Vegetable Drip Irrigation Kit

Vegetable Drip Irrigation Kit is essential for producing high quality vegetables. Higher yield of vegetable requires moisture maintenance throughout the planting season.

Vegetables are the most essential food commodities in Kenya and the entire world. Most meals are taken with vegetable as the staple food, spices, or additives to other meals.

Practising Essential Vegetable Drip irrigation farming

While rainfall may be inadequate or totally unavailable in some periods, irrigation is the most reliable supplementary method of production.
Irrigation of vegetable requires a lower budget or economical method as most farmers produce small scale quantities. Drip irrigation is highly economical as it uses less water for a large piece of land which makes it a cost-effective model.
Labour costs are also reduced, probably because the entire pumping and water supply is done by pipes systems.

How to enhance efficiency of Vegetable Drip irrigation systems

Use of Proper Drip emitters – ensuring a proper emitter spacing is a major concern in drip systems. Most crops dry and experience early wilting or low leaf and fruit generation due to less water.
Adequate water applications – Vegetable need consistent water supply which can only be achieved by frequent irrigation. With drip enhanced ability to control irrigation rate and frequency through control head and timers.
Applying Mulches – Growing vegetable under drip irrigation may require applying other moisture retention methods. The methods can include application of organic or artificial mulches.
Artificial mulching paper is preferred because it fully prevents evaporation and soil water loss.

Vegetable Drip Kit Components

A vegetable drip irrigation system operates well with a combination of various parts or components. The components are:

16 mm Drip line or Drip tape
HDPE pipes
Ball Valves
Connectors
Screen Filters
Fertilizer tanks
Water tanks
End caps
Drip Connectors

Which Drip Tape to Choose?

There are different types of drip tapes with varying rates of water flow, diameter, emitter spacing and thickness. Drip tapes of 16 mm and 22 mm diameter are available.
Drip tape of 16 mm size is most common and recommended for many crops.
When choosing a drip emitter, consider the pressure requirement, emitter spacing, quality and water supply.

Vegetable Drip line or Emitter Spacing

Vegetable drip lines have even spacing of holes that release water to plants.
Emitters of 15 or 20 cm are suitable for most vegetables.
Pressure bar ranging from 8-15 psi.
Flow rate of 8-12 L per hour depending on the volume of water available.

Vegetable Moisture requirement

To enhance proper growth of vegetable and moisture Different vegetable requires different rates of water at different growth stages.
Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower, and carrots require water during periods of head development.
Others like melons, cucumbers, tomato, peppers, and strawberries require water during periods of flowering, fruit set and fruit enlargement.

Factors that affect Vegetable Moisture Requirement

Crop species
Canopy size and shape
Leaf size
Wax coating and orientation
Root depth
Growth stage and development

Vegetable Drip irrigation system Design

There are various types of drip irrigation layouts and structures. Drip irrigation models always divide farms into zones or sections for efficiency and ease in water supply and navigation.
Drip lines can be installed in three categories that group them according to number of drip lines per bed. They are:

One line per section
Two lines per Bed/Section
Three lines per Bed

Maintenance of Vegetable Drip System

Chlorine treatment to remove iron residues from water.
Filtration is necessary to remove dirt, microorganisms, and minerals.
Applying Sodium hypochlorite to remove algae and bacteria from water.
Regular cleaning of the filters.

Prices of Vegetable Drip Kit

Vegetable drip kits cost different rates depending on sizes, farm size, supplier, and number of drip lines to use.
Aqua Hub Kenya charges the following rates for vegetable drip kits as per no of lines per bed.