SUCCESSFUL ON-FARM IRRIGATION LIBERTY HUNTER

BASIC DEFINITIONS •DRIP IRRIGATION

BASIC DEFINITIONS •SPRINKLERS

BASIC DEFINITIONS •MAINLINE

BASIC DEFINITIONS •HEADER LINE

BASIC DEFINTIONS •BARBS

BASIC DEFINITIONS •GOOF PLUGS •HOLE PUNCH

IRRIGATION IN THE GREENHOUSE •FULL FLOW OR MISTERS? WHEN TO USE

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • BASIC IRRIGATION SYSTEM WATER SOURCE→ PUMP→FILTER → PRESSURE GAUGE → MAINLINE

DRIP : → MEDIA FILTER → PRESSURE REGULATOR → HEADER LINE → DRIP TAPE

SPRINKLER : → HEADER LINE → SPRINKLER

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DRIP/SPRINKLERS

DRIP IRRIGATION

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

USES LESS WATER DRIP TAPE DOES NOT LAST FOREVER

REQUIRES LESS WATER PRESSURE LEAK REPAIR

REDUCES DISEASE PRESSURE REQUIRES HIGHER QUALITY WATER

FIELD OPERATIONS CAN CONTINUE RESTRICTED WATER DISTRIBUTION

SPRINKLERS

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

REDUCES SOIL CRUSTING ENCOURAGES WEED GROWTH BETWEEN ROWS/BEDS

PROVIDES OVERALL DISTRIBUTION MAY ENCOURAGE SOME DISEASE

LEACHES EXCESS SALT REQUIRES HIGH WATER PRESSURE

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD •APPLICATION RATE OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

PENN STATE EXTENSION : “DETERMINING HOW LONG TO RUN DRIP IRRIGATION SYSYTEMS FOR VEGETABLES”

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • APPLICATION RATE OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

1 ACRE OF WINTER SQUASH ON 5FT CENTERS

AREA TO IRRIGATE: 30” (2.5ft)

# OF GALLONS IN 1 ACRE-INCH: 27,154gal

# OF ft² IN 1 ACRE: 43,560ft²

DRIP TAPE FLOW RATE: .45gpm/100ft

AMOUNT OF TIME TO RUN THE SYSTEM:

13,577gal÷39.204gpm= 346min OR 5.8hrs

PENN STATE EXTENSION : “DETERMINING HOW LONG TO RUN DRIP IRRIGATION SYSYTEMS FOR VEGETABLES”

DRIP TAPE NEEDED: 43,560ft²÷5ft=8,712ft

AREA TO IRRIGATE: 8,712ft×2.5ft=21,780ft² (.5 acres)

GALLONS NEEDED: 27,154gal×.5 acres=13,577gal

DRIP UNITS NEEDED: 8,712ft÷100ft=87.12 units

GPM NEEDED: 87.12units×.45gpm=39.204gpm

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • APPLICATION

RATE OF IRRIGATION

SYSTEMS

DETERMINING HOW LONG TO RUN THE

IRRIGATION AT ONE TIME

WEB SOIL SURVEY

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • APPLICATION RATES OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

SPRINKLERS AR = (96.3 x Qn) / (Ss x Sl)

Where: AR = gross application rate in inches/hour

Qn = nozzle flow rate in gallons per minute Ss = sprinkler spacing in feet

Sl = lateral spacing in feet 60 to 80% efficiency

SEE REFERENCES FOR SPRINKLER APPLICATION RATE CALCULATOR

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • FILTRATION 200 MESH SCREEN OR EQUIVALENT IS ADEQUATE MEDIA, SCREEN, AND DISK FILTERS CLEANING: INSTALL PRESSURE GAUGES BEFORE AND AFTER THE

FILTER(S). THIS CAN ALERT YOU WHEN TO CLEAN THE FILTER (DROP IN NORMAL PRESSURE, 5-8PSI)

SCREEN FILTER SAND MEDIA FILTER DISC FILTER

IRRIGATION INNOVATION

BACK-FLUSHING IRRIGATION

FILTER HEARTY ROOTS

COMMUNITY FARM, NY

IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD • TIMERS MAY BE USED TO AUTOMATICALLY OPERATE THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM

AT PRE-SET START AND END TIMES. TIME AND LABOR SAVER MAY BE SET AT ANY NUMER OF HYDRANTS OR HIGH TUNNELS ON YOUR

FARM

IRRIGATION IN HIGH TUNNELS • DRIP IRRIGATION IS MOST

POPULAR

• SPRINKLER SYSTEMS HELP LEACH SALTS KEEP THE TOTAL SOIL ARE

MOIST HELP TO COOL THE TUNNEL IN

HOT SUMMERS

IRRIGATION IN HIGH TUNNELS • WINTER IRRIGATION HOW MOIST IS THE SOIL GOING INTO WINTER? WATER EARLY IN THE DAY

TRY TO CHOOSE A SUNNY DAY TO IRRIGATE

IRRIGATION INNOVATION

SOLAR POWERED PUMP THE SALAD GARDEN, MO

IRRIGATION INNOVATION

RAIN BARRELS FOR HIGH TUNNELS IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

EXTENSION AND OUTREACH

RAINWATER COLLECTION

FOUR SEASON TOOLS

REFERENCES • GENERAL IRRIGATION INFORMATION

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA EXTENSION: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs388 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SMALL FARM PROGRAM:

http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/pubs/Family_Farm_Series/Veg/Irrigating/ PENN STATE EXTENSION: http://extension.psu.edu/business/ag-

alternatives/horticulture/horticultural-production-options/drip-irrigation-for-vegetable-production NOBLE FOUNDATION: http://www.noble.org/ag/horticulture/surface-water-irrigation/

• PENN STATE EXTENSION APPLICATION RATE FORMULA: http://extension.psu.edu/plants/vegetable-fruit/news/2012/determining-how-long-to-run-drip-

irrigation-systems-for-vegetables

• WASHINGTON STATE SPRINKLER APPLICATION RATE: http://irrigation.wsu.edu/Content/Calculators/Sprinkler/Sprinkler-Application-Rate.php

• INNOVATIVE TOOLS SOLAR POWERED PUMP:

http://mysare.sare.org/mySARE/ProjectReport.aspx?do=viewProj&pn=FNC05-557 FARM HACK BACK-FLUSHING FILTER: http://www.youngfarmers.org/farmhack-tools-back-flushing-

irrigation-water-filter/ IOWA STATE EXTENSION: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs-and-papers/2012-01-rainwater-

catchment-high-tunnel-irrigation-use FOUR SEASON TOOLS RAINWATER CATCHMENT: http://www.smallfarmtools.com/pages/water-

catchment WEB SOIL SURVEY: http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm