Monday, January 13, 2020

Older Soils May Need a Kickstart with Humic Acid

Humic Acid, 8%, Cold Water Processed. Humic acids are found when organic matter is composted and converted to humus.They are depleted in older soils that have been cropped. You may need to rejuvinate them.

A study conducted at Ohio State University concluded that “humic acids increased plant growth” and plants had “relatively large responses at low application rates”. Humic acids are natural soil chelates,
improve soil chemistry and uptake of nutrients, particularly calcium, magnesium and iron.

This may be what is needed for older soils where plants are exhibiting poor growth even when fertilizers are applied. Use 2 to 3 oz per 25 gallons.

More information about humic acids

Replenish Garden Soils With Fresh Compost Each Planting Season

Replenish Your Garden Soil with Compost
Compost should be thoroughly mixed into your garden soil for best results.

Raw (unamended) Desert Soil: Use 2 cubic yards of Viragrow Compost for every 100 square feet of garden area.

Existing Raised Beds with Soil: Use 1 cubic yard of Viragrow Compost for every 200 square feet of garden area.

Existing Raised Beds with Previously Cropped Soil: Use 1 cubic yard of Viragrow Rejuvinate© for every 200 square feet of garden area.

Newly Constructed Raised Bed

Raised Beds (12 inches deep): Use 1 cubic yard of Viragrow Topsoil for every 30 square feet of garden area.

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Redwood and Cedar Mulches Last Longer in Landscape...

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Redwood and Cedar Mulches Last Longer in Landscape...: Q. Would you please tell me what type of mulch is not recommended to put in flower beds? I thought I remembered it being redwood mulch but I...


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Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Wood Mulches for Desert Soils are Remarkable

Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Wood Mulches for Desert Soils are Remarkable: Desert soil typical of the Las Vegas valley with caliche If you don't think wood mulch is important for tree growth in desert soi...


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Pepper Leaves Curling. Bugs Again!

Leaves curling on pepper.
Typical pepper leaf curled on the plant.
Flip leaf over and we see evidence of aphids feeding.
We see leaf curling on lots plants during the summer heat. This can be a defensive reaction by the leaves to not get so much direct sunlight. Not a conscious thing on their part of course but a reaction to heat.

Leaf Yellowing and Scorch Could Be Bugs

Scorchy leaves and yellowing could be lots of things.
Check out your discolored and scorchy leaves. This could be a number of things like watering, salts, fertilizer but aphids are still active now in the heat as well as whiteflies.

Good guy or bad guy? Good guy but he/she is outnumbered!
I see some ladybird beetles (ladybugs) out there but there is jut not enough of them to keep them in check.

When you see leaves like that in the garden, turn them over. Do you think if you were busy feeding, would you be on the TOP of the leaf or in the shade on the BOTTOM. Of course. On the bottom.

Bottom of squash leaf.
Flip the leaf over and you will see some bug activity. This tells you that you need to spray. And you must spray on the bottom of the leaves as well as the top. Insecticidal soap, Neem oil, pyrethrums,... anything labeled for vegetables and insect control, particularly aphids and whiteflies. You don't have to but we hope you will consider Viragrow for your pest control needs!

Soils Tips from the Soil Science Society of America on Composts



Whether you're using existing soil, or importing soil to fill raised garden beds, soil amendments are a vital resource for ensuring a productive vegetable garden. Many neglected urban soils are compacted and low in organic matter. Soil amendments are designed to add organic material back into soil, reduce compaction, and improve soil life. All that helps increase the yield of your garden. Here are some tips from the Soil Science Society of America.



Composts
Compost is organic material that has decomposed into a stable state that’s then available for adding to soil. Anything that was once alive can be composted; therefore different composts can vary in their properties. Some of the most common composts available to urban residents are made from the yard debris that is collected curb-side from residents.




EZ Green Chicken Compost
Manure
Manure can give your garden an incredible boost in nutrients. Make sure the manure you use has been well aged or composted. Check with local agriculture organizations to see if they have a list of local farms willing to share their manure.

