the cooperative business structure can investigate resources available from the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD), which is recognized by USDA Rural Development as a cooperative development center.

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CCD-CP-77: Bamboo

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | Apr. 9, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Bamboo is the general name used for a number of perennial, woody-stemmed grasses. Native cane (Arundinaria gigantea), which is commonly referred to as river cane, grows naturally in Kentucky and throughout much of the Southeast. It is one of three bamboo species native to North America. There are more than a hundred introduced species that can be grown in the U.S., with growth habits ranging from low-growing groundcovers to full-sized trees that reach a height of over 30 feet at maturity. Bamboos are well known for their vigorous growth and variety of uses.

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CCD-CP-56: Bedding Plants

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | Mar. 26, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Hundreds of different annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetable transplants can be grown and sold as bedding plants. In general, the term 'bedding plant' refers to any plant that is produced and sold for planting in the landscape, garden or large containers (such as patio pots).

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CCD-CP-137: Gourds

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | Mar. 12, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Gourds, which are related to pumpkins and squash, are generally grown for their hard outer rind. The fruit is dried for fall decorations, handicrafts and functional items. The various types of gourds include hard-shell gourds (Lagenaria spp.; used for dippers, containers and birdhouses), soft-shell gourds (Cucurbita pepo; decorative and ornamental uses), and luffa gourds (their soft interior fiber is used like a sponge).

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CCD-CP-2: Apples

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | Feb. 5, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Over the past 40 years Kentucky growers have produced apples (Malus domestica) using free-standing trees in low to medium density plantings. Today's high density orchards have closely planted trees on dwarfing rootstocks requiring permanent support structures. Earlier production, quicker returns on the investment, and improved fruit quality are just a few of the many benefits of the new high-density systems.

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CCD-CP-16: Plasticulture Strawberries

Matthew Ernst, Shawn Wright | Jan. 16, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Fresh strawberries (Fragaria spp.) are a consumer favorite, and growers able to provide the earliest local strawberry crop often have the marketing edge. The annual plasticulture system can produce strawberries in Kentucky about one month sooner than the traditional matted row system. This can give an advantage to growers willing to invest time and resources into annual plasticulture strawberry production, which can either be used as a stand-alone enterprise or as part of a diversified operation. However, plasticulture production requires careful attention to details and involves more risk than matted row production due to earlier fruit ripening and a greater potential for frost losses.

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CCD-CP-9: High Tunnel Blueberries

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | Jan. 15, 2019 (Minor Revision)

High tunnels are relatively simple polyethylene-covered structures placed over irrigated ground beds. Also known as hoop houses, high tunnels have been used to extend the marketing window of a wide variety of annual crops in Kentucky, such as vegetables and cut flowers. Perennial crops, such as brambles, can also be produced in high tunnels

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CCD-CP-74: Turfgrass Sod Production

Matthew Ernst, Cheryl Kaiser | Jan. 2, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Sod production involves growing a solid stand of high quality turfgrass and then harvesting the grass along with roots and a thin layer of topsoil. Many sod producers also transport and install the sod. The primary markets for sod are landscapers and building contractors. Sod is used in parks, golf courses, athletic fields, schools, garden centers, home lawns, road construction sites, commercial properties, and cemeteries. The 2014 USDA Census of Horticultural Specialties reported slightly less than 1,000 acres of sod harvested in Kentucky. The value of sod sales in Kentucky was split almost evenly between wholesale and retail sales.

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CCD-CP-136: Organic Cucurbits

Matthew Ernst | Dec. 13, 2018 (New)

Cucurbits, vegetables in the family Cucurbitacae, include cucumber, pumpkin, squash, muskmelon and watermelon. Certified organic cucurbits are produced without using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, according to organic crop production standards regulated by the National Organic Program (NOP). For more information on the exact requirements to be organic certified in Kentucky, please visit the Kentucky Department of Agriculture website. Growers commercially producing cucurbits in Kentucky's climate must manage key insect pests such as cucumber beetle and squash bug as well as economically important diseases such as bacterial wilt, cucurbit yellow vine decline, powdery mildew, and downy mildew. This profile provides an overview of organic cucurbit production in Kentucky, including market demand potential, key production considerations, and baseline economics