When Is Drip Irrigation the Best Choice?

Drip irrigation systems are popular, as they are highly efficient for creating high yields while also conserving water resources.

Sold by irrigation system services everywhere, they can essentially be used in any irrigation situation as they are extremely scalable and can be modified in countless ways.

Yet drip systems can be more expensive, so they are generally not ideal for massive-scale operations.

 

When are drip irrigation systems the best option for keeping plants hydrated and producing?

Read these tips on ideal situations when drip irrigation is the best and most cost-effective option for farmers in need of irrigation system services.

  • Home and Small Gardens - Due to their easy scalability, the ease in which irrigation system repair can be done and their affordability on the smaller scale, drip irrigation systems are the perfect solution for backyard home gardens and other smaller acreages for keeping plants well hydrated.
  • Vegetable Row Crops - On a grander scale, drip irrigation systems are also perfect for commercial vegetable row crops like tomatoes, beans, squash, and similar, as setting up these systems to deliver water directly to each plant is easy. As these crops require a certain amount of space between each plant, drip tapes and lines put the water only where it is needed.
  • Specialty Crops - Fruits and specialty vegetables that require well-managed irrigation also thrive with drip systems purchased from irrigation system services that provide a variety of watering solutions. Berries grown in rows or on vines stay healthier and produce more when properly fed by properly designed drip and seepage systems.
  • Orchards - Tree and bush crops grown in orchards also benefit from drip irrigation, as drip tubes can be suspended to drip right at the base of the plant. Keeping the soil around the roots constantly hydrated prevents the stress that can negatively affect orchard yield.
  • Low Water Resources - While any of the above crops can be irrigated in other ways, drip irrigation systems are preferable when water resources are low or evaporation is possible.

In delivering water slowly yet constantly to the base of each individual plant, drip irrigation systems are an economical, and environmentally-friendly choice for achieving high yields in challenging growing conditions.

Drip irrigation allows growers to stretch available water resources further, resulting in a more economical outcome with less need for irrigatioin system repair regardless of the higher initial per acre cost of the system.

Anyone needing solutions for irrigating the types of crops mentioned above can contact a local irrigation system service to plan the perfect drip system for their operation.