leaping is just around the corner , and this is historically the time of year where we get more calls about disease pressure and problems in the craw . This year , we ’ve decided to melt down a series of web log posts about water sanitization to get you reflecting on your own irrigation system before you are face up with a problem . Posts over the next few weeks will focus on key problems in the nursery , interpreting lab test results , on - farm methods for disease monitoring , water intervention technology selection and more . These will be good refresher imagination , so make certain to bookmark them for future consultation .
Ever wonder how water colligate disease issues just seem to pop up out of nowhere?You’ve never had a job before , but abruptly thing just are n’t search right . The truth is that problem often go unnoticed while pathogen levels are low . Knowing potential innoculum sources and rehearse practiced preventative measures can avail to reduce the risk of infection of a bigger problem .
Your irrigation water can be a potential rootage of innoculum . In your own operation , you might rely on rainwater , well water system or urban center water . Your urine reservoir might also change throughout the year , depending on your yield need and the availableness of any give source . Knowing the tone of your body of water is a must for avoiding problems . The cost of a even water trial may be deserving it if you may forefend costly applications of corrective fungicides . Aim to take at minimal seasonal samples of your urine to ensure that it is free from contaminates . Knowing the attribute of your irrigation water can also help you to tailor your fertigation program , a win - win !
Cleaning your cisterns is a big job, but it can save you from a big hassle.
Your body of water storage method should also be consider . If you trust on rainwater , youmight collect if off the greenhouse cap and store it in cisterns for belated usance . When was the last time you cleaned your cisterna ? It ’s certainly not an prosperous job , but it ’s a preventative measure that could salvage you a lot of hassle in the long run . This is easiest done in a slower production time , but should be a yearly priority to avoid future problem .
Next , think about how water locomote around your greenhouse . Do you use overhead irrigation bonanza , flood floors or spaghetti lines with drippers ? When was the last time they were cleaned ? clotted drippers and low irrigation yield can be clues that biofilm is lurking in the lines . You might also notice film on muckle that are sub - irrigated . ensure that cleaning lines , floors and boom nozzles is a part of your seasonal sanitation routine .
Map the path of water system through your greenhouse . If you cease up with a problem , this is a resourcefulness that can really help to narrow down the source . Think about all weewee source and where they go to in the greenhouse . For instance , you may have one cistern that feeds a propagation incision , and a second that feeds the sleep of production . The product cistern pumps piddle to zones in parliamentary law of their length from it . Your potting line might have piss come from a separate origin than the rest of the greenhouse . If you have a crop that you hand water on occasion or other special cases , these should be mark in your programme as well . insure out this example map to get you begin :
Ensure that irrigation lines are cleaned before new crops go in.
bet for more urine resources?A booklet ofBest Management Practices for Water & Fertilizer Use for Greenhouse Floriculture Productionis available on our blog or in hard transcript at the OMAFRA role in Vineland . This is a great resource that help oneself you characterize and manager the water on your farm . There are also resource from the University of Guelph and Flowers Canada Ontario on theadditional resources tabof our web log .
If you need to send a water system sample distribution away for depth psychology , there are several in force testing option across the province . Sample grooming information for the University of Guelph Agriculture & Food LaboratoryandSGS Lab Servicescan be found on their webpages .
Share this:
Like this:
A map of your farm can be adapted to show where water flows from and to. This can really help in the event of a potential pathogen problem.
