Uploaded December 2016 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Conveyor cropping is a Tower movement system that conserves light in places with a low sun angle and makes labor more efficient. It’s used in systems like greenhouse systems where towers are arranged in blocks and rows.
In many places, the sunlight hits the towers at a low angle to the ground rather than from above the towers. This means that the front towers get direct sun, but the towers at the back of the mass are likely to be shaded out. Obviously, this is a huge bottleneck for production!
Conveyor cropping together with one-sided towers and light-reflecting (white) surfaces solves the problem. In conveyor cropping systems, the youngest plants remain at the front of the mass. As the older Towers are harvested and newly planted Towers added in their place, the Towers shift backward. This way the front Towers with the smallest plants aren’t shading the back Towers. In ZipGrow systems, the white surfaces reflect light and the “light extinction” is much lower than in other systems.
Spacing is important to maintain the benefits of conveyor cropping. Keep 18-22 inches side to side and 18-22 front to back. On the conservative side, that gives each Tower 2.5 square feet.
For more free videos, check out Upstart University and start your free trial today! university.upstartfarmers.com/limited-trial/?ref=43
Want to know more about ZipGrow Tower layouts? Enroll in the full course! university.upstartfarmers.com/courses/understanding-zipgrow/?ref=43
Conveyor cropping is a Tower movement system that conserves light in places with a low sun angle and makes labor more efficient. It’s used in systems like greenhouse systems where towers are arranged in blocks and rows.
In many places, the sunlight hits the towers at a low angle to the ground rather than from above the towers. This means that the front towers get direct sun, but the towers at the back of the mass are likely to be shaded out. Obviously, this is a huge bottleneck for production!
Conveyor cropping together with one-sided towers and light-reflecting (white) surfaces solves the problem. In conveyor cropping systems, the youngest plants remain at the front of the mass. As the older Towers are harvested and newly planted Towers added in their place, the Towers shift backward. This way the front Towers with the smallest plants aren’t shading the back Towers. In ZipGrow systems, the white surfaces reflect light and the “light extinction” is much lower than in other systems.
Spacing is important to maintain the benefits of conveyor cropping. Keep 18-22 inches side to side and 18-22 front to back. On the conservative side, that gives each Tower 2.5 square feet.
For more free videos, check out Upstart University and start your free trial today! university.upstartfarmers.com/limited-trial/?ref=43
Want to know more about ZipGrow Tower layouts? Enroll in the full course! university.upstartfarmers.com/courses/understanding-zipgrow/?ref=43