Biosolids
Biosolids are the digested, solid portion extracted from the wastewater treatment process. They may not sound pretty—but there’s nothing better for creating an amazing garden. In addition to being 100% recycled and full of macro- and micro-nutrients, biosolids work to build healthy soil like nothing else.

Biosolids are also held to stringent standards by the EPA and have been repeatedly shown to be a safe, effective way to build healthy soil. A small but growing number of cities, however, are investing in the technology to produce Class A biosolids—clean enough to distribute to those gardening in urban areas..

Using amendments
You can add amendments to soil anytime, but the best times for working them into an existing garden are in the spring before planting, and in the fall when putting the garden to bed. Generally, two to three inches is sufficient to work into the garden gently with a shovel.

For more information on soil amendments, visit http://soils.org/discover-soils/soils-in-the-city. Topics under Soils in the City include Community Gardens, Green Infrastructure, Green Roofs, and Soil Contaminants. The Soil Science Society of America also has an informational soils blog called Soils Matter, http://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/.

Viragrow Vegetable Planting Calendar Available

We asked Bob Morris, Extremehort, to update our vegetable information for you.


Bob has put together a vegetable planting calendar for summer vegetables and some advice on how to get your garden started the right way. Email us at info@viragrow.com and we will send it out to you asap!

Linn Mills RJ Article: Couple's five tips for growing vegetables

By LINN MILLS

See the original RJ article here

Green-thumbers Janet and Don Knight from Northern California became brown-thumbers when they started gardening in Las Vegas, but now they’re green-thumbers again. In fact, they are producing vegetables year-round to sell at the farmers market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday at 333 S. Valley View Blvd.

To find other farmers markets near you, go to http://tinyurl.com/lvfarmers.

The Knights purchased a large lot expecting to grow vegetables and raise horses. They soon heard you can’t grow vegetables in Las Vegas. That became a challenge to them.

Determined to solve their problem, they went to Star Nursery where they met Master Gardener Cliff Young. He gave them a mini Master Gardener course. They followed his advice and they’ve been successful ever since. They also went through the Master Gardener training program. They volunteered at the university orchard where they expanded their knowledge even more.

Janet took her training a step further. She took a Master Food Preservers course at the University Cooperative Extension. Now she processes her excess produce, and this led her to teaching food preserving classes. She loves seeing the glow in people’s eyes as ideas pop into their heads.
Janet boiled their successes down to five things: soil preparation, compost tea making, planting at the right time, pest management and shading and wind protection.

SOILS: The Knights first used wood chips to mix in the soil. Since the chips were not composted they encountered failures from the start.

Young encouraged them go to raised-bed gardening, filling the beds with highly prepared organic soil they got from Viragrow soils. They built a raised bed and eventually the entire backyard became a vegetable and herb production farm, with the exception of Don’s antiquities and horses. They’re now producing vegetables and herbs year-round.

Since the Knights had horse manure, Sal Ramirez of Viragrow soils encouraged them to mix it in with his soil. Ramirez finds animal manure adds microorganisms to stimulate microbial activity to benefit the plants.

Bruce Nielsen of Prime Color Growers encouraged them to add Zeo-Soil to the prepared soil. He said this natural organic material enhances soil and plant growth by holding and transferring water and minerals (mainly nitrogen) to their plants. The Knights have used it for years and sell it at their farmers market booth.

COMPOST TEA: The Knights are pure organic gardeners. “We make our own compost tea (fertilizer). We place compost with chicken and horse manure in a big barrel of water and let it brew for several days. We then spray it on our vegetables a couple of times a year.”

PLANTING SCHEDULE: The Knights started off following the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension vegetable planting guide. Janet said, “As we learn more about growing vegetables we are tweaking the guide to expand our production. Gardeners from other parts of the country want to plant when they did back home and usually fail.” You can get the planting guide by going to http://tinyurl.com/plantsked.

Janet said, “Our produce is in high demand. Kale, chard and collards have become our trademark. We only harvest the outside leaves, to keep them producing longer. When vegetables stop producing, we fill in the spaces with other vegetables.”

