wise water use for container production
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Wise Water Use for Container Production
Jim Owen, Jr.
North Willamette Research andExtension Center
Water will be the ‘oil’ of the 21st century!
avoca.vicnet.net.au/.../WATER_CALCULATOR.jpg
Irrigation DecisionsHow much?
Leaching fractionCyclic irrigation
How often?Growth Stage SubstrateGrouping
When?Time of Day
How much?
0.5 to 1.0 inch
Leaching FractionLeaching Fraction = Volume Leached / Volume Applied
Irrigation volume determined by plant and substrate
Leaching Fraction
Lined or sealed Sealed outside pot
Leaching Fraction = Volume Leached / Volume Applied
Bilderback, personal communication
Total Water Applied for container diameter area is measured as “total volume” to calculate leaching fraction
Bilderback, personal communication
Leaching Fraction ~ 0.20Bilderback, personal communication
Plastic bags work for leaching fractions too!
Water Applied Water Leached
Leaching fraction
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0.1 0.2
Days afterinitiation
3575115
Cum
ala
tive
wat
er a
pplie
d (g
al)
Leaching fraction (leached / applied)Owen. 2006
Leaching fraction
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0.1 0.2
Days afterinitiation
3575115
Cum
ala
tive
wat
er a
pplie
d (g
al)
Leaching fraction (leached / applied)
7 gal per container
Owen. 2006
Leaching fraction
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0.1 0.2
Days afterinitiation
3575115
Cum
ala
tive
wat
er a
pplie
d (g
al)
Leaching fraction (leached / applied)
7 gal per container90,000 gallons of
water saved per growing acre while
maintaining growth
Owen. 2006
Leaching fractionAdvantages
Based on plant needDisadvantages
Management
Cyclic Irrigation
Total water applied daily divided equally and applied in intervals to minimize water channeling and maximize substrate rewetting
Cyclic Irrigation
Lateral unsaturated flow
Wetting front
0.2leaching fraction
1st irrigation cycle(some channeling)
2nd irrigation cycle 3rd irrigation cycle
Ted Bilderback (personal communication)
Cyclic irrigation
Fain, Tilt, Sibley. 2000. Less is More! Highlights of Agriculture Research
red maple
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 3 6Irrigation cycles
Sh
oo
t d
ry w
t (o
z)red maple
Cyclic irrigation
Fain, Tilt, Sibley. 2000. Less is More! Highlights of Agriculture Research
red maple
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 3 6Irrigation cycles
Sh
oo
t d
ry w
t (o
z)
25% increase in dry weight
150% increase (0.5 in) in red maple caliper
Cyclic IrrigationAdvantages
Increases plant growth Increase water use efficiencyIncreases nutrient use efficiency
DisadvantagesIrrigation timingManagement
How often?
Plant Growth Stage
Growth stage or production phaseTransplant / shiftGrowingSalable
Plant Growth Stage
Transplant / shift
Plant Growth Stage
Growing / production
Plant Growth Stage
Sale / Holding / Retail
Substrate
Water buffering capacityDouglas fir bark texture
• Particle size
Amendments• Clay• Peat• Coir
Substrate Texture
0
2
4
6
Hei
ght (
inch
es)
medium fine
Owen and Altland. 2006.
Substrate Texture
32% (70 mL)
49% (108 mL)
37% (77 mL)
0
2
4
6
Hei
ght (
inch
es)
medium fine
Owen and Altland. 2006.
Substrate Texture
32% (70 mL)
49% (108 mL)
37% (77 mL)
0
2
4
6
Hei
ght (
inch
es)
36% (76 mL)
62% (138 mL)
43% (89 mL)
medium fine
Owen and Altland. 2006.
Substrate Amendment
Substrate Amendment
0
10
20
30
40
50
8% Clay 11% Sand
Days afterinitiation
3570110
Cum
ala
tive
wat
er a
pplie
d (
gal)
Pine bark amendment (by vol.)Owen. 2006
Substrate Amendment
0
10
20
30
40
50
8% Clay 11% Sand
Days afterinitiation
3570110
Cum
ala
tive
wat
er a
pplie
d (
gal)
Pine bark amendment (by vol.)
8 gal per container
Owen. 2006
Substrate Amendment
0
10
20
30
40
50
8% Clay 11% Sand
Days afterinitiation
3570110
Cum
ala
tive
wat
er a
pplie
d (
gal)
Pine bark amendment (by vol.)
107,000 gallons of water saved per growing acre
while maximizing growth
Owen. 2006
When?
