Drip irrigation for beginnersDrip irrigation for beginners

Clifton A. Slade, Slade Farms Clifton A. Slade, Slade Farms

Effective and Efficient Effective and Efficient Irrigation: Selecting the Right Irrigation: Selecting the Right

SystemSystem

Clifton A. Slade, Slade FarmsClifton A. Slade, Slade Farms

Michael Pippen Michael Pippen

Friday, Jan. 25, 2013Friday, Jan. 25, 2013

Pop Slade says “There’s enough ways for everybody to have a way”

ObjectivesObjectives

Using drip irrigation and plastic mulch to Using drip irrigation and plastic mulch to manage soils and fertilizersmanage soils and fertilizers

Designing, installing, and running a drip Designing, installing, and running a drip irrigation system for fertilizing with minimum irrigation system for fertilizing with minimum investmentinvestment

Tips about soils, fertilizers, and drip Tips about soils, fertilizers, and drip irrigationirrigation

Feet of Row Per AcreFeet of Row Per Acre(1Acre = 43,560 sqft)(1Acre = 43,560 sqft)

36 Inch Row – 14,520 = 1 Acre36 Inch Row – 14,520 = 1 Acre

Irrigation Planning + Fertility Management

=

Dependable Yields

Surry County, Virginia and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Surry, VA

Oklahoma City, OK

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Inches of Water

Available Water ET Precipitation

Southeast Virginia Water Deficit Chart

WHY PLASTICULTUREWHY PLASTICULTURE

Early ProductionEarly Production

QualityQuality

Increased YieldsIncreased Yields

Plastic Mulch-layingPlastic Mulch-laying EquipmentEquipment

$500 per Acre$500 per Acre

PLASTIC MULCHPLASTIC MULCH

Rye Cover Crop (Dec. 13)Rye Cover Crop (Dec. 13)

TRANSPLANTEDTRANSPLANTED

BEE HIVEBEE HIVE

100 60 50 37.5150 90 75 56200 120 100 75250 150 125 94300 180 150 113350 210 175 131400 240 200 150450 270 225 169500 300 250 188550 330 275 206600 360 300 225700 420 350 263

per Field Acre Pounds Fertilizer 5-foot Centers 8-foot Centers 6-foot Centers

(60% of total) (50% of Total) (37.5% of Total)

Pounds per Mulched Acre Pounds Mulched Per AcrePounds Mulched Per Acre

IrrigationIrrigation

Irrigation and Fertilizer Irrigation and Fertilizer EquipmentEquipment

Irrigation Central

Irrigation FactorsIrrigation Factors

Factors to consider before applyingFactors to consider before applying

drip-irrigation systems:drip-irrigation systems:

Surface WaterSurface Water Well WaterWell Water

Nutrient Content in WaterNutrient Content in Water Soil QualitySoil Quality

Irrigation TipIrrigation Tip

Water should be tested by a lab for ph and Water should be tested by a lab for ph and nutrient content.nutrient content.

Commercial Vegetable Production Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations for 2012Recommendations for 2012

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-420/456-420.htmlhttp://pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-420/456-420.html

Critical Periods of Water Need by CropsCritical Periods of Water Need by CropsCrop Crop Critical PeriodCritical Period

AsparagusAsparagus

Beans: LimaBeans: Lima

SnapSnap

BroccoliBroccoli

CabbageCabbage

CarrotsCarrots

CauliflowerCauliflower

CornCorn

CucumbersCucumbers

EggplantsEggplants

LettuceLettuce

MelonsMelons

Onions: DryOnions: Dry

PeasPeas

PeppersPeppers

Potatoes: whitePotatoes: white

sweetsweet

Radishes Radishes

StrawberriesStrawberries

Squash: SummerSquash: Summer

Tomatoes Tomatoes

TurnipsTurnips

BrushBrush

Pollination and pod developmentPollination and pod development

Pod enlargementPod enlargement

Head developmentHead development

Head developmentHead development

Root developmentRoot development

Head developmentHead development

Silking and tasseling, ear developmentSilking and tasseling, ear development

Flowering and fruit developmentFlowering and fruit development

Flowering and fruit developmentFlowering and fruit development

Head developmentHead development

Flowering and fruit developmentFlowering and fruit development

Bulb enlargementBulb enlargement

Seed enlargement and floweringSeed enlargement and flowering

Flowering and fruit developmentFlowering and fruit development

Tuber set and tuber enlargementTuber set and tuber enlargement

Root enlargementRoot enlargement

Root enlargementRoot enlargement

Establishment, runner development, fruit Establishment, runner development, fruit enlargementenlargement

Bud developmentBud development

Early flowering, fruit set, and enlargementEarly flowering, fruit set, and enlargement

Root EnlargementRoot Enlargement

AdvantagesAdvantages

Uses less water and fertilizer than with sprinkle or Uses less water and fertilizer than with sprinkle or surface irrigation systemssurface irrigation systems

Lower energy and equipment cost than overhead Lower energy and equipment cost than overhead equipmentequipment

Once in place, it requires very little labor to manage Once in place, it requires very little labor to manage and operateand operate

Disease and insect damage on the crop is reduced Disease and insect damage on the crop is reduced because the leaves do not get wetbecause the leaves do not get wet

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

*****Need to water on rainy days**********Need to water on rainy days*****

Drip tubing can be damaged by insects, Drip tubing can be damaged by insects, rodents, and laborersrodents, and laborers

Cost of pressure regulators and filtration Cost of pressure regulators and filtration equipmentequipment

Can not use the system for frost controlCan not use the system for frost control

(gph/100ft) (gpm/100 ft) 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

8 0.13 15.5 19.5 23.5 27.0 31.010 0.17 12.5 16.5 18.5 22.0 25.012 0.20 10.5 13.0 15.5 18.0 21.016 0.27 8.0 10.0 11.5 13.5 15.518 0.30 7.0 8.5 10.5 12.0 14.020 0.33 6.0 8.0 9.5 11.0 12.524 0.40 5.0 6.5 8.0 9.0 10.530 0.50 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.536 0.60 3.5 4.5 5.0 6.0 7.040 0.67 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.5 6.042 0.70 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.0 6.048 0.80 2.5 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.0

50 0.83 2.5 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.054 0.90 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.560 1.00 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Trickle Tube Flow Rate Mulched Width (ft)

Hours Required to Apply 1 Inch of Water to Mulched AreaHours Required to Apply 1 Inch of Water to Mulched Area

(gph/100ft) (gpm/100 ft) 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

8 0.13 15.5 19.5 23.5 27.0 31.010 0.17 12.5 16.5 18.5 22.0 25.012 0.20 10.5 13.0 15.5 18.0 21.016 0.27 8.0 10.0 11.5 13.5 15.518 0.30 7.0 8.5 10.5 12.0 14.020 0.33 6.0 8.0 9.5 11.0 12.524 0.40 5.0 6.5 8.0 9.0 10.530 0.50 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.536 0.60 3.5 4.5 5.0 6.0 7.040 0.67 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.5 6.042 0.70 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.0 6.048 0.80 2.5 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.0

50 0.83 2.5 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.054 0.90 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.560 1.00 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Pole Butterbeans

Organic Compost

Greens

Greens – Marketing Day

Contact InformationContact Information

Clifton A SladeClifton A Slade1111 Mt Ray Dr. Surry, VA 238831111 Mt Ray Dr. Surry, VA 23883

cslade@vt.educslade@vt.edu

Questions or Comments?Questions or Comments?

Thank YouThank You

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““The farm gate hangs on The farm gate hangs on welcome hinges”welcome hinges”

- Pop Slade- Pop Slade