Overseeing a greenhouse can be incredibly stressful and time-consuming. Along with making sure you have everything in place, you also need to take time regularly to check on plants and make sure your systems are working properly. When it comes to running a greenhouse, the most important thing is to maximize your yield, both in terms of health and numbers. It’s important to have the irrigation system that best aligns with your yield goals.
There are a number of different irrigation systems available for greenhouses, and greenhouseemporium.com does a great job of laying out several of them. Certainly not every system will work in every single greenhouse situation, so getting an understanding of how each of those systems work will go a long way in helping you figure out which one is best for you. One such system involves self-watering trays and capillary mats. A self-watering tray will allow plants to obtain water from below as they have a compartment that releases moisture to the soil. Some of these trays have a capillary mat that takes on the water and then releases it slowly. This is a fairly low maintenance option where you only need to make sure the water in a reservoir is topped off weekly.
Another option available for greenhouse irrigation is overhead sprinklers. Pipes placed above the plants are fitted with nozzles that are capable of being adjusted to different spray ranges. An in-ground sprinkler system is also a possibility although not as common in a greenhouse. This type of system will save time when compared to some others, but it does need to be checked often in order to make sure that it’s working as it should. A misting system is also a possibility when it comes to effective irrigation for greenhouses. This system would be a top option if there are lots of seeds that need regular watering. With a misting system, only tiny amounts of water get released at a time, unlike a sprinkler system which uses a lot more water over a shorter period of time. With misters, the system can run for a long time or spray every fifteen minutes to half an hour. Due to how long or often the system runs it will lower the temperature in a greenhouse, which is especially beneficial in warmer climates.
Drip irrigation is a system that utilizes a hose with multiple heads or emitters. With this system, water is released at set intervals during the day. A benefit to this system is that it can be scaled to any size needed and will work for all purposes. Drip irrigation systems can be built on the surface or placed beneath the soil. Slow drips of water are released over time, which prevents plants from drying out. Soaker hose irrigation allows for plants to be watered from below as they sit inside of the soil. Unlike drip irrigation, the tubes that make up this system don’t have emitters and instead, it is a porous material that allows for the regular release of small amounts of water into the soil. If you would rather not run power for an irrigation system, there are solar-powered options available as well. This type of system requires no water or electricity supply, which makes it self-sufficient. Solar-powered irrigation utilizes drip irrigation and is connected to a rain barrel using the sun to pump water through a hose. This type of system is great for smaller greenhouses.
No matter which of these irrigation systems you decide to implement, you’ll want to consider some form of filtration to ensure the water you’re pulling is as clean as possible. Just as unclean water can have negative health effects on people, it can and will affect your greenhouse yield. The more sediment-free your water source is, the better it will be for the life of your greenhouse and what you are growing.
Implementing a filter from Vu-Flow into your greenhouse irrigation system can help you to maximize your greenhouse yield. At Vu-Flow, we offer filters in four different sizes to easily connect into your current or planned setup. There is also a variety of mesh sizes available depending on the type of sediment that you’re dealing with. A Vu-Flow filter is easy to install and is designed to be self-cleaning, making maintaining one really simple. The filters are cost-effective and designed to last years, unlike many on the market that require replacing every few months. Installing one of these filters will certainly make the operation of running a greenhouse go a lot more smoothly!
If you’re in the process of designing a greenhouse irrigation system or looking to add filtration to a current system, consider a filter from Vu-Flow. Give us a call at 1-800-833-5171 where a live customer service representative can help answer any questions.
Source Notes: All information in this article regarding different types of greenhouse irrigation systems came from greenhouseemporium.com.
