BOSSIER CITY – Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse may be less costly in the future.Dr. H.Y. Hanna, an LSU AgCenter scientist working at the Red River Research Station in Bossier City, is studying how spacing between bags that hold the plants affects the amount of heat required to produce tomatoes in greenhouses.

Cost budgets are reported for 20 vegetable crops, with combinations of crop, machinery size and market channel. Each cost budget is supplemented with a table where net returns are calculated over a range of prices and yields. Crops include butter beans, snap beans, broccoli, fall cabbage, spring cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, sweet corn, cucumber, eggplant, mustard, okra, southern peas, bell pepper, Irish potato, sweet potato, shallots, squash, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon.

Farming of exotic mushrooms offers another opportunity to add to farm cash flow or supplemental income. It is also popular among home gardeners and organic farmers. Shiitake (pronounced she ta key) is the most popular of the exotics. This publication includes information on the fruiting, harvesting, pest problems, and cost and returns for shiitake mushrooms.

Good marketing is the process of fulfilling the objectives of both the buyer and the seller. The factors you have some control over are the 4 Ps of product, price, placement and promotion. Here are some tips to help you tune up your produce marketing plan.

Greenhouse tomatoes are about a $2.2 million business in Louisiana, assuming growers can sell what they produce for a profit. Learn the secrets of turning a profit from your tomatoes.

Before Command herbicide was labeled for sweet potato production, Louisiana sweet potato growers faced numerous weeds such as annual grasses, cocklebur, morningglory and prickly sida.

LSU AgCenter experts at its Red River Research Station gave greenhouse tomato growers some new ideas to save money and boost production at a recent field day (Feb. 24).

LSU AgCenter experts say soil contamination in Jefferson and Orleans parishes from flooding after this summer’s hurricanes may not be as serious as originally feared. Initial results of tests conducted in October indicate no need for special preparations to the soils prior to planting and that there should be no danger for individuals digging or planting in the soil.