The Well-Irrigated Path to Growing Crops

The lifeblood of farming, the key to growing crops as agricultural products, is water. The same way blood is transported via a host blood vessels, farms use a variety of pipes to get their water where it needs to go.

These are some of the farming irrigation supplies you’ll need:

Water tanks: the first step

Thinking of proper irrigation as a path to successfully growing crops, especially in South Africa, starts with having a stable supply of water. As one of the most arid countries in the world, we experience fairly regular drought conditions which range from ‘slightly dry’ to ‘devastating’.

Having a collection of water tanks installed in various locations (and for various purposes) is a great way to make sure that when there is rain the excess can be collected. Once it has been collected, this stored water can be kept for those times when there is absolutely no water. And while you won’t water an entire farm for a full season this way, you will at least have a means of providing for the essentials.

The right pipes for the job

Once you have a water source in place, you actually need to get this water to your agricultural products. The key here is to use proper farming irrigation supplies, which usually brings to mind the image of black plastic pipes, because that’s what you see on most farms and other commercial plantations.

There are two main varieties with these pipes: low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). While both present great durability, flexibility and resistance to corrosion and weather conditions, LDPE pipes only suitable for low-pressure (class 3) usage while HDPE pipes can generally handle everything from class 6 to 16. This means that LDPE pipes are ideal for use in spray lines, whereas HDPE pipes are suited for use in irrigation mainlines.

Delivery systems: the final step

The final step in the irrigation process is to actually deliver the water to your crops. This can be facilitated with a variety of fittings that suit certain purposes. Some of the most sought-after delivery systems at the moment, especially in areas with water shortages, include drip fittings/drippers for drip irrigation. Also, instead of traditional and often wasteful sprinkler systems, many farming suppliers and users are switching to micro irrigation sprinklers which perform the same task while using much less water.

For larger-scale agricultural production though, there are also travelling irrigators. These devices function as mobile delivery systems which can be moved around the farm to wherever water is needed rather than investing in permanent fixtures.

Top tip: get professional assistance

With the number of options available, the best way to get the perfect solution for your needs is to find a trusted farming and irrigation supplier such as Kleinplaas Pype. They’ll use their extensive knowledge of irrigation solutions to help you get the perfect system in place to lead you to healthy, happy and high yielding crops.