Producers who decide to switch to drip irrigation should consult with a drip-irrigation engineer or consultant who can help them design a system suited to their needs, fields and crops, the irrigation specialist said. Most drip systems rely on a buried tape to place irrigation water near the plant roots. After you come up with a design that factors in field topography, well limitations, crop options, tape spacings and crop water needs, you should focus on learning your system and its key components. A good drip system will include effective filters. These help protect components in the system, and help minimize detrimental effects of contaminants such as sand, sediment, algae, bacteria and calcium carbonate.
Filters also help maximize the life expectancy of a drip-irrigation system.
Knowing how irrigation water moves in the soil also helps producers pick the right drip system and get the most from a system after it is installed, the irrigation specialist said. When you hire a consultant, engineer or firm to design and install a system, you need to ask several questions up front. Producers should also take into account the 'learning curve' period after they choose and install a drip-irrigation system, she said. In most cases, producers find that it takes one to three years of in-season experience to learn their system and the irrigation management strategies it offers. Porter was one of 11 featured speakers at the 1999 West Texas Vegetable Conference.