Irrigation refers to the process of watering plants in adequate amounts at certain time intervals. It is very important for the proper growth of the plants. In ancient times the main form of irrigation was rainfall. Nowadays, homeowners rely on watering hoses and sprinklers to water their home garden. Using a suitable hose nozzle further make the task a lot easier, and a lot of these types you can find onBestOfMachinery.
It is very important to arrange for proper irrigation sources so that the crops get the amount of water they need to grow. We do not need to rely on rainwater for irrigation. There are many different methods of irrigation. Make sure that the water is not dirty as it will hinder the growth of your crops.
Let us look at some common systems of irrigation in practice in today’s time.
Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is the most popular irrigation system which people use. In this system water pipes are laid down in your garden. The pipes directly provide water to the roots to help the plant grow up. It also conserves a lot of water. Moreover, this method also reduces weed growth.
They do not waste any water because they directly supply water to the roots. We do not need to collect water on the surface. When water is there on the surface, most of it does not reach the soil and the roots. It is often lost due to evaporation.
The best advantage drip irrigation provides is that it stops from weed from growing. It does not waste any amount of water and is a very efficient method of irrigation.
Surface Irrigation
The oldest method of irrigation is surface irrigation. In this system, water is flows and covers the entire land where plants are grown. The water reaches each and every plant through gravity and the slope of the land. When there is a slope and you pump water in one place, it will gradually move down and reach every area of the field.
It also makes the best use of rainwater. Whenever there is rain, the water is collected on the surface. Slowly it moves and reaches all the plants. The terrain of your land should be suitable for surface irrigation. A natural slope is very important. It can also cause waterlogging in your field. If there is too much water, the crops will drown in it and there will be no use. Make sure you take the right steps if you have to this system of irrigation.
Sprinkler irrigation
Sprinklers are also common among farmers nowadays. Water is thrown from above on the plants with the help of a sprinkler. You can use any kind of sprinkler to water the plants. It is completely opposite to the drip irrigation. Drip irrigation waters the root of plants while in this system water is thrown from above to irrigate the crops. Onga water pump is best for sprinkler irrigation as it supplies the right amount and pressure of water.
People generally use sprinklers in a large area where it is difficult to reach every place. It is not an expensive method and easily covers a big field. It has a lot of advantages over other irrigation systems. We need a slope to employ surface irrigation while drip irrigation is difficult to use over a large area. Sprinklers provide a solution to both of these problems and can be put anywhere you like.
It is difficult to use a sprinkler in the windy area. Fast winds affect the distribution of water. Overall it is a nice method for irrigation.
Well irrigation
People since ancient times dig a well in the ground which is around three to six meters deep. You can use the groundwater present in the wells to irrigate your crops. It is a common method in India. It is common in areas where they’re fewer canals and there is sufficient groundwater. Make sure to not use salty groundwater to water the crops.
Tube well is even deeper than well. It is around fifteen meters below the ground. A motor is present which pumps the water from this tube well. A well is affordable but a tube well can be a bit expensive to set up. It can be a difficult task to carry the water from the wells to the fields.
Canal irrigation
There was a time when canal irrigation was the most important irrigation system. They are of great use in areas where there is a permanent source of water and the soil is very fertile. It is difficult to dig and set up a canal in uneven land. Hence, it is mainly used in plain areas.
They can supply water for irrigation at all times. Whenever there are conditions of drought or low rainfall, canal irrigation comes very handily. Some of the water in the canals come from rivers and carry a lot of minerals and sediments. These minerals also make the soil rich and fertile.
It is important to keep the water level in check because it can overflow and drown all the crops. It is common for a canal to overflow during heavy rain.
Manual Irrigation
Manual irrigation is a system in which people themselves provide water for the crops. Instead of using any machines or water sources, people use manual methods to water their crops. This method is cheap and does not require any infrastructure or machine costs.
Many people in rural areas use this method for irrigation. People make use of buckets, watering cans, mugs, etc. to water their crops. This method requires a lot of effort and hard work. You will need a lot of labor if your farm is big. It does not have a lot of advantages.
Conclusion
We cannot just depend on natural sources and rainfall to water our crops. If we want our plants to grow properly, it is essential to make use of irrigation systems. People all over the world make use of different types of methods to water their crops. In the above article, we read about the different irrigation systems for our gardens. I hope you got all the information about irrigation methods.