Here are some articles that are about drip irrigation that you may find of interest.
If you run across an article on drip irrigation that you find useful, please let us know!
When my wife and I planted ornamental gardens in Sandy, Utah, we knew we'd have
to somehow irrigate our plants. For several years, we watered with a hose and sprinkler,
but that got old in a hurry. We considered in-ground sprinkler systems, but they
seemed costly and wasteful of water. Then I learned about the merits of drip irrigation.
With a series of carefully placed emitters, water could be delivered right to the root
zones of plants. And we could enjoy the convenience of a permanent watering system.
more...
"
Hand Over That Hose"
Mother Earth News issue #193, August/September 2003
Although it may seem very satisfying to water by hand, if you dig into the soil
when you're finished you will find only the top inch or so is wet. Most of us don't
have the patience or time to water properly by hand. Giving a 20x3-foot vegetable bed
the inch or more of water it needs during the heat of summer would leave you holding
the hose for almost a half an hour (assuming your hose can deliver 2 gallons per minute).
Even if you had the patience required, the water flows so fast, much of it runs off along
the soil's surface rather than sinking in.
more...
A drip irrigation system can save you water, time, and money, and the benefits are immediate.
Drip irrigation, more than any other kind of system, helps young drought-tolerant plantings
establish their root system and thrive. A drip system can be buried under soil or mulch and
automated with a timer, giving your garden a natural look with carefree convenience. The beauty of
a drip system is that it supports plants without being seen. A water filter installed at the beginning
of the system will prevent clogging and ensure that each emitter (dripper) will always put out the
proper amount of water.
more...
A windbreak, or shelterbelt, usually is made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs
planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to prevent soil erosion.
Properly designed and placed windbreaks can help to slow, direct and block winds, resulting
in many benefits to farmers, ranchers and rural residents. A properly designed tree windbreak
or shelterbelt provides protection for livestock, crops and farmsteads. A windbreak also can
reduce the energy exchange between the indoor and outdoor climate through reduced wind speed
resulting in significant energy savings for heating a rural residence.
more...
Drip, or micro-irrigation, technology uses a network of plastic pipes to carry a low
flow of water under low pressure to plants. Water is applied much more slowly than
with sprinkler irrigation.
more...
Irrigation is often and correctly regarded as a supplement to rainfall, and most of the irrigation in Eastern
vineyards has been in areas most likely to have consistent drought conditions. In the southeastern states,
sprinkler irrigation is used for two purposes: for frost protection and for irrigation. According to Dr. Jim
Ferguson, Irrigation Engineer at the University of Arkansas, the higher capital cost of solid set sprinkler
irrigation (typically $1200 to $1500 per acre as opposed to $1000 to $1200 for drip irrigation) combined with the
lower operating costs for drip irrigation (typical fuel costs for sprinkler irrigation of $60 to $80 per
acre as opposed to $20 to $30) is one reason for looking closely at drip irrigation, or trickle irrigation as it is
frequently called.
more...
"Drip Irrigation"
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Drip irrigation is sometimes called trickle irrigation and involves dripping water onto the
soil at very low rates (2-20 litres/hour) from a system of small diameter plastic pipes fitted
with outlets called emitters or drippers. Water is applied close to plants so that only part
of the soil in which the roots grow is wetted (Figure 60), unlike surface and sprinkler irrigation,
which involves wetting the whole soil profile. With drip irrigation water, applications are more
frequent (usually every 1-3 days) than with other methods and this provides a very favourable
high moisture level in the soil in which plants can flourish.
more...
DripWorks has covered a number of drip irrigation topics in our DripNews news letters.
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