• Steel frames installed over a drainage trench
• Woven flexible membrane secured over the frame
• Plastic plugs inserted to form the growing cell
• Three rows of plants grown in each substrate line. An 8m tunnel can incorporate 5 lines of substrate each growing 3 rows of plants = 15 rows of strawberries per tunnel
• ‘Bridge’ created between the rows of strawberries to provide excellent truss support
• Flexible membrane incorporates drainage holes that enables run off to drain into the trench where it is piped away
• The system can incorporate underground water heating for very extended season production

Gutter Systems

Designed and patented by Haygrove^® – the ground level gutter system has been created:

• To provide very high plant density production – over 80,000 plants per ha for a spring crop and over 120,000 plants per ha for an ever bearer crop.
• To grow at soil level that in turn ensures growers can pursue early and late season fruit. This overcomes the disadvantage of table top production that usually delays first pick by 2 weeks compared to soil grown strawberries.
• To incorporate glass house technology for higher returns. This includes underground heating and double skinned Telescopic Tunnels.
• To use rigs for fast picking.

The system is prepared by bed forming with the beds creating the alleyways and the space between the alleyways creating the drainage trench. Steel frames are constructed over the drainage trench and a flexible membrane secured over the frame. Plastic plugs are then inserted into the channels to provide discrete modular cells for growing the crop. The plastic plugs also stops water moving along the length of the row to prevent red core disease risk.

The modular cells are then filled with substrate and planted.

®Patent Pending 6743449472