What time of day to apply irrigationPre-dawnAMPMAll day
Irrigation timing
Irrigation timing
c b a b
Irrigation timing – micro-irrigation
Warren and Bilderback. 2002. J. Environ. Hort
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Pre-dawn
AM PM All day
Co
ton
east
er d
ry w
eig
ht
(g)
c b a b
Irrigation timing – micro-irrigation
Warren and Bilderback. 2002. J. Environ. Hort
0123456789
10
11:00 AM 1:30 PM 4:30 PM
Co
ton
east
er P
ho
tosy
nth
esis
Pre-dawnAMPMAll day
Irrigation timing – micro-irrigation
Warren and Bilderback. 2002. J. Environ. Hort
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
7:00
AM
9:00
AM
11:0
0 AM
1:00
PM
3:00
PM
5:00
PM
7:00
PM
9:00
PM
11:0
0 PM
1:00
AM
Su
bs
tra
te t
em
pe
ratu
re (
C)
PMpre-dawn
Irrigation timing – micro-irrigation
Warren and Bilderback. 2002. J. Environ. Hort
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
7:00
AM
9:00
AM
11:0
0 AM
1:00
PM
3:00
PM
5:00
PM
7:00
PM
9:00
PM
11:0
0 PM
1:00
AM
Su
bs
tra
te t
em
pe
ratu
re (
C)
PMpre-dawn
3:00 PM
11:00 PM
Irrigation timing
c b a b
Irrigation timing - overhead
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
0
50
100
150
200
250
Co
ton
east
er
dry
wei
gh
t (g
)
Pre-Dawn
All Day
PM
aab
Irrigation timing - overhead
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
1 7 13 19 1 7 13 19 1 7 13 19
pre-dawnall daypm
Su
bst
rate
tem
per
atu
re (
C)
Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
pre-dawnall daypm
Irrigation timing - overhead
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
Su
bst
rate
Tem
per
atu
re (
C)
Aug 26 Aug 27
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
pre-dawnall daypm
Irrigation timing - overhead
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
Su
bst
rate
Tem
per
atu
re (
C)
Aug 26 Aug 27
12:0012:00
3:003:00
6:006:00
Pre-DawnPre-Dawn
20
25
30
35
40
45
50pre-dawnall daypm
Irrigation timing - overhead
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
Su
bst
rate
Tem
per
atu
re (
C)
Aug 26 Aug 27
3:00 3:00 AMAM
9:00 9:00 PMPM
Irrigation timing
AdvantagesIncreases plant growth Regulate substrate temperatureIncrease water use efficiency
DisadvantagesIrrigation timingManagement
Plant GroupingGroup plants by similar water use to increase
irrigation efficiency
Plant GroupingGroup by:
Size• Container
• Plant
Species• Plant type
• Water needs
Architecture
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
How does the architecture of a plant’s canopy affect its demands for overhead irrigation?
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
22 29 32 40 47 49 54 66 73 82 92 99 105
Days After Initiation
Dai
ly V
olum
e ap
plie
d (m
l)
CotoneasterVitex
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeridammeri ‘Skogholm‘Skogholm
Vitex trifoliaVitex trifolia ‘Variegata‘Variegata’’
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
22 29 32 40 47 49 54 66 73 82 92 99 105
Days After Initiation
Dai
ly V
olum
e ap
plie
d (m
l)
CotoneasterVitex
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeridammeri ‘Skogholm‘Skogholm
Vitex trifoliaVitex trifolia ‘Variegata‘Variegata’’
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
33 50 72 92 105
Days
Per
cen
tage
irri
gati
on C
aptu
re
CotoneasterGardenia
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeridammeri ‘Skogholm‘Skogholm
Gardenia augustaGardenia augusta ‘Chuck Hayes’‘Chuck Hayes’
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
33 50 72 92 105
Days
Per
cen
tage
irri
gati
on C
aptu
re
CotoneasterGardenia
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeridammeri ‘Skogholm‘Skogholm
Gardenia augustaGardenia augusta ‘Chuck Hayes’‘Chuck Hayes’
Plant Architecture
Williamson et al. 2005. SNA
0
200
400
600
800
1000
60
110
160
210
260
33 50 72 92 105
CotoneasterGardeniaVitex
Daily Volume Applied (L)Daily Volume Applied (L) Percentage Capture (%)Percentage Capture (%)
Plastic bag method
FIELDQUANTIFICATION OF
SUBSTRATE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Cook, A., T. Bilderback, and M. Lorscheider. 2004. Physical Property Measurements in Container Substrates: A Field Quantification Strategy. Southern Nursery Association Research Proceedings 49:102-104
Field Quantification
Why?Check Bark supplyExperiment with new componentsAffect of how you pot
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
Known container volume
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
Fill, pack, remove excess
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
Saturate with known volume = total porosity(weight can also be used)
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
Drain a known volume = air space
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
Container Capacity = total porosity - air space
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
Bulk Density = dry weight / container volume
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
Field Quantification
WhyCheck Bark supplyExperiment with new componentsAffect of how you pot
http://www.sna.org/research/04proceedings/04proceedingspdfs/ResProcSec01.pdf
Cook et al. 2004. SNA
North Willamette Research andExtension Center
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/NWREC/