Title: Home and Garden Irrigation Appling the Technology
1Home and Garden Irrigation Appling the Technology
- By
- Dr. Robert Tomesh
- UW Extension Specialist
2Do you live in the ideal climate where you
receive just enough rain just when plants need
it?Irrigation is the art of supplementing water
as needed when weather doesnt cooperate.
3Irrigation reality
- Monitor weather supply of water
- Know soil structure and texture
- Organic matter
- Mulch
- Clay, silt and sand
- Understand plant water demands
4Soil Composition
- A given volume of soil consists of four parts
mineral matter, organic matter, water, and air.
5Soil Texture
- Sand particles can be seen by the naked eye.
- A microscope must be used to see silt particles.
- An electron microscope is needed to see clay
particles.
6What are the effects of plant water stress?
- -Reduced root development
- -Reduced nutrient absorption and translocation
- -Reduced photosynthesis and growth
- -Reduced flowering, fruit and seed
- -Reduced fruit and vegetable size
- -Reduced fresh weight
- -Deformities, ie. blossom end rot
7The goal in watering is to keep the top foot or
two of soilmoist.
- Dry soil stresses plants by tying up nutrients,
killing delicate root tips and depleting water
from the plants. - Light watering on dry soil encourages shallow
root development. - Soggy soil drowns or suffocates the plant, kills
root tips, and encourages root rots.
8Water frequently and keep the soil evenly moist.
- Light watering on dry soils results in shallow
roots which susceptible to drought, unable to
obtain nutrients and more apt to wind damage.
9Water Application Figures
- One inch of water per week.
- It takes 27,000 gallons of water to equal one
inch application per acre. - One inch over 100 square feet equals 60 gallons
(. 6 gallons/ Sq. Ft.). - Increase to 1.5 inch application weekly for sands
(two separate applications).
10Estimating Square Footage to meet Plant Water
Needs (100 sq. ft. equals 60 gallons)
- Lawns - calculate sq. ft. to be watered
- Vegetables - calculate 2 sq. ft. per linear foot
of row - Trees and shrubs calculate square footage to
the drip-line
11Calculate Water Delivery
- Time needed to fill up one gallon jug with
delivery unit (hose, drip unit, sprinkler etc.). - Time needed per gallon X number of gallons needed
equal total period of application.
12Soil Water holding Capacity(Available water)
- Sand .5 inches/cu. ft.
- Loamy sands .8 inches/cu. ft.
- Silt loams 2.0 inches/cu. ft.
- Silt clays 2.5 inches/cu. ft.
- (Sands would need irrigation with less water but
more often to meet plant needs of one inch per
week.)
13Available water to plants is more crucial at
certain stages ofdevelopment.
- Transplantingaccommodate root development
- Seed germination
- Flowering
- Fruit sizinglast stages of development
14Irrigation Methods
- Hand watering
- Surface or furrow irrigation
- Sub-irrigation
- Overhead sprinkle systems
- Drip or trickle irrigation
15Hand Watering
- Often applied too rapidly resulting in run-off
- Often, not enough is appliedcalculate the need
per surface area (1 inch/100 sq. ft. is 60
gallons) - Time consuming
16Surface, Furrow, Flood Irrigation
- Used for cranberries in Wisconsin
- The flood-type system are usually operated
entirely by gravity and water control is
difficult. - As much as 40 to 60 percent of the water will be
lost to evaporation, run-off, or deep percolation.
17Sub-irrigation
- The term refers to any method of watering plants
by allowing water to soak up into a plant by
introducing the water from the bottom. - It is a common method for watering bed plants in
greenhouses, pots, perennial crops like
raspberries, sugar cane, athletic fields. - Most economic and efficient use of water.
18Overhead Sprinkler Systems
19Sprinkler Irrigation
- Sprinkler irrigation is like natural rainfall,
applying water to all areas. - A sprinkler has one or more nozzles mounted on a
rigid frame or rotating mechanism to deliver
water. - Used for supplemental watering, frost
protection, cooling, bloom delay, maintain turf,
deliver waste water (different design criteria
for delivery).
