Fertigation

Fertigation refers to the application of liquid or water soluble fertilizer through an irrigation system. It is a portmanteau of the English words fertilization (fertilization ) and irrigation (irrigation )

For the farmers brings the fertilization by fertigation the advantage that nutrients can be applied regardless of the weather and tuned precisely to the vegetation stage. So can be achieved a significantly better growth and thus higher yields.

Fertigiert is usually a Tröpfchenbewässerungssysten or Minisprinkler ( spaghetti System). The irrigation system must be cleaned regularly, as the fertilizer in Gieswasser leads to deposits.

There are essentially two types of fertigation:

In the first type, which is used above all in outdoor cultivation of fruit and vegetables, the amount of fertilizer that is meant for the plants during a growth phase, divided by the number of shares and then spread wöchtenlich or halbwöchtentlich. The irrigation system must be filled before the fertilizer supply completely with water to ensure a uniform distribution of the fertilizer solution in the system. After the fertilizer dose must be rinsed intensively. This Fertigationstechnik does not require expensive instrumentation and control technology, and is easy to perform.

The second type of fertigation usually comes in the substrate cultivation (fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants ) are used. In the substrate cultivation must be watered several times a day due to the small amounts of substrate. Here a constantly tailored to the culture and the vegetation stage fertilizer stock solution is added to the Gieswasser. The amount of added fertilizer is determined by EC value. The measurement of Gieswasserparameter comes in this Fertigationsart of great importance, as the EC value must fit perfectly in order to prevent an over-or under-supply and salinisation of the substrate. In addition, the Gieswassermenge must be adapted to the daily weather.