Tips and tricks for watering and cultivation
Plants rely on water to transport nutrients to their cells, making quality irrigation water paramount for good plant nutrition
The quality of water has a major influence on the effectiveness of fertilizers. These tips and tricks from our technical advisors will help you optimize fertilization and irrigation water.
- Contact ICL Lab Services for an irrigation water analysis (minimum once a year)
- Review your analysis with your regional ICL Territory Manager
- The most common parameters used for determining irrigation water quality are acidity (pH), electrical conductivity (EC) and hardness (Ca-, Mg-bicarbonate), but look at the other elements in water as well
- Determine, together with your ICL Territory Manager, the need for measures to improve the quality of the water
- Take into account the differences in water hardness and pH buffering capabilities between different types of irrigation water (e.g., rainwater vs. well water)
- If the water is too hard, it may be necessary to decrease the pH in the water by acidifying
- Soft water may contain low concentrations of calcium. Adjust tank composition accordingly and add calcium
- Match irrigation to water quality, weather conditions, and plant needs at all times