There are many different types of irrigation used in cannabis cultivation. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks.
Drip Irrigation is a very common form of irrigation for outdoor growing. It gives you total control over your watering schedule and the amount of water applied to the plant.
Spray stake irrigation is also a common form of irrigation for cannabis growers. It applies water to a small container-sized spray pattern, which wets all of the soil in your grow containers without overspray or run-off.
Drip Irrigation
Regardless of how much time and effort you spend cultivating cannabis, it is important that the plants you grow get the water and nutrients they need to maximize their growth potential. This can be done through a variety of different irrigation methods, but drip irrigation is among the most effective and straightforward to implement.
Drip irrigation can help growers cut down on the amount of hand-watering they do, which can save them both money and time. It also helps the crop grow faster and more vigorously, giving them a better chance of producing bigger yields.
In addition, the method reduces stress on the crops by regulating the amount of water applied to each plant and providing a constant flow of moisture. This can prevent plants from drying out or suffering wilting, which can lead to lower yields.
Another benefit of drip irrigation is that it can be set up so that the system will automatically run when needed, such as when a plant is about to flower or has reached its maximum growth phase. This eliminates the need for hand-watering and allows for a more precise watering schedule, which can be especially useful for large or specialized cultivation operations.
While most cannabis grows are conducted in outdoor, natural growing environments, a number of cultivars can also be grown indoors, where the lighting and water availability must be optimized for optimal yield production. This can be done through a combination of drip irrigation, spray stake irrigation and flood irrigation systems.
Single Emitter Drip Assemblies are one of the most popular drip irrigation systems for Cannabis, being simple to set up and provide excellent results with minimal output requirements. These assemblies can be configured with pressure compensating emitters to deliver precision watering doses in small increments, such as.5 to 10 gph, or can be used with CNL drippers at the header line for greater scalability.
Drip irrigation has become a popular choice with both large licenced producers and micro-cultivation operations, as it is easy to set up, offers good coverage and requires little maintenance. However, there are a few factors that should be considered before installing this type of irrigation system. These include the size and structure of the containers, the type of soil being used and the source of water.
Spray Stake Irrigation
Whether it’s growing cannabis in an indoor grow space, greenhouse or outdoor operation, the environmental conditions you create are vital to your success. This includes optimum temperature and humidity, efficient use of energy and fertilizer, and proper ventilation for healthy growth.
The key to cannabis cultivation is selecting the right growing environment and providing consistent care throughout the lifecycle of your plants. This involves a variety of factors including the type of soil you use, irrigation methods and the equipment you install.
One of the most common and effective forms of watering for cannabis is drip irrigation, which provides a series of small amounts of water to the plant’s root system at low flow rates. This method of watering is effective and easy to use, and it is often used in conjunction with fertilizers that are incorporated into the drip irrigation solution.
Another form of irrigation that has become popular among growers is spray stake irrigation. This method consists of a series of plastic or metal spray stakes that apply water to the root zone through the dripper tubing that runs between the stakes.
Spray stakes are an excellent choice for container growing due to their scalability and ability to provide the same amount of water to each pot in a row or run. They also offer the added benefit of a downward spray pattern that keeps the water in the pot, reduces wind drift and spreads the wetted spray over a larger surface area than a dripper by itself.
Unlike drippers, which can be hard to set correctly and can result in over-spray or under-spray, spray stakes are easy to use and provide precise control of the amount of water and fertilizer your plants receive. They feature a built-in spray direction indicator that allows you to quickly see and feel the correct spray angle for each stake without having to stop and study each one individually.
In addition, Netafim Spray Stakes include close-off capabilities that are simple and quick. The close-off nipple is located on the side of the spray stake eliminating dirt from entering the tube, a common problem with tip-mounted close-off nipples.
Flood Irrigation
Flood irrigation is an ancient method of agricultural watering that has been in use for thousands of years. It is an outgrowth of the original practice of carrying buckets full of water from a water source to a crop. Eventually, people developed channels and canals that would direct large amounts of water from rivers and lakes to flood their cultivated fields.
A key benefit of flood irrigation is that it can quickly recharge soil moisture levels. This can be especially beneficial in areas with limited rainfall or a lack of natural water sources.
However, this type of irrigation does have some disadvantages. For one, up to 40% of the water that is used in a flood can be lost through evaporation and runoff. It also can encourage the growth of certain kinds of crop pests, and it can create standing water that attracts mosquitoes and other insects.
Another issue with flood irrigation is that it can lead to a buildup of dissolved salts in the soil. These salts are harmful to plant growth and can reduce the amount of water that a plant can absorb, according to Jim Kennedy, director of research at Colorado State University.
He recommends incorporating a variety of methods to help manage flood irrigation, including capturing runoff water for use in the next irrigation cycle and using surge flooding to release water at pre-determined intervals. These methods can make flood irrigation more environmentally friendly.
In addition, he suggests using water silos on site that can be directly tied into the irrigation system. He says this can allow cultivators to utilize highly beneficial rainwater in their irrigation systems and help growers adhere to strict fertilizer regulations for commercial sale.
Despite its disadvantages, flood irrigation can still be effective in some situations, especially in clay soils. It can be particularly useful in areas with poor drainage, as it can refill the ground water and remove accumulated salts that can negatively impact plant health and yield. It is important, though, to ensure the fields are properly graded and irrigated on level land with proper drainage.
Misting
Overwatering plants is one of the most common mistakes growers make. It can lead to nutrient deficiencies, disease, and stunted growth. In addition, excess water can sit in containers and create a pool of runoff that reduces aeration and provides an ideal environment for pathogens to thrive.
Fortunately, there are ways to minimise the impact of overwatering on your cannabis crops. First, be sure to measure your water pH levels regularly to determine how well your soil is responding to your irrigation. This will allow you to adjust the pH level of your water accordingly if needed.
Another way to ensure your soil is getting the right amount of water is to collect all water runoff. This can be done by using drainage trays that allow runoff to drain and not collect in the bottom of your containers.
Some growers also prefer to mist their crops, but this should be done only when a plant requires it. Otherwise, misting can trap moisture that could damage the texture of your plant’s leaves or roots.
Misting can be an important part of your growing process as it can help to lower the air temperature around your plants, especially when they’re a mature vegetative stage or in the flowering phase. This will encourage faster rooting and reduce the stress on your plants’ tissues and the surrounding environment.
In addition, misting can be used as a way to boost humidity in your plants’ root zone without saturating the soil, which can inhibit the growth of your crops. This is especially important for plants such as orchids, Boston fern, and staghorn, all of which can benefit from an occasional misting to increase the water supply available in the soil.
Lastly, you can use misting to deliver foliar feeding with liquid fertilizers. This is a technique that is widely debated among growers but can be an effective method of getting extra nutrients into your plants’ foliage.
Misting systems work by spraying a fine mist that can reach 16m2 per nozzle, and can dampen any surface it comes into contact with. The mist is composed of water droplets that are much smaller than a standard water spray, which means that the mist is more refined and will be less likely to spread. This allows the system to suppress fires more effectively than ordinary water, even in open-concept spaces.
