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Category: Drip Irrigation Basics

Advantages of Drip Irrigation

Today it is more important than ever to use water resources wisely and to irrigate intelligently. Consequently, many farmers have turned to drip irrigation and have enjoyed improved profitability by increasing crop yield and quality while at the same time reducing costs from water, energy, labor, chemical inputs and water runoff. Many landscapers have also enjoyed significant water and capital investment savings using drip irrigation, while simultaneously improving plant vigor by delivering water and nutrients directly to the plant roots and avoiding unnecessary wetting of plant leaves. Drip irrigation is the targeted, intelligent application of water, fertilizer, and chemicals that when used properly can provide great benefits, such as: Increased revenue from increased yields Increased revenue from increased quality decreased water costs decreased labor costs decreased energy costs decreased fertilizer costs decreased pesticide costs Improved environmental quality Click here to learn more about the advantages of drip irrigation. Click this

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Drip Irrigation Efficiency for Conserving Water

Drip irrigation has enabled farmers, nurserymen, and landscapers to conserve water for decades. This is primarily because, in contrast to gravity or sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation efficiency and technology applies water slowly and directly to the targeted plant’s root zone. In addition, drip irrigation technology has extremely high application uniformity, even when pressures vary from hilly terrain or long lengths of run, or where planted areas are oddly shaped. Water is conserved in the following ways through drip irrigation efficiency: Drip irrigation application uniformity is very high, usually over 90% Unlike sprinklers, drip irrigation applies water directly to the soil, eliminating water loss from wind. Application rates are low so water may be spoon fed to the crop or plant root zone in the exact amounts required (even on a daily or hourly basis).  In contrast, other methods entail higher water application quantities and less frequency.  If young plants need

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Distribution Drip Irrigation Supplies & System Components

Once the emission device is chosen, a system of filters, chemical injectors, pipes, valves and fittings must be constructed to deliver water reliably, safely and efficiently to each outlet, and to facilitate system maintenance.  The following are the major distribution system component categories: Filters Filters are used to remove organic and inorganic debris from the water that could potentially clog the emission devices. In agriculture, sand media filters, screen filters or disk type filters are commonly used, and may be cleansed manually, semi-automatically or automatically.  Even where potable water is used, which is typical of landscaping applications, disc or screen filters should be installed since scale and chemical precipitants may occur which present a potential clogging hazard. Depending on the emission device chosen, the degree of filtration should be 80-200 mesh. Chemical Injectors Chemical Injectors are typically installed in drip irrigation system in order to facilitate system maintenance with chlorine

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Control Zone Irrigation Equipment

The drip irrigation system must be monitored and operated.  It cannot be stressed enough how important the first two categories (flow meters and pressure gauges) are to assess performance and guidance for operation, and how important the last two categories (valves and controllers) are to deriving the maximum benefit from a drip irrigation system. System Flow Meters System Flow Meters are available in a range of sizes and types, and commonly provide both instantaneous and cumulative water flow with an accuracy of approximately two percent.  Flow meters may also be fitted with electrical analog conversion units that are capable of transmitting flow rate data to a centralized irrigation control computer.  A micro-irrigation system offers the user an unprecedented degree of control over his water and power costs, and over the growing conditions of his crop.  To take full advantage of this ability to control the irrigation system, it is necessary to

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Drip Irrigation Emitters and Emission Devices

Emission devices vary according to their flow rate, hydraulic characteristics and wetting pattern.  The ideal emission device is durable (withstands outdoor conditions), resists clogging (large internal passageways, self-flushing), is insensitive to pressure variation that occurs as a result of slope and/or lengths of run (pressure compensating), accurate (low manufacturing Coefficient of Variation, or CV), and is economically affordable.  Drip irrigation emission devices are typically installed on the surface such that there is flexibility in placement and convenience for management.  These attributes are achieved via advanced plastics, hydraulics, and injection molding technology. Drip Tape Drip Tape is a “line-source” product that incorporates a series of relatively inexpensive, engineered emission devices into a thin walled tube.  Water is distributed evenly along the length of the tube through emission devices which may be spaced anywhere from 4″ to 24″ apart.  To accommodate various crops and terrain, tube wall thicknesses are available from .004″

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