Drip irrigation is one of the most contemporary and efficient irrigation systems used by farmers and landscape owners.
The conventional methods of irrigation are still used, but they use plenty of water. As the water resources are becoming scarce, farmers and landscapers for moving to efficient and water-saving methods of irrigation.
There are many types of drip irrigation systems available. Users can choose a system depending on their budget and requirements. In addition to the irrigation systems, there is a variety of accessories available for drip irrigation products. The accessories are made to meet the requirements of landscape owners. Let us explore the best accessories for drip irrigation in this post.
Water filters.
Plants and crops also require clean water for growth and good health. A water filter is an integral part of an irrigation system that helps prevent debris and silt from entering the system. Water filters enable farmers and landscape owners to deliver clean water to their plants and get healthy yields.
There are various types of fitters available for different setups of irrigation systems. Most filters come with disk filters and sand separators, but some also come with a display screen. Every filter is designed for installation on different systems and according to the water sources. You don’t need to buy these filters as separate accessories as they come pre-installed on drip irrigation systems.
Pressure regulators.
As drip irrigation systems are large networks of pipes, the pressure needs to be regulated at all drips. Low pressure may not be sufficient for the water to reach all areas of a landscape. On the other hand, high pressure near the roots can cause soil erosion and also damage the roots. A pressure regulator is installed on every drip irrigation system so that the water is able to reach all the parts of the system.
Pressure regulators are important components that provide uniform application and regulate the pressure in an irrigation system. There are fixed outlet and variable outlet pressure regulators that maintain the uniform water pressure and efficiency of the system. Maintenance of uniform water pressure also prevents damage to tubes and pipes due to overpressure.
Water delivery system.
Drip irrigation system consists of water delivery pathways that are usually made of PVC pipes or polyethylene tubing. PVC pipes are used for creating the underground water delivery system, while polyethylene tubing is used for above-ground delivery systems.
There are various parts in a water delivery system that transfer the water from the source to plants via a network of pipelines and drip lines. The drip lines pipelines and main lines are connected through couplings that allow the customization of system design.
Valves and Gauges
A drip irrigation system consists of a number of valves and gauges, which help to water multiple areas from a single water source. There are manual gates, automatic gates, solenoids, and water meter causes that control the flow of water to multiple areas of a landscape. A water meter also measures the flow of water in various areas of a line.
Chemical injectors.
Drip irrigation systems also enable farmers and landscape owners to use pesticides and fertilizers on their plants. Chemical injector devices feed the pesticides and other chemicals at a program rate to the plants after mixing it with the flowing water.
System controller.
A programmable controller regulates the time for which the water passes through the pipes and delivery lines. The system controller devices are manually programmed by a professional as per the user requirement. This simply turns on and off as programmed according to the requirements of users.
System controller devices also come as computerized models that are capable of detecting soil conditions. They turn on and off according to the moisture content present in the soil. The benefit of automatically programmed models is that they turn on and off automatically according to the watering requirements of plants without the need of being controlled by users.
Final Words
These were the best accessories required for drip irrigation systems. They provide enhanced control to farmers and landscape owners while watering their plants. Also, these accessories help them save water and supply water according to the plant requirements. When plants get the right amount of water, the chances of pest infestation are also significantly reduced. Using these accessories on drip irrigation systems enables farmers to get high yields year after year and also save water.