# Subsurface Drip Irrigation



## ScottWarr (Sep 16, 2013)

Has anyone tried subsurface drip irrigation on alfalfa? What are your experiences?


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## askinner (Nov 15, 2010)

I have been to a farm that has it, and loves it. He also fertigates through it, saving on traffic over his fields, and can irrigate after mowing with hay on the ground. But, the capital outlay is not cheap, there is a lot of equipment other than the tape etc. Also, in this part of the world, we have mites that apparently chew through the tape to get to the water, but I believe there is a chemical to pump through it to kill them. Hope that helps!


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## ScottWarr (Sep 16, 2013)

askinner,

are your Australian mites similar to our U.S. wire worms? If so, we are able to limit their activity by filling the tubing as soon as possible after installation.


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## askinner (Nov 15, 2010)

They may well be, I can't quite remember what exactly they were, but I do remeber they were easily controlled with a chem of some sort.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

A former real estate client of mine is planning to do 60 acres of subsurface irrigation. He is getting a grant to pay for 60 percent of it. I think he plans to grow alfalfa. The only problem in this area with that is you better hope for some moisture in the form of rain after you plant the alfalfa as the subsurface irrigation isn't going to help to germinate the seeds. I'm still kind of looking forward to see how it works for him.


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## ScottWarr (Sep 16, 2013)

Yes, you have to have some rain to germinate or, what many growers in CA do is sprinkle it up.


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