Farm irrigation can help you get more yields when for your crops; however, you need to know how and when to irrigate.
Here is some vital information to ensure successful crop irrigation.
Need For Irrigation
Crops require irrigation especially during the dry season as it adds extra water to the soil when the weather has not cooperated in dryland farming.
Irrigation allows water to seep deep into the soil and reach the roots which supplements the rain amount received during a particular planting season and allows your crops to stay in good condition.
Just be sure that any chosen irrigation systems gets water to the roots when you do irrigate, amounts can be pre-determined based on your crops.
When Should You Irrigate?
Once you have irrigated your crops, subsequent irrigation will depend on the crop type, weather, and soil.
Sand and coarse soil tends to require more water than clay, silt or loam soil.
You will also need to irrigate crops more often during warm weather because the soil tends to be drier.
Irrigate often during windy days because the wind can make the soil drier.
Large plants will also require more water compared to smaller ones.
Which Irrigation System is Suitable?
You can use various farm irrigation systems including drip, surface, and sprinkler with each option offering both pros and cons.
Sprinkler irrigation systems provide good soil aeration and moisture and reduces crusting but it can be costly initially and may encourage diseases.
Surface systems are quite popular because they are cheaper but inconsistent with the amount of water actually delivered to the plants.
Drip systems usually use less water and are a great choice for many types of crops but do require some level of expertise to use.
Hopefully this will help you choose the best irrigation system for your crops!