Wayne Smith, Owner
Smith Greenhouses
Brookhaven, Mississippi

A.    1) First spring crop, 1971
        2) Started with two 30' x 96' poly greenhouses
        3) starting growing in soil
        4) 1972, built six 30' x 96' poly greenhouses - also planted in soil
        5) 1975-76 started growing in sand
        6) 1978-79 started growing in pine bark
        7) 1998-99 started growing perlite
        8) 1987 lost entire range to tornado
        9) Built new greenhouse (42,000 sq. ft)
        10) 1991, Dr. Rick Snyder brought in Dr. Bill Bauerle

B.     Grower (old and new) started on Dr. Bill Bauerle’s system of growing tomatoes.
        1) Most growers started with Anderson injector - rest with bulk tank or two head injector.

C.     Fall crop
        1) seeded July 10 - transplanted to greenhouse August 10^th - 20th
        2) plants are 5-6 weeks old
        3) start picking October 1^st - 15^th
        4) pick until December 20^th - January 1^st
        5) we usually set 8 to 9 clusters

D.   Spring crop
       1) plants seeded November 1^st - 10^th
        2) plants are planted in greenhouses from December 20^th - January 1^st
        3) start picking around March 15^th - 20^th
        4) run spring crop until July 4^th
        5) we usually set 12 clusters

E.    Long crop of tomatoes
       1) plant seed September 1^st - 15^th
        2) transplant into greenhouses October 1^st - 15^th
        3) start picking January 1^st - 15^th
        4) run crop to July 4^th

F.     Growing plants in greenhouses
        1) all growers are using pine bark or perlite or growing media
        2) all growers grow in poly covered greenhouses
        3) all growers fertilize with
            a. Anderson injector
            b. 2 head injector
            c. bulk tank

G.    Picking and harvesting fruit
        1) what we pick in
        2) grade and pack
        3) deliver to stores

H.     Marketing fruit
        1) wholesale and retail in store
        2) at greenhouses
        3) grades of tomatoes at greenhouse

I. Grower Ideals

Proceedings - Table of Contents