Irrigation
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Irrigation Overview
Types of Irrigation
For almost any geographic location, you are going to need some sort of watering systems. The most efficient watering systems are ones that are able to minimize the amount of water that evaporates during application.
After planting your plants, check daily for the first week and water at first sign of wilting. During the growing season, water deeply on a consistent schedule, preferably in mornings, to supply moisture to a depth of 6 inches. Be careful to avoid overwatering. Avoid shallow, frequent watering which will encourage shallow roots. If in doubt about the amount and frequency of water necessary, purchase a soil moisture meter and insert it to a depth of six inches about 5 inches from plant stem. Soil meters help take the guesswork out of watering. Many people have good results with watering every 5 days to one week unless plants are in containers, which dry out quicker than garden soil.
Two basic types of irrigation are options, drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. Regardless of which system you select, when using PVC, be sure to bury the pipes far enough into the ground to avoid freezing in the winter and be sure to drain all the lines, pipes and hoses before freezing temperatures arrive.
After planting your plants, check daily for the first week and water at first sign of wilting. During the growing season, water deeply on a consistent schedule, preferably in mornings, to supply moisture to a depth of 6 inches. Be careful to avoid overwatering. Avoid shallow, frequent watering which will encourage shallow roots. If in doubt about the amount and frequency of water necessary, purchase a soil moisture meter and insert it to a depth of six inches about 5 inches from plant stem. Soil meters help take the guesswork out of watering. Many people have good results with watering every 5 days to one week unless plants are in containers, which dry out quicker than garden soil.
Two basic types of irrigation are options, drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. Regardless of which system you select, when using PVC, be sure to bury the pipes far enough into the ground to avoid freezing in the winter and be sure to drain all the lines, pipes and hoses before freezing temperatures arrive.
Drip versus sprinkler irrigation
As long as water is inexpensive, irrigation inefficiency and over-watering may be overlooked. Once water supply is low due to a drought and water restrictions are applied, however, the inefficiencies of a poorly designed and installed irrigation system quickly become apparent. Drip irrigation is a slow application of water directly to plants' root zone that can help maintain the root zone at the ideal moisture level and can be used in vegetable gardens, cut flower gardens, in row crop configurations, orchards, in and in greenhouses and nurseries for pots, baskets and benches.
Drip irrigation encourages the formation of deeper roots and more abundant foliage while saving water because of the reduced evaporation and run-off. However, one precaution regarding drip irrigation is it will sometimes "spoil" the plants into thinking they do not need to spread out their roots for water. Also, many plants, particularly younger ones, enjoy water on their leaves. If you are going to use drip, occasionally go to your garden with a hose or watering can and moisten the leaves of your plants in the early mornings and all the water to drip off the leaves onto the ground beneath it. This will encourage the plants to spread their roots towards their drip line, helping them stabilize and strengthening the plants stalk.
Drip irrigation encourages the formation of deeper roots and more abundant foliage while saving water because of the reduced evaporation and run-off. However, one precaution regarding drip irrigation is it will sometimes "spoil" the plants into thinking they do not need to spread out their roots for water. Also, many plants, particularly younger ones, enjoy water on their leaves. If you are going to use drip, occasionally go to your garden with a hose or watering can and moisten the leaves of your plants in the early mornings and all the water to drip off the leaves onto the ground beneath it. This will encourage the plants to spread their roots towards their drip line, helping them stabilize and strengthening the plants stalk.
Drip system advantages
- Minimized nutrient loss due to reduced leaching.
- High water application efficiency., less water is lost to wind and sun during and immediately after application.
- Levelling of the garden is not necessary.
- Ability to irrigate irregular shaped areas.
- Allows safe use of recycled water.
- Moisture within the root zone can be maintained
- Soil type plays less important role in frequency of irrigation.
- Minimized soil erosion.
- Highly uniform distribution of water i.e., controlled by output of each nozzle.
- Variation in supply can be regulated by regulating the valves and drippers.
- Foliage remains dry thus reducing the risk of disease.
- Usually operated at lower pressure than other types of pressurised irrigation, reducing energy costs.
- Expense. Initial cost can be more than overhead systems.
- Waste. The sun can affect the tubes used for drip irrigation, shortening their usable life.
- Clogging if the water is not properly filtered and the equipment not properly maintained.
- Not suitable if herbicides or top dressed fertilizers need sprinkler irrigation for activation
- In lighter soils subsurface drip may be unable to wet the soil surface for germination. Requires careful consideration of the installation depth.
- Salinity. Most drip systems are designed for high efficiency, meaning little or no leaching fraction. Without sufficient leaching, salts applied with the irrigation water may build up in the root zone, usually at the edge of the wetting pattern. On the other hand, drip irrigation avoids the high capillary potential of traditional surface-applied irrigation, which can draw salt deposits up from deposits below.
Drip InstallationDrip irrigation systems can be installed either above or below ground. Either way, for an irrigation system to be successful, it must be properly designed with appropriate components and layout, and it must be appropriately maintained. There are various start-up options to installing a drip system and several installation methods including hose threaded, the most common method for home gardening, and pipe threaded. Choose the option that best suits your needs.
Drip irrigation systems begin with what is called the "drip zone" which consists of these components:
Hose threaded systems
Pipe threaded systemsThis method is used generally with inline AC or battery operated valves, PVC pipe or any pipe thread connections and requires basic plumbing skills. The easiest way to do this is by using brass threaded tees that are available in multiple configurations depending upon how many lines you think you will need.
More information about pipe threaded installations can be found on multiple websites. |
Sprinkler Installation
First, note that sprinkler systems will lose up to 60% of the water applied, especially if the sprinkler system is utilized during the heat of the day. Therefore, in general, sprinkler systems are not recommended.
However, if this is your only option , ensure the most efficient usage of water with a sprinkler systems, it is critical be use a custom-designed irrigation system, with each area of your garden fitted with the proper water-saving sprinklers and spray heads. Because sprinklers will wet the leaves of your plants, be sure to avoid watering in the afternoons when sun can scorch the leaves and in the evenings where dropping temperatures can encourage the growth of bacteria and fungus. The early morning hours are best the time to water despite what kind of irrigation system you select.
A sprinkler system can be as simple has a store bought sprinkler attached to a hose if you have a fairly uniform garden area. You can also consider an inground sprinkler system, but these are fairly complicated to install and it is generally advised that without advanced plumbing skills you contract a certified installer for your system.
However, if this is your only option , ensure the most efficient usage of water with a sprinkler systems, it is critical be use a custom-designed irrigation system, with each area of your garden fitted with the proper water-saving sprinklers and spray heads. Because sprinklers will wet the leaves of your plants, be sure to avoid watering in the afternoons when sun can scorch the leaves and in the evenings where dropping temperatures can encourage the growth of bacteria and fungus. The early morning hours are best the time to water despite what kind of irrigation system you select.
A sprinkler system can be as simple has a store bought sprinkler attached to a hose if you have a fairly uniform garden area. You can also consider an inground sprinkler system, but these are fairly complicated to install and it is generally advised that without advanced plumbing skills you contract a certified installer for your system.
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