The Knights plant their vegetables closer than recommended. “We find the plants shade the soil to conserve water and control weeds.”

NO PESTICIDES: “We never use pesticides. Don likes to make breakfast, so I snoop through the garden looking for bugs. With these constant visits we seldom have any pests. It takes me about 20 minutes per day to do my snooping.”

SHADE AND WIND: The Knights use a 30 percent shade cloth. “It does two thing: shades the plants but also deflects the wind.” Plants grown under a windbreak are almost twice the size of exposed plants. Janet also finds that winds tear up plants and suck water out of them.

The Knights are also part of the Community Supported Agriculture Coalition. “We make vegetable baskets to deliver to certain locations weekly.” If you want a basket, sign up for one at their booth. Many of these baskets go to senior citizen centers.

Make Your Own Raised Beds for Vegetables

You can make your own raised beds. It is not hard to do.


Using Viragrow garden soil eliminates the rocks that can cause problems for carrots and other root crops. The garden soil is clean, beautiful and very easy to work with. Construct them so you can reach into the bed without stepping on the soil. Four feet is probably the widest you want to make them.
Raised beds with wood side walls. Protect the wood with oils or even plastic. The bottom should drain into the soil beneath it.
Wooden side walls need to be protected. Doug fir works great and is resistant to rotting and does not have some of the natural oils and resins that redwood and cedar contain. They will need to be replaced over time but you can protect the side walls by oiling them down or stapling plastic sheeting to the inside. The bottoms must be open to the soil beneath it and there should NOT be plastic under the soil. No rocks are necessary. The bottom of the bed is rock free and the Viragrow garden soil is in direct contact with the soil. Fill the raised bed to the brim as it will settle a couple of inches with time and use.
Corner braces
A high phosphorus fertilizer is a good idea when planting. You can use bone meal, triple super phosphate or even ammonium phosphate as a pre-plant fertilizer raked into the soil prior to planting. We have organic and conventional fertilizers.

Seed or plant transplants directly into Viragrow garden soil at the proper time of year. If you want a copy of our vegetable planting calendar email us at info@viragrow.com and we will send it to you. It was put together for 36 degrees north latitude and about a 2000 foot elevation.

Sidedress vegetables (apply a small trickly of fertilizer two inches from the row of plants) and water it in once a month. Use Blood Meal or a high nitrogen fertilizer like ammonium sulfate.
 Growing in a good garden soil, preparing adequately before planting, planting at the right time of year and fertilizing regularly as it grows and as you harvest will go a long way to having a successful raised garden. Viragrow Delivers!
Viragrow demonstration raised beds at their facility on 1100 E. Dehli St. North Las Vegas, Nevada

Soil Amendment Test Plots Completed

We have been hearing alot about rock dust. We want to know if we should put some into one of our soil mixes. So we went to the experts.


Soil amendments are an interesting group of products. There are amendments that add microorganisms, micronutrients, help change the structure, improve drainage, improve water holding, improve fertilizer retention.... you name it and there are products that claim to make soil better. Now there are rock dusts!


Recently there has been interest in some naturally forming amendments from crushed and screened rock. Zeolites have probably been around the longest. Zeolites is a collective term for a bunch of different minerals that have very small pores that can hold water. These pores make many of them fairly light in weight. The pores also help them retain water. Many are used for things like kitty litter and oil spills. More on zeolites

Another amendment has the trade name of Azomite. We always have to be careful with claims made on a label unless it is subjected to some regulatory agency. For instance, fertilizers have to adhere to state fertilizer laws. What is claimed as fertilizer must actually be contained in the bag. Agencies like Weights and Measures checks to make sure fertilizers are registered in the state and periodically they are checked to make sure you get what they claim on the bag. This is not true of soil amendments.

A third one we found recently is an interesting product called Kelzyme. The manufacturers claim it to be "mineralized sea kelp". It is mined from an open pit mine in Nevada near Winnemucca. It also has a lot of minerals in it with quite a few claims made from the manufacturer.