20Micro Sprinklers
- Micro sprinklers and sprayers are available in a
variety of styles and configurations and like
drip emitters they operate at a low-pressure
range of 15 to 30 PSI. Micro sprinklers and
sprayers are rated by flow rate, wetting
diameter, or radius, and the spray method
21Micro-sprinkler
- Pop-up Sprayer
- Micro-sprinkler
- Fogger / Mister
- Spray Jet
- Stick / Spitter
22Center Pivot Overhead Sprinkle(Covers 130 acre
areas)
- This self-propelled sprinkler system rotates
around the pivot point, has the lowest labor
requirements of the systems considered,
constructed using a span of pipe connected to
moveable towers and frequently used for
commercial vegetables.
23Drip/Trickle Irrigation
- Drip irrigation is the application of
supplemental water at a slow, controlled rate
through an emitter. - An emitter is a small device with very small
openings designed to meter the water out of a
supply line. - Suited for orchard crops, vegetables, brambles,
nursery stock, landscaped ornamentals.
24Drip/Trickle Irrigation
- Porous pipe perforated pipe
- Soaker hose woven fabric hose
- Emitter tubes
- Drip irrigation, T-tape, double walled emitter
tubing
25Drip/Trickle Irrigation Design
26Drip Irrigation for Vegetables
- Provides each plant with near-optimal soil
moisture. - Increases yield and decreases both water
requirements and labor. - Can be automated as easily.
27- Drip irrigation extends watering times for
plants, and prevents soil erosion and nutrient
runoff. - Fertilizer can be added and used more
efficiently. - Drip irrigation systems use 30 - 50 less
water.
28Drip Irrigation for Trees
29Drip Irrigation For Trees
30Micro-tube Delivery Device
- Micro-tube is a small bore black polythene tube.
- Also called the "spaghetti tube" .
31Emiter Tube
32Emitter Tubes for Tree Fruit
33House/Yard Drip Irrigation SystemDesign
34Essential to any system anti- backflow device
and filter
35T-tape, double walled drip tape
Outer drip holes every 12 inches
36T-tape/Feeder Line
37Head Assembly
Double drip tape
Manifolds
38Soaker Hose Design
- Perforated hose or woven fabric.
- Sweat" water from tiny holes along the length of
the hose. - Hoses can be set on the ground or buried under
mulch.
39Sprinkler Hose Design
- Sprinkler hoses spray a fine mist of water into
the air. - They look like flat hoses with perforations all
along their length. - Holes can become plugged by particles and
bacteria.
40Porous Pipe
- Soaker tubing seeps water the entire distance of
the pipe. - New produce produced in part from recycled
automobile tires. - Not recommended for hilly terrain.
41Fertigation
- The most common nutrient applied by fertigation
is nitrogen. Other nutrients include phosphorus,
potassium, sulfur, zinc and iron. - May also improve nutrient efficiency by applying
nutrients closer to the plant. - Highly dissolvable fertilizer products are
designed for delivery systems.
42The goal in watering is to keep the top foot or
two of soilmoist.
- Dry soil stresses plants by tying up nutrients,
killing delicate root tips and depleting water
from the plants. - Light watering on dry soil encourages shallow
root development. - Soggy soil drowns or suffocates the plant, kills
root tips, and encourages root rots.
43Water frequently and keep the soil evenly moist.
- One inch of water per week is the amount needed
for plants to remain healthy in most soils. - It takes 27,000 gallons of water to equal one
inch application. - One inch over 10 square feet equals 6 gallons.
44Irrigation Methods
- Hand watering
- Surface or furrow irrigation
- Sub-irrigation
- Overhead sprinkle systems
- Drip or trickle irrigation
- Porous pipe perforated pipe
- Soaker and Sprinkler Hose
- Drip Irrigation/Emitter tubes
- T-tape, Double walled tubing
45Thank You
- A special thanks to the suppliers of home and
garden irrigation products.