As discussed in the previous section,
smart controllers can be implemented
in conjunction with fertigation injectors,
creating a highly efficient and precise
system for outdoor soil irrigation. In
layman’s terms, the controller dictates
the operations of several pressurized
valve systems that are fed from
separate containers of nutrients. The
controller also regulates water pressure
from the primary water source. When
the irrigation process begins, water
flows through a pipe that is integrated
with the nutrient valve system, then the
fertigation injector releases nutrients
into the water flow in conjunction with
specific levels of water pressure. When
operating and balanced correctly, the
fertigation and controller combination
delivers precisely measured, nutrient-
rich water into soil containers — with
little human effort.
For good reason, outdoor commercial
cultivators have come to cherish the
ease-of-use of fertigation injectors. For
outdoor growers committed to a six- to
seven-month growing season, automa-
tion options like fertigation literally
eliminate hundreds of hours of unnec-
essary labor in manual nutrient mixing.
The precision of fertigation is entirely
unmatched by human effort; top-of-
the-line injectors disperse carefully
controlled amounts of nutrients down to
five milliliters per injection
For economically and
environmentally conscious cultivators,
the precision afforded by fertigation
injectors brings significant savings on
both water and fertilizer use compared
to traditional hand-mixing methods.
Because hand mixing nutrients in
large reservoirs always leads to an
excess of leftover water that generally
cannot be reused — this problem
is non-existent with the strict
controls of fertigation.
Drip Systems
While drip watering components don’t
necessarily fall into the automation
category, they are an essential element
in any smart irrigation plan for the
outdoors, especially concerning organic
growing. With that, the controller and
fertigation injector combination feed
nutrient-rich water through hoses or
pipes, and finally into soft-plastic tubes
that should be embedded deep in the
soil of each garden container.
Since outdoor growing containers
are generally far larger in size than
their indoor counterparts (Smart Pots
can range up to 1,000 gallons in size),
top drip systems work inefficiently for
outdoor growing. Concentrated drips
of water in such large containers leave
a clear majority the soil unirrigated,
leading to several serious problems.
Therefore, to effectively deliver water
and nutrients, automated outdoor
irrigation systems must utilize long
lengths of perforated irrigation tubing
that is coiled around inside the
soil-filled container. With this method,
fertilization will be accomplished in a
uniform fashion, and organic soils
will retain the requisite moisture
content to maintain the integrity of their
biological communities.
“ FOR ECONOMICALLY
A N D E NV IRONM E NTALLY
CO N S CIOU S CU L TIVAT OR S,
the precision afforded by
fertigation injectors brings
significant savings on both water
and fertilizer use compared to
traditional hand-mixing methods.”
58
Maximum Yield
In utilizing some of the automation
perks from indoor gardening, and
adding some necessary tweaks, outdoor
cultivators can enjoy the benefits of
cutting-edge irrigation technology. For
commercial-sized operations, the bene-
fits of smart equipment like controllers
and fertigation injectors far outweigh
financial costs. Looking forward, one
can only assume outdoor growers will
continue to combine their passions for
soil growing with the modern gardening
technologies, making for a practice that
utilizes the best of both worlds.