So what do you believe? Are they going to work? Before Viragrow gets involved we are watching a test plot using these three products very closely. The plot was constructed at the UNCE orchard in North Las Vegas in March of 2014. Two inches of compost was applied to the plots and tilled in. 1 1/2 pound of phosphorus was applied to the growing site as a pre-plant.

Next the plots were constructed and replicated in raised beds on both sides of the plot. All three products were applied to separate plots at a rate equivalent to the rate suggested on the Azomite bag and incorporated into the soil. Drip irrigation will be put back on the plots for vegetables. Vegetables and herbs will be planted as transplants and the products will be added to the transplant soil and all of it watered in. After that all vegetables will be drip irrigated through the remainder of the study.

Let's see what happens! Viragrow is always looking for a good soil amendment for its specialty composts. If it works, we will use it! Viragrow Delivers!

Vegetable Test Plots Established to Compare Different 'Rock Dusts' at UNCE Orchard

Test plots were under construction in April, 2014, to compare the production of vegetables using soil additives Azomite, Kelzyme and Zeolite. Some have termed these rock dust.


Azomite is a mineral soil additive mined in central Utah and being promoted for improving vegetable production as well as other uses Wikipedia on Azomite.

Adding compost to the demonstration plots and forming the beds

Kelzyme, according to their website (Kelzyme website) is a "100% organic fosslized sea kelp" with similar attributes to Azomite.

Zeolites (Wikipedia on Zeolite) are a wide range of minerals. The one being tested is a Clinoptilolite zeolite mined near Death Valley. Clinoptilolite has some unique properties and has a long history in water purification, livestock supplements and horticulture and many other uses.

Planting beds being prepared for vegetable trials using Azomite, Kelzyme and Zeolite as soil additives.
The demonstration trials were amended with compost and a starter fertilizer as we would with any vegetable plot and the soil additives were soil incorporated as well as incorporated in the planting hole at the time of transplanting. Rates are determined by the manufacturers recommendations on the label. In the case of zeolite it is added at rates similar to the other two products since a label is not available.

Vegetables being used in the demonstration are tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, basil and other common vegetables planted as transplants or seed. Plots will be irrigated with drip using Netafim with 1gph emitters at 12 inch spacings. Shade will be removed by pruning the palm trees or treatments will avoid shady areas.

Linn Mills RJ Article: Using Compost to Overcome Some of the Worst Soils by Linn Mills

This is an article appearing in the Las Vegas Review Journal by Linn Mills on January 11, 2014. Linn was interviewing Viragrow's CFO, Sal Ramirez. You can read it online at the LVRJ or read a copy of it below.



Overcoming some of worst soils in U.S.

By LINN MILLS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Most of us want to ignore dealing with soils. I recall teaching three classes on vegetables, fruit trees and soils. The vegetable and fruit classes were packed, but the soil class was almost empty. Most of the audience questions were soil related problems.

I asked Sal Ramirez of ViraGrow, a soil manufacturing outlet, and he went right to the problem — soils.
■ Las Vegas soils are some of the worst in the country.
■ We only get 4 inches of rain a year, never building up any organic matter in our soils. That is why we must add organic matter or compost to our soils every time we replant.
■ Our soils are compacted so hardly anything grows in them.
■ The winds also draw moisture out of the soil leaving the salts behind. They are devastating to plants, especially vegetables.
Ramirez says the answer to the above problems is adding compost to our soils. Note these reasons:
■ Compost acts like a big sponge. When you irrigate, the sponge absorbs large amounts of water to store for future plant use and the excess drains away. This opens up air spaces so your plants function properly.
■ Compost has within it many essential nutrients your plants need and it freely gives them to your plants as needed.
■ This miracle wonder warms soils during the winter and cools them during the summer.
■ This magical product increases the microorganisms (miracle workers) in the soil. These miracle workers continue to break down any raw materials in the compost.
■ Compost acts as a buffer. If you overfertilize your plants, it deactivates the excess to prevent damaging your crops.
Ramirez prescribes the following for those wanting to garden in our tough soils:
■ Spread up to 8 inches of compost over garden area.
■ To this compost, spread the following organic fertilizers over it: Blood meal introduces nitrogen essential to get plants started and feeds your miracle organisms. Bone meal brings phosphorous into the mix to develop roots, flowers and fruit product. Kelp becomes a great source of micronutrients. Soil sulfur changes the soil pH into the neutral range so our microorganisms can freely mine for those essential micronutrients and iron chelates (Kerex) frees up irons for easier plant extraction in our soils. 

