Well Water Quality, Irrigation System Management Crucial for In-Season Success

Clint Thompson Georgia, Irrigation, Top Posts, Water

Well water quality and irrigation system management should be a top priority for vegetable and specialty crop producers gearing up for the spring season. Gary Hawkins, an Assistant Professor in Water Resource Management at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said a good clean well has reduced risks of pathogens and other bacteria in it. Testing …

Drip Irrigation Efficient Means to Deliver Water to Plants

Clint Thompson Alabama, Irrigation, Top Posts

Drip irrigation vs. overhead irrigation? That truly is the question for vegetable and specialty crop producers in Alabama who are poised to produce a crop in 2021. Eric Schavey, Regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, advises producers to choose drip irrigation. It is more efficient in delivering water to the plant roots. “As far as a production standpoint, the drip …

lake okeechobee

Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date

Dan Cooper Florida, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Lake Okeechobee, Water

(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District

Smart Irrigation Tools for Blueberry Growers

Ashley Robinson Berries, Georgia, innovation, Irrigation, Technology, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Vasileios Liakos One of the goals of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (UGA CAES) is to develop new irrigation methods and tools for crops. Researchers, including myself, Erick Smith, George Vellidis and Wes Porter, have been developing smart irrigation scheduling tools for blueberry growers in Georgia since 2015. Smart irrigation is a new method …

lake Okeechobee

Facts of the Flow: Lake Okeechobee, 2020 Year-to-Date

Dan Cooper Florida, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Lake Okeechobee, Water

(SFWMD) — Here is the latest update on inflows into Lake Okeechobee for the calendar year to date. This data is provided by SFWMD’s DBHYDRO database. There has been no back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades Agricultural Area this year. Source: South Florida Water Management District

Shallow Subsurface Drip Irrigation for Organic Growers

Ashley Robinson Irrigation, Leafy Vegetables, Organic, Top Posts, Vegetables, VSCNews magazine

By Tim Coolong Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) has been around for many years in a variety of different iterations. Most typically, SDI refers to a permanent drip system installed fairly deep (18 inches) and is used for irrigating agronomic crops such as corn or cotton. In many cases, vegetable crops are too shallowly rooted for a traditional SDI system, but …

Potential La Nina Weather Event Could Impact Pecans Later This Season

Clint Thompson Alabama, Drought, Florida, Georgia, Irrigation, Pecan, Top Posts, Weather

An increasing likelihood of a La Nina weather event this fall could impact row crop farmers and specialty crop producers as well, said Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist. “When we do have a La Nina, we do tend to have a little bit drier than normal fall. Dryness in the fall isn’t necessarily bad. It’s helpful …

UGA Helps Produce Growers With Water Quality Calculations and Education

Clint Thompson Fruit, Georgia, Irrigation, Produce, Top Posts, Vegetables, Water

By Josh Paine for UGA CAES News An online tool developed by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is helping produce growers assess their water quality and prepare for increased testing requirements. Uttam Saha, a program coordinator at the UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Labs, developed an online calculator and simulator to help educate farmers and …