In June a new collaborative partnership started with local greenhouse vegetable producer Sonoran Hydroponics and the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center of the University of Arizona. The primary goal of this partnership is to address the problems of growing organic tomatoes using a standard hydroponic setup. In addition to the organic tomato project, Sonoran Hydroponics is also conducting a variety trial of bell peppers.
The purpose of a variety trial is to find a cultivar of peppers that will produce a quality pepper in the harsh Sonoran Desert climate. The UA is also working with Sonoran Hydroponics to ensure that this small grower has all the resources and experience available to be a productive member of Tucson's growing urban agriculture movement. For more information about this project or the produce that Sonoran Hydroponics grows, please email TJ Johns at sonoranhydroponics@gmail.com.
This article was published in the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center newsletter.