When using these fertilizers, follow label directions for the amount to add.
■ Now till these ingredients into the top 6 to 8 inches of your garden.
■ When using a rototiller, run it slow to thoroughly blend these ingredients into the soil. Men usually run a tiller full throttle and it destroys your soil’s structure.
■ Now give the garden area a good irrigation to activate what’s about to take place in your soil.

Ramirez uses a chemical fertilizer such as 6-20-20 to blend in. “My reasoning for this particular fertilizer is it brings the right proportions of fertilizer in for my plant needs. Its nitrogen gets my plants up and started. Its high phosphorous stimulate roots, increases flower and fruit production on crops such as tomatoes.” Potassium improves the quality of his veggies, plus makes the plant more tolerant to the hot summer ahead.

You might want manufactured compost that really puts a touch of class on growing vegetables.
■ Build a raised bed to contain the compost.
■ Make the bed at least 6 inches deep by placing wood, bricks, cement blocks or whatever to act as walls.
■ Some gardeners make higher walls to sit on while working the garden.
■ At this point add a commercially prepared soil like those produced at ViraGrow. It’s made up of 75 percent compost and 25 percent sand. He also blends in kelp meal, seaweed extract, humic acid, slow-release organic nitrogen for crops such as vegetables. He also makes other blends for specific conditions.

Here is a hot tip Ramirez wants to pass along to those who have used manufactured soils such as his for a couple of seasons and here’s why:

“I find our extensive summer heat cooks many of the microorganisms, so I suggest replenishing them. I recommend spreading a light application of aged manure over the garden area to reintroduce them into the soil. Salts have already been leached so don’t worry about the manure. Then till the manure into the top 3 inches of the soil.”

Try Viragrow composts and soil amendments. Viragrow Delivers!

Some Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Fall and Winter Planting in the Desert

Here is a recommended vegetable variety list for the Mojave Desert. Some varieties perform better than others under desert conditions. These are vegetables to be planted in in the fall months from seed and in some cases transplants. Onions transplants of course are planted in the spring so this is by seed.


Recommended varieties of vegetables for fall months. Please add to this list in your comments if you have actually grown a variety you liked, not one you read about and it was under desert conditions. Thanks!

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Asian Greens
Tatsoi
Bak Choy
Pac Choy

Beans, bush
Contender
Top Crop
Blue Lake
Venture
Royalty Purple Pod

Beans, pole
Kentucky Wonder
Blue Lake
Kentucky Lake

Beets - don’t forget to use the beet leaves
Detroit Dark Red
Detroit Supreme
Golden
Chioggia
Bull’s Blood
Red Ace
Warrior
Red Cloud

Broccoli
Atlantic
Pacman
Green Comet
Green Goliath
Premium Crop

Cauliflower
Amazing

Carrots
Scarlet Nantes
Parisien
Sweetness
Tendersweet
Kuroda

Chard
Pink Flamingo
Rainbow
Barese

Greens
Vaites (collards)

Kale
Nero of Toscano (Dinosaur)
Tronchuda
Reo Russian

Onions, bulbs
Candy
Big Daddy
Red Candy Apple
Texas Super Sweet
Sterling

Onions, bunching
Tokyo Long White

Onion, specialty
Red of Florence
Tropea Longa
Bianca di Maggio

Peas, Bush
Lincoln

Peas, sugar snap
Cascadia
Oregon Sugar Pod
Sugar Snap

Radishes
Easter Egg
French Breakfast
Purple Run
White Icicle
Cherry Belle
Chinese Watermelon

Spinach
Bloomsdale
Melody
Olympia


Biosolid-free Compost Available from Viragrow

Viragrow received a number of requests to carry a compost that was totally free of biosolids. We found one and brought 100 yd.³ in for you. Before we could advertise it, it sold out. We expect another delivery in the next week or two.

