The supply of water to the greenhouse and the organization of irrigation in it, the types of irrigation, the choice and features. Assembling systems. Greenhouse watering is plant maintenance, which is a prerequisite for growing a rich harvest. Irrigation methods for crops are quite diverse. Many of them can be done independently. How to do this, our today's material.
Varieties of irrigation systems in the greenhouse
The irrigation system in greenhouses largely depends on the size and purpose of such structures. There are greenhouses in private ownership, and there are industrial greenhouses that have at their disposal massive transparent structures designed for the mass production of certain crops. Both those and others actively use such types of irrigation: drip irrigation, over-soil and air, subsoil irrigation.
Drip irrigation
supplies water only to plant roots is the most popular method. Such irrigation of plants is carried out in a metered manner. This means that they receive only the amount of water they need. This is the advantage of automating drip irrigation.
A drip system is a pipe equipped with simple and compensating drippers. Products of the second type are designed for automatic equalization of unstable pressure in a water conduit. Most often, it occurs on soil areas with different levels. On slopes, such systems are placed across the unevenness.
To supply water to certain beds makes it possible to drip irrigation. Special cranes help him in this process. This function is important for the competent cultivation of different crops in the same area. In addition, drip irrigation in the greenhouse reduces the risk of diseases in plants and prevents weeds.
Sprinkler system
makes it possible to distribute water in any direction and angle of inclination. This is useful if the greenhouse plants are of uneven heights. The principle of sprinkling is simple: water is supplied through a hose to a nozzle, which sprays it over the greenhouse area. The unpleasant moment of this watering - a considerable number of drops fall on the leaves of plants. And this is by no means good for them.
There are two types of automatic greenhouse sprinkler irrigation:
- Subsoil watering … It provides for underground laying of main pipes. Over-soil sprinkling is unpretentious in terms of water quality, but it also requires its good pressure. If there is a lack of pressure in the line, the installation of an additional pump will help. The disadvantage of this system is obvious: it takes longer to look for an emergency section on pipes hidden by soil in case of any breakdown.
- Aerial sprinkling … In this case, the pipes are attached to the upper frame elements of the greenhouse. Installation and operation of such a system is much easier. For air sprinkling requires filters, clean water, good and constant pressure. Water for such irrigation cannot be taken from a river or lake.
Subsoil watering
functionally similar to drip irrigation, but there is a difference. The delivery of water with it is carried out through pipes running at great depths. This is required for targeted moistening of plant roots without the formation of a dried crust on top of the bed, which makes the soil more likely to loosen. Underground water supply to plants is very economical, in contrast to the drip system, in which a significant part of the water evaporates.
Subsoil irrigation is a system of holes around the plants. The flow of water into each such hole ensures the vital activity of the roots of the plant culture.
Automatic irrigation is more common in industrial greenhouses. Their automatic irrigation system is made up of pipes and pumps. Sprinkling works in a similar way.
In addition to the size and purpose of the greenhouse, the choice of irrigation method depends on the source of water supply located on the territory of the farm. There are three types of such sources:
- Centralized water supply main … Connecting irrigation to the main line involves obtaining many documented permits. You will need to provide a pipe cut-in diagram, make a well for special equipment - a water meter and pumps.
- Well … Practical and has long been used for suburban areas. It is dug and equipped in the absence of the possibility of connecting to a centralized water supply or drilling a well. The depth of the well largely depends on the occurrence of groundwater. The soil itself is of great importance in terms of water quality. For example, if the bottom of the well is sandy, you will not need to add rubble to it. These materials are themselves natural water filters. Well water is pumped into a container using an electric pump. There is a large selection of this equipment. The criteria for it are the width and depth of the well. Supplying the greenhouse with well water is attractive because in the absence of electricity on the site, it can be collected with a bucket.
- Artesian well … Water intake from a well is a modern and profitable way. It can be used on any soil. The water from the well is distinguished by crystal purity, because it comes from the depths of the earth, passing through multiple natural filtration. Unlike a well, water cannot be extracted from it without a pump. Therefore, in many areas, storage water tanks are installed in case of pumping equipment breakdown or lack of electricity necessary for its operation.
