Irrigation

Steve Quirt  and visiting guest Patty Hamilton from Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery gave a lecture regarding the variables of providing water to plants.  Patty said the first thing to consider is a filter.  Water quality from either city, well, pond, or spring water determines  the components to choose.   The disc filter shown far right has 26 times more filteration then a screen, plus the it's removeable and easy to clean mineral buildup. It can be placed in different positions as well.

Plant characteristics and type of soil and how much water capacity can determine a drip, overhead, or combined system.  Your soil determines the capillary force and how irrigation will work (e.g. sandy soil with drip will result in a carrot shaped capillary action around the root system, capillary action with loamy soil will spread the water in a more circular area around the root system of the plant.) 

Soil type and plant characteristics will determine different watering zones and pressure regulators and types of emitters.  At IVC we are currently using T Tape for our row crops. 

Below an example of  T Tape.  Lettuce varieties include: Nova, Red Neck & Butter Esmeralda. We thinned out the lettuce for more leaf coverage.

Out at the farm Steve stressed the importance of hand sampling your soil to monitor the soil and capillary action.

Calculations to consider; you want to design a system to use 75% or less of your available water in each zone.  T Tape requires 10 psi operating pressure.  8" spacing uses 40 GPH per 100'; 12" spacing uses 24 GPH per 100'.  The heavier the T Tape the longer it will last. 

Below Patty Hamilton answering questions regarding irrigation  system currently being assembled.

 The day ended with creating more beds for our cover crop of: mixed flowers, red clover,calendula, flax, field peas, white milet, and black oil sunflowers.  Below applying compost to beds.  Rain is in the forcast.  We will have to adust our timers.  I think I'll rent the movies Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring and pour over my Harmony Farms catelog. 

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