Designing a Fertigation System

A fertigation system is a great way to water your plants and help you distribute fertilizer. It is beneficial if you have a lot of different plants that need different amounts of water and fertilizer at other times.

You may already use drip irrigation to water your garden, but if you want to mix up the watering game, this article will teach you how to design and build your own fertigation system. Keep reading!

Table of Contents

Goals of a Fertigation System

Fertigation systems are used to deliver water and fertilizer or micronutrients to crops at the same time. They are used for both commercial and home gardens, with each system designed to meet the requirements of that particular garden.

Fertigation systems can be used to apply fertilizers and micronutrients throughout the growing season in both indoor and outdoor gardens. Fertigation allows farmers to tailor their nutrient programs specifically for each crop, giving them greater control over what nutrients are required by their plants at any growth stage.

Fertigation

Components of a Fertigation System

Fertigation systems consist of the following components:

Water source (e.g., well, irrigation pond)
Portable water storage tank (if needed)
Pressure regulator to maintain proper pressure for spraying and sanitation
Fertilizer injector pump (may be electric or hydraulic) – this pumps fertilizer into a liquid stream that is introduced at the spray nozzle
Injection system that distributes fertilizer evenly through the sprinkler lines or drip emitters (e.g., perforated pipe, diffuser)
Control panel with timer and pump controls

Where to Place the Fertilizer Injector?

The injector should be placed as close to the root zone as possible. The closer the injector is to the growing media, the more accurately it will deliver nutrients. Placing an injector too far away from growing media may result in the less efficient delivery of fertilizer and water. You must also consider whether or not you have room for your injectors before purchasing them because they can take up a lot of space if improperly installed.

Placement of Fertilizer Injectors:

When placing your injectors, ensure they are located where they are easy to access and clean. You will want them placed in locations such as under benches or tables, so if there is ever any leakage during operation, this won’t cause damage or injury when opened up again later on down the road (thereby wasting resources).

Also, don’t forget about the ventilation requirements needed by each type of machine–some machines require more airflow than others, so keep this in mind when deciding where exactly would be best to place them within your system!

Types of Fertilizer Injectors

Line Injectors

This is the most common type of injector, and it’s also the one that gets the most use in fertigation systems. A line injector delivers water directly to your irrigation pipes, so you can take advantage of its benefits without changing equipment. The only problem with this system is that it only works well if you have a lot of different sprinklers coming off your main line.

Pump Injectors

Pump injectors are used when no pipes are available or are too expensive to install. They are also great if you want more control over how much fertilizer goes into each area. For example, you could use multiple pump systems at once, so one focuses on root zones while another targets foliar applications throughout plant life cycles.

In-line injectors

These work similarly but instead connect directly onto threads or ball valves on existing lines. For this reason, they must be purchased separately from other components like pumps or filters (which means additional costs).

Pressure Regulator and Filter

Pressure regulators and filters are used on all irrigation systems. Pressure regulators limit the pressure to a safe level for drip or micro-sprinkler lines, while filters eliminate small particles from entering your system.

The pressure regulator should be installed when water enters your home or grounds before any valves that could cause unexpected surges in pressure. It’s essential to choose the right type of filter (mesh filters are best) and size it properly, so it doesn’t clog up with dirt and debris before it reaches its maximum capacity.

To install a proper pressure regulator or filter system:

Turn off all power feeds going into the house where you want your regulator/filter installed first.
Then open up those switches on both ends (pigtails), so they don’t accidentally get turned back on when working with live lines later.
Next, shut off any other valves coming into that same location as well before opening up these last two again, so everything is cleanly cut off without getting mixed inside either one’s feeder pipes during the installation process.
Then twist tie everything together, so nothing gets pulled out accidentally during later stages when doing final assembly work after having completed all necessary wiring & plumbing jobs.

Fertilizer Additive Tank

The fertilizer additive tank is used to mix nutrients and water. It should be large enough to hold the nutrients you will be using. It should also be made of a material that resists corrosion and has a lid to prevent evaporation.

Fertigation System Design

These tips will help you design a fertigation system that meets your needs.

Design is not just about the equipment. It’s also about how that equipment is assembled and used to irrigate the plants. A well-designed fertigation system will be easy to operate and maintain, so you can manage it on your own or with minimal training.
The system should allow you control over how much water each field gets, depending on what time of year it is and how much rain has fallen recently, in order to minimize runoff from fields where excess water might cause problems for nearby homeowners or wildlife habitat areas like wetlands.
In addition, this control will enable you to use less fertilizer than would otherwise be needed if fertilizers were applied uniformly across all fields at once (a common practice).
This will help keep both costs down while still providing enough nutrients for healthy crops that won’t need as much pesticide protection against insects/disease agents present in the soil where they’ve been grown previously without adequate irrigation due to dry conditions during certain times of year (such as during summer months).

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