Note! To make watering a pleasure from work, you can automate it. Then you no longer have to carry buckets of water or stand for hours with a hose waiting until the soil is saturated with water.
Installation of an irrigation system in a greenhouse
Before starting work on the organization of irrigation in the greenhouse, you need to make a diagram and indicate on it the location of the elements of the selected system. In this case, the number of rows of plants and the step between adjacent bushes should be taken into account.
Drip irrigation device
The main element of such a system is drip tape. Before installing it, you need to find a convenient place in the greenhouse and install a barrel or some other container with water on it, and so that the liquid does not bloom, it should be protected from the sun.
After that, the pipe must be placed in the container so that its intake is slightly above the bottom. This is important, otherwise settling dirt will interfere with proper watering. To regulate the amount of water entering the system, it is recommended to install a tap.
The rest of the polyethylene pipe must be laid along the site. Holes should be made against its beds in the line and fittings should be mounted, to which drip tapes should then be brought. A dummy plug is required for tape. It can be made from a piece of the same material by rolling it into a ring.
Before starting, the finished system should be checked for leaks and flushed. It would be nice to install a filter to ensure good water quality.
In addition to the tape, water can be supplied with separate droppers. Then they will need additional hoses. The system is convenient for watering seedlings when the water supply is carried out at one point.
The entire process can be fully automated using an electric pump. In this case, the drip tape will be capable of delivering about 600 liters of water per hour. For its fence, here you will need not a barrel, but a eurocube, which goes on sale ready for installation. They make a cube from polymers. For strength, it is reinforced with a steel grate. Such equipment, before doing drip irrigation in the greenhouse, should be checked for certificates.
Automatic sprinkling
The work will require pipes with a diameter of 20 mm, sprayers and ball valves. It is important to choose the right attachments. Then a strong pressure of water will not be needed, since it will flow in small portions in the form of drops, and not crush the soil with a jet.
Many summer residents have a very popular sprinkler system called "snail". Its principle of operation is simple: water enters a branch pipe located at a low height relative to the soil, and then it is sprayed, covering the area.
Another watering option is called a "ring". Holes are made in the hose, rolled in the form of a circle of the required diameter, through which water is sprayed.
If it is not possible to make such devices on your own, watering the plants is carried out using a sprinkler machine, which works very efficiently indoors and in open areas.
Subsoil watering
To implement it, you need to stock up on pipes with a diameter of 20-40 mm and make many two-millimeter holes in them. Instead of pipes, you can take a thick hose.
After that, the beds should be prepared. From them, to a depth of 30 cm, it is necessary to take out the soil mixture (substrate), cover the surface with rubble and cover it with plastic wrap. This layer will prevent water from eroding deep soil layers.
Perforated pipes should be laid on the foil with a distance of 50-90 cm relative to each other. From above they need to be covered with strips of polyethylene about 20 cm wide and covered with the substrate removed shortly before.
Before planting plants, it is recommended to check the finished system for operability. To do this, after a week, you need to dig out the garden bed and see how the subsurface irrigation copes with its function.
Basic rules for watering in a greenhouse
Any technique for watering plants, whether it is sprinkling, subsurface or drip irrigation, will not work correctly without observing some rules:
- Do not use cold water for irrigation. It is advisable to let it settle and warm up a little in the sun.
- Watering should be uniform. The moisture should have time to be absorbed by the soil, only then the procedure can be continued.
- To retain water in the soil, the holes with the plants must be covered with straw. It will prevent moisture evaporation for a long time.
- The moisture content of the soil must be checked before watering. To do this, the metal pin should be stuck shallowly into the ground near the plant. The soil adhering to the twig indicates that it is too early to water.
How to water in a greenhouse - watch the video:
When thinking about how to water in a greenhouse, it is important to take into account its nuances and correctly calculate the required amount of water, commensurate with the area of the building and the need for crops.
