What is Fertigation?
There is a delicate balance with using fertilizer in yards, gardens, and fields. Too much can cause crops and plants to burn, stunt growth, or even kill your plants, but not using any could cause your plants to not get the proper amount of nutrients and could also lead to unhealthy plants. There are so many different types of fertilizer to choose from, and also different ways to apply it to crops and yards. One system that could help direct the proper amount of fertilizer and application is fertigation.
What is Fertigation?
The process of fertigation is using irrigation systems to deliver liquid fertilizer to plants directly and used for soil amendments and water amendments. The system varies in size depending on the needs, and uses tanks to hold fertilizer in liquid form, and injectors that infuse fertilizer into the irrigation system through a pressure controlled valve. It can be used on all irrigation methods from drip irrigation, spray nozzles and heads, and flood irrigation. The system can be run on set timers, or by hand to fertilize targeted areas.
The Benefits to Using the Fertigation Method
There are many benefits to using the fertigation method to apply fertilizers, including:
Optimizing water usage
Promoting rapid root growth
Improving soil microbial biomass
Reducing fertilizer waste and saving costs
Controlling the administered rates
Helping prevent soil erosion
Using liquid fertilizer helps the plants absorb the fertilizer immediately after being administered. Root fertigation allows nutrients supplied directly to the root zone, avoiding excess product waste.
Is it Only For Large-scale Farming?
While larger farms are the ones to most benefit from using fertigation, there are smaller scale systems. Large farms will have bigger fields with one type of crop, and as different plants need different fertilizer amounts, farms can set up controlled systems per field. But smaller operations can also benefit from it. We use fertigation with our other two business ventures, Inherit Plants and Little Bee Blooms. This system allows us to grow healthier plants and flowers, as well as control which plants get what type and how much fertilizer. This system has changed how we are able to regulate the applications and optimal absorption.
Which Fertilizer to Use?
The system we use in our nursery and flower farm is an IBC container with a pump to apply to our plants. We use liquid fish fertilizer and liquid bone meal. Liquid fish fertilizer is fast-acting organic fertilizer made from by-products from the fishing industry. It is rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as trace elements of calcium, sodium magnesium, chlorine, and sulfur. It does a great job of improving soil health and boosting soil fertility. Liquid bone meal is sterilized and ground up bone, typically cow, and is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. It is a slow release, so it is gradually broken down over time and slowly releases nutrients into the soil. Both these fertilizers are a great addition and a lot of the time a necessary step in growing strong and healthy plants.
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About Me
I am the Owner of Inherit Designs Landscaping. Since 2003, my team and I have been providing sustainable garden solutions to the Cowichan Valley and Greater Victoria. I personally hold two certifications in horticulture and permaculture and take great pride in the service I offer my clients. My family and I live on our organic flower farm called Little Bee Blooms, run by my wife. Together we are continually conducting research gardens and experimenting in many aspects of horticulture and permaculture to improve our knowledge and the operation of our businesses.