Let's Talk About Irrigation!

Dalia Carbajal-Robles
UC Davis undergraduate,  4th year
Major: Landscape Architecture​

When I first heard the word "irrigation", I knew it was related to water but had no idea how that works or is used. In agriculture, irrigation is the artificial supply of water to the land in order to help with the production of crops and the growth of landscape plants\lawns. Back then, our ancient ancestors irrigated their crops by carrying buckets of water from rivers or wells and pouring them on them. Irrigation today is made easier by canals, pipes, sprinklers, tanks, etc.

Why learn about irrigation? Irrigation is extremely critical for plants to survive because we cannot always depend on the rain. There are three main methods of irrigation: Surface irrigation, Drip Irrigation, and Sprinkler irrigation. Surface irrigation is used for large areas where water is distributed over the soil. Drip irrigation is low pressure, with the emitter slowly dripping the water directly to the roots. In sprinkler irrigation, water is distributed through a system of pipes that pumps water, which is then sprayed. After some discussion, we decided that a mix of drip irrigation and sprinklers would work more effectively on our site! We chose sprinklers for the garden beds because due to the extensive area we have to cover, drip irrigation isn't always reliable. It can also damage quickly over time. Drip irrigation will also be placed along the fences, which will benefit the plants adjacent to the fences.