Irrigation and fertilizer system for greenhouses

When you hear “irrigation and fertilization system,” half of the customers immediately imagine Dutch computers with touch panels. But in reality, it often turns out that the same Israeli drippers become clogged with our hard water over the course of a season, if three-stage filtration is not installed. This is what we’ll talk about - not about pictures from catalogues, but about what actually works in the conditions of the average Russian economy.

Why ready-made solutions don't always work

In 2019, we installed a standard system with proportional dispensers in the Moscow region - it would seem that this is a proven European scheme. Two months later, the agronomist complained: the tomato leaves were becoming lighter at the edges. It turned out that the water from the well fluctuated in pH from 6.0 to 7.8 per day, andfertilizersthey simply precipitated in the pipes. I had to convert it to separate lines for watering and fertilizing.

Remembered for the future: before designingirrigation system, you need to monitor the water for at least two weeks using 4-5 indicators. And don’t trust one-time tests - once after a flood, the hardness jumped three times in one day.

Now I always recommend modular solutions - for example,Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,LtdThe catalog contains prefabricated fertigation units with bypass lines. It’s not as beautiful as a monoblock, because when one valve is bent, the system will not fit completely.

How to choose filters without overpaying

Mesh disc filters are a classic, but for greenhouses with long rows it is better to use a combination. First, gravel for organics (if the water is from an open source), then mesh 130 mesh. Onhttps://www.lyzhihuinongye.ruThey correctly indicate that drip tapes require filtration of up to 120 microns, although many save money and set it to 200.

The most common mistake is not calculating the pressure drop at the filter station. Once we installed three stages of filtration, but the pump did not work - we had to change the impellers to more powerful ones. Now we always ask technologists to provide a pressure graph for each node.

By the way, about automatic flushing. Expensive timer systems often break down - it’s easier to install mechanical valves with a differential pressure switch. At the sameShandong Lingyao Co.,LtdThere are good solutions with redundant sensors - if the main one gets clogged, the backup one will work.

Features of working with fertilizer units

Dosing pumps are good, but for small greenhouses (up to 0.5 hectares) it is often more profitable to use Venturi. The main thing is to correctly calculate the pressure drop across the injector. I remember that in the Tula region they installed six injectors on a 200-meter line, but the fertilizers did not reach the last droppers - they had to add booster pumps.

Now we prefer hybrid schemes: the main nutrient solution is prepared in tanks with mixers, and pH correction occurs through separate lines. By the way, aboutintegration of water and fertilizers— many people forget that the acidifier must be supplied at a different point from the main macroelements.

Of the latest successful decisions - we took fromShandong Lingyaosystem with separate dispensers for calcium and sulfates. Previously, there were always problems with compatibility, now we work on two separate lines with automatic switching of valves.

Installation subtleties that are not written about in the instructions

Laying pipes in a greenhouse is not only about diameters. For example, polypropylene pipes become brittle at -30°C, and in winter it can be even colder in an unheated greenhouse. I had to re-arrange entire sections in Kazan - they cracked at the seams after the first winter.

Another point: never install drip lines strictly according to the design - first you need to see how the crew walks between the beds. We had cases where workers constantly touched the main pipes with their feet and loosened the connections.

Now we always do a test run of the system before delivery. We start with dye - you can immediately see where there are incorrect slopes or airing. By the way, about air valves - they need to be installed not only at the highest points, but also after each filter.

Automation: what you really need and what you can do without

Expensive systems with moisture sensors in each peat are often redundant. For cucumbers and tomatoes, three to four tensiometers per hectare are enough; the main thing is to place them correctly in the zone of active roots.

But you shouldn’t skimp on EC and pH control, especially if the water is of unstable quality. We always install duplicate electrodes with automatic calibration - cheap analogues begin to lie after a month or two.

From the latest projectsShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,LtdI liked the modular architecture - you can start with basic irrigation control, then add curtain and microclimate control. Just for farms that are gradually modernizing.

Seasonal maintenance - without it everything will fall apart

Washing with acid is a mandatory procedure, but the concentration must be selected for specific water. Once in Voronezh, according to the recommendations from the instructions, half of the drip tapes were burned through - it turned out that there were too many carbonates in the local water.

Now we always do a test wash over a distance of 10-15 meters and watch the reaction. And be sure to neutralize the residue with alkali - you can’t just pour it into the drain.

Winter preservation is a different story. Be sure to use a compressor to blow out not only the lines, but also each dropper. Last year, one greenhouse was neglected; in the spring, 40% of the tapes had to be replaced due to ice jams.

What ultimately works reliably

After dozens of objects, I came to the conclusion: an ideal universal system does not exist. For tomatoes you need one humidity regime, for greens - another. But the basic principles are always the same: redundancy of critical components, modularity and easy repair.

Nowadays we more often assemble systems from proven components - for example, Italian filters, German pipes, and we take automation fromShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltd— they have well thought out remote diagnostics. Last month, at a facility in Lipetsk, valve settings were changed remotely without going to the site.

The main thing is not to chase fashionable 'smart' systems. Simple relay automation often turns out to be more reliable than complex controllers. Tested in practice: the simpler the scheme, the fewer failures during peak season.