2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Drip irrigation is widely used both in greenhouses and in open areas, and in recent years its popularity is constantly gaining momentum. This method is especially appreciated by those summer residents who can visit their site only on weekends. However, by the way, like everything in our life, drip irrigation is also not devoid of certain disadvantages. It's time to figure out what the pros and cons are inherent in it
Advantages of drip irrigation
Drip irrigation helps to significantly reduce water consumption, because it first appeared in Israel, which is completely poor in water resources, where life-giving moisture is literally worth its weight in gold. So, using this method, you can save up to 60% of water from its original volume! And the yield will increase noticeably - if you believe the research, it can grow from 1, 8 to 3, 5 times! In addition, the drip irrigation system can be easily adjusted for each specific crop, because every plant has its own needs and preferences.
The next advantage is the ability of drip irrigation to purposefully deliver to growing crops all kinds of organic and mineral substances that are vital for their full growth. This is due to the fact that in this case, water is supplied directly to their root system. Moreover, drip irrigation makes it possible to avoid extremely undesirable overspending of fertilizers. It is quite permissible to introduce by the drip method along with water all kinds of preparations for pest control - in this case, they will act much more efficiently!
Drip irrigation contributes to an even distribution of water throughout the entire area, while a crust almost never appears on the surface of the soil, preventing the plants from receiving oxygen. And, what is especially valuable, such watering can easily be carried out even in the sun, because the likelihood of sunburn on the leaves as a result of water ingress in this case is zero!
Another undoubted advantage of drip irrigation is the ability to independently regulate the temperature of the water, making it the most suitable for a particular crop. As a rule, the water collected in the container is almost always heated to air temperature, which in turn helps to protect the vegetation from the sometimes fatal temperature shock for it. But in the case when water is supplied from a well directly, a temperature shock is often inevitable. In addition, the drip irrigation system is capable of working even with a relatively low water pressure, which is especially important on a hectic summer weekend. And it also helps to save a lot of time and effort, which can always be directed to other, equally important summer cottage chores.
And, of course, the drip system can always be automated - for this, a controller equipped with special electrovalves is installed. And the built-in rain sensor helps to turn on the system only when it is necessary. This is very convenient, since this approach makes it possible to adjust the watering time and leave the area for exactly as long as it takes.
Disadvantages of drip irrigation
One of the main disadvantages of drip irrigation is the systematic clogging of the droppers. In order to safely solve this problem, in some cases it is necessary to install a filter, which also needs to be cleaned periodically. And droppers can easily damage or, even worse, render the rodents living on the site and pets walking on it completely unusable.
Summer residents are not happy with the very short average service life of such irrigation systems - as a rule, it rarely exceeds two years. And, of course, all parts will need to be replaced with new ones as they wear out. So, one more disadvantage can be designated the inevitable material costs, however, this is not such a disadvantage, if it will more than pay off with impressive volumes of excellent harvest!
To be or not to be a drip irrigation system on the site - of course, everyone must decide for themselves. However, you should be prepared for the fact that the use of such systems will not only bring joy, but also cause some trouble!
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