Viragrow Biosolid Free (and Vegan) Compost

If you are interested in this product, give us a call and make sure we still have it! Visit our website at www.Viragrow.com or call during office hours, Monday through Friday, 600 am to 330 pm. Saturdays, 700 am to 100 pm.

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Smell the Difference: Viragrow's "Organic" Compost Made from the Forest

Smell the difference!


Viragrow is bringing in manure and biosolid-free compost, made entirely from forest products which have never been sprayed with any pesticides, from northern Utah. This compost has been treated with microorganisms at the composting facility that help speed up the decomposition process of this natural, woodchip-based product.
Viragrow's Organic Compost
Once it arrives in Las Vegas Viragrow fortifies this compost with enough nitrogen to bring the carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) into an acceptable range for all landscape plants as well as vegetables. This is about as close as we can get to a truly "organic"compost. No worries about biosolids, animal manure products, commercial kitchen waste, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. If we could follow the life history of all those forest trees used to make this compost, we could apply to USDA for organic certification! But that paper trail is impossible so this is as close as we could get. That's what we named it, Viragrow's Organic Compost. We hope our customers will appreciate our efforts to bring you what you wanted. We could smell the difference and it put a smile on our faces!

Viragrow Delivers!

Featured Article: Good Irrigation Managers Save Water

This will appear in Southwest Trees and Turf in November, 2014.


Avoid Mayhem with Good Irrigation Managers
Bob Morris, Consultant for Viragrow, Inc.

Determining the best irrigation schedule for a mixture of landscape plants is difficult enough but when salinity is involved, either in the soil or in the irrigation water, it complicates matters. Let’s cover some irrigation do’s and don’ts and see how salinity might affect the way we irrigate.
Except for shallow rooted plants like lawns, annual flowers and vegetables in raised beds, daily irrigations should be avoided any time of the year. Many turfgrasses and annuals have root systems that extend into the soil 12 inches or less. During the heat of the summer and under desert conditions some of these plants may require daily irrigations.
The concept of irrigating nondesert landscape plants is focused on wetting the root system to its entire depth, allowing the soil to drain and re-wetting the soil again when half of this water has been used by the plant or evaporated.
So we can see that the volume of water applied in a single application is directly related to the depth of the root systems of plants. When designing a landscape irrigation system we try, to the best of our abilities, to put plants with similar rooting depths on the same valve or station.
More often than not we are handed an irrigation system with a mixture of plants that have a variety of rooting depths. When deciding an irrigation schedule for a single valve or station we generally have two options; set the number of minutes based on the average rooting depth of all the plants or let the plants with deepest root systems dictate the number of minutes of station runtime.
Hunter irrigation controller or time clock
This decision depends on whether to conserve water or minimize landscape problems. When we decide to under irrigate some plants so the majority receive the correct amount of water, we may see some plant damage. If the under irrigation is not severe, we may see the slowing of plant growth, a decline in density due to leaf drop, leaf tip or burning of leaf margins. When plants are severely under irrigated then we begin to see branch die back and in some cases death.
Under irrigating, or applying less water than dictated by a plants rooting depth, can also impact safety issues. What happens if we under-irrigate large trees such as pines which have shallow

