sukuma wiki/kale

Best irrigation system for kale

What is the best irrigation system for kales?

This is a question a newbie kale farmer often faces.

So critical is its answer for the profitability of kale farming depends on it.

So where do you start so that you get consistent returns form Kale Farming?

To answer this question, we have to critically study the growth features of the kale plant.

By doing so, we will be able to know which irrigation system to adopt, and which one to avoid.

So when I set off to know the characteristics of Kale, I realize kale is leafy vegetable.

It is unlike carrots, radish or potato.

People eat the leaves of the kale plant and not any part.

Another characteristic of the Sukuma wiki plant is it has large leaf surface area.”

That characteristic makes it highly prone to hot temperature stress.

If it gets too hot, kale can:

  1. Droop its leaves,
  2. Become flabby
  3. or wilt completely.

That’s why kale, prefers growing in cool areas.

Nevertheless, kale/Sukuma wiki can also grow and thrive in warmer areas,

All it needs is enough Irrigation water.

That said, the question still stands, “Which is the Best Irrigation system for Kale?”

ordinary sprinklers are less popular than the raingun sprinklers

To find Answers, Let’s start by looking at the 3 popular irrigation systems and how each delivers water to the plants

Drip Irrigation system.

This method of Irrigation is the most efficient.

It delivers water directly at the plants root zone.

The major advantage of drip irrigation is that it saves water. However, when it comes to kale, this system is not suitable especially when the environmental temperature is high.

Why? It does not cool the kale leaves in any way.

Best Irrigation System for Kale: Raingun Sprinkler for Sale

raingun sprinkler

Overhead Irrigation.

This system mimics rainfall.

It does so by shooting water into the air using ordinary sprinklers or rain gun sprinklers, before it falls back to the land in form of small droplets.

The major disadvantage of this system is it needs large amounts of water and energy to run.

Another disadvantage is “it encourages the development of fungal diseases like mildew, and black rots.”

Nevertheless, raingun sprinkler irrigation has a major advantage over other Irrigation systems.

Its advantage lies in ability to instantaneously cool plants during hot weather, and to create a cool micro climate.

And that is what we want kale to have.

When we irrigate kale with sprinklers it develops:

  1. Tender leaves, low in fiber, but rich in nutrients that customers absolutely love.
  2. Lots of leaves guaranteeing you handsome returns,
  3. Resistance to pests and diseases
  4. Immunity to pest attacks.

That said, it’s obvious the best way to irrigate kale is Overhead Irrigation.

Overhead Irrigation.

This system mimics rainfall.

It does so by shooting water into the air using ordinary sprinklers or rain gun sprinklers, before it falls back to the land in form of small droplets.

The major disadvantage of this system is it needs large amounts of water and energy to run.

Another disadvantage is “it encourages the development of fungal diseases like mildew, and black rots.”

Nevertheless, raingun sprinkler irrigation has a major advantage over other Irrigation systems.

Its advantage lies in ability to instantaneously cool plants during hot weather, and to create a cool micro climate.

 And that is what we want kale to have.

When we irrigate kale with sprinklers it develops:

  1. Tender leaves, low in fiber, but rich in nutrients that customers absolutely love.
  2. Lots of leaves guaranteeing you handsome returns,
  3. Resistance to pests and diseases
  4. Immunity to pest attacks.

That said, it’s obvious the best way to irrigate kale is Overhead Irrigation.

Furrow Irrigation.

This is an Irrigation system where water flows in small channels dug near the base of the plants.

As the water flows, it wets the root zone area thus providing moisture to the plants.

The major advantage of this systems is its high efficiency.

Once you apply water, the soil can stay for more than one week without additional irrigation.

However, it has a major disadvantage.

It is labor intensive and it leads to the accumulation of salts in the soil.

When it comes to kale production, this irrigation system is not suitable.

It does not provide a cooling effect on plants like overhead irrigation during hot weather.

This system is good in when used in a cool Highland area where extreme heat conditions are rare.

Conclusion:

All in all, overhead Irrigation is the best system for Kale growing.

It helps to cool the Sukuma wiki during hot weather.

However, you have to be cognizance of it disadvantage of promoting fungal growth.

Therefore, make you have to right decisions to at prevent the growth of fungal diseases.

What are your thoughts on this?

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Download Free Kale PDF that shows you how to grow sukuma wiki at a profit