Irrigation is one of the most important practices for a grower to focus on in the spring. During the dry months of March, April and May, irrigation is essential for improving fruit set and yield.
Time spent in understanding the concepts behind irrigation is worth money to the grower.
The purpose of this article is to discuss aspects of soil water holding properties and soil moisture measuring devices. With this knowledge, growers can improve irrigation management. The main characteristics describing soil water holding capacity are field capacity, permanent wilting point, and available water. Field capacity is defined as the amount of water held in the soil after drainage has essentially ceased and water content has become relatively stable. This is also described as the amount of water held against gravity.