CROP 04 · STRUCTURE NOTES
Strawberries moved from soil to table-top, and the frame moved with them.
Table-top strawberry production turns the structure into a load-bearing bench system: gutters, supports, and a tunnel or house that can carry the weight of wet substrate.
A table-top system puts several hundred kilograms per running metre into the structure, and it does so at a height where the load has leverage. That is a different structural problem from a soil crop: the bench stand, the gutter and the floor all carry load, and the frame has to accept the stand's reactions.
| System | Structure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Soil, tunnel | TN-620 / TN-850 | lowest capital |
| Table-top, tunnel | Tunnel + bench stands | load on the floor, not the arch |
| Table-top, multi-span | MS-800 / MS-960 | year-round, better climate |
| Gutter-grown | Gutter line + supports | hydroponic logic |
Berries are also the crop where a tunnel's simplicity pays: film closer to the ground, side roll-up, and a house that can be moved or extended between seasons. If the plan includes re-covering every two years, the fixing detail matters more than the section size.
A load question to settle first
Table-top benches transfer load through feet, not through the arch. Ask the bench supplier for the foot load, then check the floor and the stand — the frame usually only has to resist wind.
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