• Drip irrigation with many emitters
– The more locations for water
application, the better (Fig. 2).
By adding to the number of drip
emitters for each grow pot, the
distribution of water in the pot is
improved substantially. Yield is
then correspondingly optimized.
Modular drip systems simplify set
up significantly. Connections are
easily made and emitter placement
is pre-set in the design itself.
Operational Complications –
Maintenance & Disease
One complication for any system a
gardener might be contemplating is
component failure. How serious are the
various failures for the two different
systems? What can be done during
set up to reduce the likelihood or
seriousness of those failures?
The failure of an ebb and flow
system to drain can be very costly
if protections are not included in
the design and set up. There are
sensor controllers available that can
recognize when a failure has occurred
and prevent the pump from continuing
or activating. Running too long and
overflowing the grow table needs to
be prevented as well.
If a drip system is allowed to run
far past soil or grow media saturation, water and nutrient is wasted
and potential flooding damage can
occur if the system is not designed
well or scheduled properly.
Regardless of the system, the failure
of the pump to supply water will
lead initially to plant stress, desiccation, and plant death, depending
on how long the failure lasts and
the type of plant being grown.
Plant maintenance can be easy
or difficult depending on how each
system is set-up. For example, how
easy is it to remove a single plant from
the set-up in order to prune, examine,
or spray? Can the plant be removed
permanently with ease, or are there a
number of connections that will have
to be cut and then others re-attached?
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
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