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  • From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] irrigation
  • Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:22:26 -0500 (CDT)

Stand-alone emmitters aren't used much in row crop agriculture. Drip
irrigation TAPE is a different product. The "emitters" are engineered into
the tape, which comes on reels of 5-10,000 feet. They can be laid out easily.
If you want more than one strip on the bed, you can do that. Emitter spacing
in the tape can be from 4" to 24", depending on source. If its damaged, its
easy to repair. The rate of water emmission is fixed, usually about 1/3 to
1/2 gallon per emitter per hour, so you can calculate accurately how much
water you applied if you know the rate and number of emitters. You just
divide up your field into zones, set up controls for each zone, deliver water
(I use poly tubing, 1" -2"), and you're set up. Once you're set up, you just
turn it on or off. There's a small learning curve, but once you know it, its
really very easy. Its also very important. Water management is much more
important that fertility management, especially for organic growers.

I buy products from this Trickl-eez,
http://www.trickl-eez.com/. There are other good companies too, like
Dripworks. Use the winter as an opportunity to learn the systems and
products. Once you've tried it, I think you'll really be pleased.

Bill




>Greetings,
>I don't want emitters, I tried them once, useless. Have they changed
>much? How do you keep your soil biology healthy with dried out beds? I
>like what a good soaker hose does, it is perfect for my set up, but they
>don't exist anymore. My plants are spaced very close in raised beds, I
>want the whole bed nicely wet, not just part of it.
>Bright Blessings,
>Kim
>
>Owsley lucy wrote:
>> drip tape, emitters spaced at different spacings depending on the
>> crop. I do not remember what brand we use, it is whatever Nolt's
>> sells (not T-Tape)
>>
>>
>_______________________________________________
>Market-farming mailing list
>Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>
William H Shoemaker, UI-NRES
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610




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