roots to take up water but require deeper roots to anchor it in the soil?
Wind blowover to trees due to shallow roots.
Current irrigation technology is based upon time management and varying how water is applied to plants. This technology varies the amount of water applied to plants by changing the number of minutes valves are open, increasing or decreasing the points of water emission or changing the rate of water applied at the point of emission. This translates to increasing or decreasing the number of drip emitters, bubblers, nozzles or spray heads or substituting old points of emission for new ones that have different rates of application.
Making these changes to an irrigation system that was designed by a professional and focused on the uniform application of water, more than likely will make the system less uniform and less efficient. This will most likely result in substantially higher water usage. These types of alterations to professionally designed systems must be done with care.
Salt deposits on pine needles from overhead irrigation using reuse water
There are some obvious cases where changes must be made. For example, changes must be made when some plants are receiving excessive amounts of water or not enough water while others on the same valve appear to be watered adequately.
As plants get bigger, they need more water. When plants get bigger, their tops get bigger as well as their root system. Increasing plant size requires the application of higher volumes of water. Increased plant size dictates that the area irrigated under the plant also needs to be increased. Logic tells us we need to increase the amount of water by applying it to a larger area.
Just because a few plants on an irrigation valve have grown larger seldom requires increasing the number of minutes of runtime. Other plants on the same circuit that received adequate amounts of water would then be over-irrigated for the sake of a few.
Of course increasing the number of minutes is the easiest solution to the problem but is it the right one? The quick fix of bumping up the number of minutes creates no new revenue for the landscape maintenance company and is likely a poor solution to an irrigation problem. Is it possible that a discussion of the problem with the owner or supervisor might result in a better solution to the problem for everyone involved? Might this discussion generate revenue, or even a better looking landscape, and also result in water conservation?
The second decision in scheduling irrigations is determining when to apply water. This is a very different question than determining how much water to apply. Unlike the first question, the answer to the second question is implemented solely by determining when to turn the valve on or off.
Research has demonstrated that no irrigation controller, no matter how “smart” it is, can
Watchdog weather station used for monitoring current and historical weather
substitute for a knowledgeable irrigation manager. The principal reason is that knowledgeable irrigation managers focus on their irrigation schedules ahead of the irrigation curve, not behind it. Most “smart” irrigation controllers are irrigating behind the irrigation curve or relying on historical information to predict the future.
Knowing when to turn an irrigation valve on is half art and half science. The “science” part of it can be handled by many good irrigation controllers. The “art” part of it is staying aware of your irrigation system, how it’s operating, monitoring the landscape and paying close attention to current as well as projected future weather conditions, particularly during the summer months.
You can’t do a good job irrigating sitting behind a desk. Knowledgeable irrigation managers seldom if ever take vacations during the heat of the summer. That is their busiest time. This is the time they are most aware of their landscape environment, weather environment and irrigation “system” environment.
Three primary weather factors good irrigation managers are constantly monitoring, whether they realize it or not, current or potential changes in the temperature, wind and sunlight intensity.
In most environments, and in particular desert environments, our everyday irrigation predictions are based on normal, seasonal temperatures, normal wind speed and a clear sky. The single factor most likely create mayhem in a landscape during the summer months is wind. The second is above normal spikes in temperature. The absolute worst scenario is a spike in daytime temperature accompanied with strong winds and a clear sky. A good irrigation manager stays ahead of the curve by applying water in anticipation of mayhem, not during mayhem.
As if this was not difficult enough, salts and salinity add a dimension to the irrigation dilemma which test the abilities of the best irrigation managers. Salts are salts. Without getting too technical, any time a substance is added to water and dissolves you have the potential for increasing salinity. Any time you add something to the irrigation water or the soil you may affect salinity.
Two types of plant damage result from excess salts or salinity in the soil or irrigation water; the type of salt may be directly toxic to the plant (such is the case with plain old table salt which contains two very toxic chemicals to plants; sodium and chlorine or chlorides) and competition with the plant for water.
Any type of salt, table salt or even fertilizers, will dissolve in water adding to a general increase in salinity. Slow release fertilizers are less of a problem in this regard than fast or quick release fertilizers. When salts of any kind are added to the soil, these salts compete with the plant for soil moisture.
In other words the salinity of the soil “pulls” or holds on to water, making water less available to the plant. This means that when salinity is a problem, we need to irrigate more frequently to reduce plant stress. This is particularly true in summer months.

Two basic concepts when irrigating to avoid salinity problems are dilution and flushing. Keep the salts diluted and add enough water to flush these salts below the rootzone. This requires that the soil drains adequately. 

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