Fertigation System
A Fertigation System is a device connected to an irrigation system used to inject liquid fertilizer and other plant and soil additives into the irrigation water to feed the landscape, golf course, sports field or agriculture area. A Fertigation System is a great device attached to any irrigation to inject fertilizer into the irrigation line to make irrigation water lightly sweet with fertilizer.
Did you know that fertigation is an acronym combining the word irrigation and fertilizer? It has been used in agriculture for over 70 years. Now it is an important practice in all types of irrigation systems for golf courses, landscapes, sports fields, parks, and horticulture. Fertigation systems include an accessory dosing or injector pump to inject liquid fertilizer and other liquids into a pressurized irrigation line at controlled rates. The injector pump can be adjustable to inject at different rates or one set rate. But it is an accessory system connected to the irrigation mainline to treat all the irrigation water applied to the area.
Fertigation is the Best Fertilizer Application Method
Did you know that fertigation is the best fertilizer application method? It is because it is Automatic, without labor, it is more uniform and is reduces fertilizer and water use by over 50%. So, how can it reduce fertilizer? It can reduce fertilizer because is feeds lightly with each irrigation cycle and feeds the plant, roots, and soil.
Most people over water and underfeed. They apply dry fertilizer periodically, maybe once, twice or three times a year, because it takes a lot of labor to do it. Then the fertilizer is stored in the soil. But most of it is leached, washed, below the root zone and lost never to be used by the plant. Over 80% is lost unless you use an expensive time-release fertilizer. If a time release fertilizer is used only 50% is lost. But the cost and savings balance to still a big loss.
Overall, dry fertilizer loses up to 80%, and labor is costly. But fertigation only loses less than 5% and has no labor or equipment costs. That means fertigation will save any project. Agriculture, golf, sports field or 6 over $10,000 annually and sometimes on big areas $50,000 annually.
Fertigation Uses Less
So, how does fertigation use less? Well, fertigation lightly feeds the plant to promote a healthy green plant. It will use water, fertilizer, chemicals, and labor. It will grow faster, healthier and be greener. Overall, this is what the farmer or manager wants. It is no secret that automation is the future for all industry. Many years ago farmers and golf superintendents dragged hoses around and used sprinklers to irrigate. Now every farm, golf course, and sports field has an automatic underground irrigation system. It automatically irrigates the farm or golf course. To ensure nutrient-rich water to the crop or golf course, the next step is fertigation. Once this is done, the savings pay for any fertigation system installed on any property.
Fertigation System Cost
A professional grade fertigation system for agriculture – Large 200 acre to over 500 acres can cost $5,000 to $10,000 and save the farm $10,000 to over $50,000 annually. A golf course fertigation system will cost about the same and save about the same annually.
A sports field – 2 acres would use a fertigation system that would cost $2,000 to $4,000 and save $5,000 to $10,000 annually. Larger sports complexes would use a larger system and save a similar ratio. Landscapes would also have a similar cost and savings ratio.
Fertigation System Applications
Golf Courses
Large agriculture fertigation systems are connected to large 600 to over 1,000-acre center pivot irrigation systems to fertilizer crops like corn and wheat. Almost every horticulture greenhouse uses fertigation to feed the plants and apply chemicals and pesticides. Did you know that golf courses have been using fertigation since the 1970s? Because of this, it has become a valuable practice in areas with sandy or poor soil conditions. Water treatment is a great value that fertigation delivers for problem water or soils.
Golf fertigation systems can save any golf course $10,000 to over $50,000 annually by reducing labor, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and electricity. Fertigation has helped restore golf courses with poor quality into top quality golf courses in a few months. Golf fertigation systems are used by many new golf courses under construction to grow the new grass in faster and cheaper than using traditional dry fertilizer.
There is a battle between fertigation and traditional dry fertilizer programs. Many superintendents feel safer to apply high-cost dry fertilizer or spray special liquid fertilizer on regularly. They don’t care about the additional costs and labor. But many top golf courses use fertigation and traditional dry fertilizer combinations. However, many use a total fertigation program and have top quality.
Sports Fields
Many sports fields are using fertigation to manage their sports field. More sports field complexes with six to ten fields use large fertigation systems to feed all the fields with each irrigation cycle. Fertigation can also spot fertilizer zones on fields with damage from overplaying. As well as prepare their fields for heavy play for tournaments.
Did you know that here at Turf Feeding Systems we have sold a number of large fertigation systems for professional teams? Last year we sold a G2000 to the Hong Kong professional soccer stadium. This year we sold an L1000 to the San Francisco Giants baseball stadium. We also just shipped a big fertigation system and mixer to Qatar in the Middle East for a World Cup Soccer stadium there. Sports field fertigation is great for any small town football stadium like Joaquin High School in East Texas. Or ten field complex in Billings Montana, or Giants Baseball stadium in San Francisco.
Parks
Fertigation also works well for parks in cities. The City of Colorado Spring has 29 fertigation systems on parks and sports fields across their city. The City of Denver has ten systems on 220 acres of parks, as well as Fort Collins Colorado, Santa Barbara and Elk Grove California. Cities realize labor is costly and fertigation saves labor, fertilizer, chemicals, and water while giving them green parks for less cost. Fertigation is also used on green walls in urban areas. Here at Turf Feeding Systems, we even had the opportunity to ship a system to a new site in the Bronx in New York City.
Turf Feeding Systems
Here at Turf Feeding Systems, we are a leader in packaged fertigation systems for irrigated landscapes, sports fields, golf courses, resorts, and agriculture sites across the US and around the world. We have over 35 years of experience building the absolute best fertigation systems. Not only are our fertigation systems the best, but we also have the best prices. We provide the highest quality fertigation systems because we want out customers to achieve high-quality landscapes or crops while reducing water and costs. We are also a company that is focused on sustainability, water efficiency, and soil health. You will be able to achieve all this with our fertigation system. Let us help you today. Reach out to us by dialing (832) 321-3311 or visit our website https://turffeeding.com/. To learn more about how we can help you!