Many of the folks who come over to pick blueberries this time of year, are curious about the drip irrigation system I put in 6 years ago when we started the farm.  Feel free to stop by when we’re open, and I’ll show you how it works. 

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I get:

It is a way to water your plants by literally dripping water slowly very close to the plant in order to deliver the water directly to their root systems. 

 Why did you decide to use drip?

For our application, where hundreds of plants need to be watered, the use of drip was clearly the best choice. In order to accommodate the flow and pressure output of our well, drip provides gradual low flow so many plants can be watered at one time.  

Was it easy to install?

It is easy to install!  The system we installed at the farm is probably moderately complex, but still not difficult to install. It consists of a controller with which you program the times, days and duration of watering. This is wired to a solenoid which takes the electrical signal from the controller and opens the valve(s) letting the water flow into the piping and ultimately to the emitters.

The emitters are the parts which deliver the water slowly to the plant. These can be purchased in different flow ratings (i.e. 1 GPH (gallon per hour)) to accommodate the type and size of plant you want to water. 

A very simple drip system can be installed which is controlled manually by turning on a spigot, just like your hose. In this case, there is no need for the controller or solenoid. Simply run a poly line from a faucet and put emitters at each plant. 

Is drip better for the environment?

Definitely! Drip is much more efficient than other watering systems. First of all you use less water than traditional sprinklers, and then there is less water lost due to evaporation. Also, since drip produces little to no water runoff, the potential for pollution is limited. Our farm is organic so we have no issues with pesticide, or herbicide runoff, but many folks use products on their plants which creates pollution with overflow. How does it compare with sprinklers as far as the health of your plants? 

We’ve found that the slow, low pressure watering keeps the soil moisture more consistent with way less variation than with overhead sprinklers.  The plants like that, especially once the berries arrive.  

It also is much better with weed control.  This is especially crucial for an organic farm like ours.  Since the water is delivered just to the root of the plant, nearby weeds are deprived of moisture.   

Moreover, since the leaves and stems don’t have contact with the water, diseases such as fungus are less likely to attack the plants.

What are some of the negatives? 

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it is working, and how much water the plants are getting.   The drip line and solenoids do periodically have to be flushed out as small debris can accumulate, especially if fed from a well.

We also have experienced, occasionally some type of animal which tries to get a drink by chewing the polyline. Fortunately, these can be easily fixed by cutting out the section and connection a new piece of tubing.

Pete Crosby is a chemical engineer, who also owns Blue Sky Farm, a small family organic blueberry farm. He enjoys sharing  knowledge of sustainable practices.

Blue Sky Farm organic U-pick blueberries; 1180 Ashville Hwy., Monticello. Please check the site for opening times as Mother Nature is unpredictable! Bskyfarm.com