DripTips by Toro Ag

Is Subsurface Drip Irrigation the Future for Midwest Agriculture?

Posted on July 3, 2014July 3, 2014 by torodriptips

Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) on Corn The use of flood and center pivot irrigation of crops via the waters of the Ogallala Aquifer is as hot a discussion topic as the current drought.

To many who mine the aquifer to make a living, trying to keep a profitable way of life sustainable in a time when the broader public is seeking more conservation of resources yet wanting inexpensive, plentiful and safe food is problematic.

Is subsurface drip irrigation the answer?

New Toro White Spiders for Greenhouse Irrigation

Posted on June 30, 2014June 30, 2014 by torodriptips

At Toro, we recently added white spider distribution hose to our product line. “White spiders” are multi-outlet devices for use with on-line emitters, such as our pressure-compensating or anit-leak NGE emitters. Along with popular black spiders, white spiders are ideal for greenhouses and nurseries where pot watering and/or hanging basket irrigation systems are used.

White spider tubing is made of flexible PEVA material that allows easier placement of the outlet stakes. Plus, the white tubing potentially reflects sunlight and can lower irrigation water temperature to benefit plant growth, making white spiders preferable to some greenhouses and nurseries.

Both Toro’s black spider and white spider products are available in the same configurations (1, 2, or 4 outlets), and come with standard tubing cut lengths of 18”, 24”, and 32”. To learn more, visit toro.com

Alfalfa Growers Save Water and More with Subsurface Drip Irrigation

Posted on June 26, 2014 by torodriptips

Drip Irrigation on Alfalfa Alfalfa growers may be encouraged to take a fresh look at subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) based on promising work underway at the Burford Ranch in Five Points, Calif.

Francisco Parra, an agronomist and pest control advisor at Burford Ranch, presented preliminary information at an alfalfa pest and crop management meeting held in Dos Palos, Calif. in June on switching the ranch’s Roundup Ready alfalfa acreage to SDI on 60-inch beds to maximize water efficiency.

Now Introducing, AquaFlow 4.0 – Drip Irrigation Design Program

Posted on June 5, 2014June 24, 2014 by torodriptips

AquaFlow4.0 We are excited to announce the latest upgrade to our popular AquaFlow drip irrigation design software, AquaFlow 4.0!

To improve user access and convenience, AquaFlow 4.0 can now be used online. The new program format includes expandable panels that automatically adjust to multiple screen and font sizes, and allow instant visibility of design decision results by scrolling. Plus, we added many features that make the program more informative and powerful than ever before.

Toro Centennial Celebrated on Wall Street

Posted on May 29, 2014 by torodriptips

In honor of our 100th anniversary, Toro representatives and channel partners were invited to ring The NYSE Closing Bell yesterday, May 28, 2014!

A Case for Irrigated Agriculture in Alabama and Georgia

Posted on May 28, 2014 by torodriptips

The Irrigation Association recently hosted a webinar titled, “Mitigating Effects of Drought — Visions for Sustainable Irrigation” as part of its “Smart Irrigation Month: Bringing Water to Life” webinar series. IA government affairs director John Farner hosted the event and provided a brief overview of drought stricken areas of the United States, and explained how efficient irrigation can help.

Then featured speaker, Dr. Puneet Srivastava of Auburn University, made a compelling case for irrigation of non-irrigated crops in Alabama and Georgia. The southeast boasts prime, rainfed cropland, but farmed acres have steadily declined for decades due to poor yields in comparison with irrigated cropland in other states. This economic downturn could be reversed by irrigating from on-farm reservoirs filled by winter rains, and boosting yields considerably.

10 Tips To Help Maximize Water Use Efficiency

Posted on May 22, 2014May 27, 2015 by torodriptips

Daniele Zaccaria, assistant cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at the University of California-Davis, offers some tips to help you get the most from your irrigation water:

1. Consult with farm advisers in your area. They are usually a good source of information for irrigation management practices.

2. Plan for crop planting timing strategically, as early or late planting may help growers avoid the highest water-demanding periods, or reduce the length of the crop cycle, thus requiring less water to achieve profitable yields.

Enhancing Water Efficiency with Drip Irrigation Systems

Posted on May 19, 2014May 19, 2014 by torodriptips

As the 2014 Oahe Farm and Ranch Show nears, Milt Morris and Tom Tveit laid out a new irrigation system they hope will improve local farming on Thursday. That’s when the two men watched as a crew of workers installed the tape for a drip irrigation system in a three acre plot next to the Oahe Speedway.

Using a tractor owned by Tveit, a local farm manager and crop consultant who has worked closely with Morris over the years, workers laid strips of drip tape, which is made of polyethylene, 30 inches apart from each other. The tape will be permanently buried 16 inches deep, allowing it to be at or below the roots of the corn Morris said will be planted on the plot.

The Impact Of Drought On Vegetable Production

Posted on May 14, 2014May 27, 2015 by torodriptips

drought_plant Water is a precious commodity. Just ask California growers trying to navigate through a drought that is said to be one of the worst since the 1500s.

In March, the California Farm Water Coalition upgraded its estimate of acres growers will leave idle this year to 800,000, up from 500,000, because of a lack of water. According to USDA’s Drought Monitor, the drought in 95% of the state is being called “Severe” to “Exceptional.”

What can California and growers in the West do? Unfortunately, options are limited. Conservation is an obvious solution — and most growers in the West are already well down that road. During the last couple of decades, many have turned their attention to drip irrigation, which is considered to be the most efficient way to water crops.

How to Adopt Subsurface Drip Irrigation & Optimize Mint Production

Posted on May 8, 2014May 8, 2014 by torodriptips

Toro has announced two easy-to-use “how-to” guides on subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and mint production. The SDI guide helps producers adopt systems for field crops such as corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, alfalfa and mint. The mint guide profiles Idaho mint producer and President of the Mint Association, Bob McKellip, and reveals the success he achieved by using SDI through two harvests*. Both brochures are available in English and Spanish in our drip irrigation literature archive.

Click here to download the SDI guide (for Spanish, click here).

Click here to download the Mint guide (for Spanish, click here).

How To: Drip Irrigation Basics & Case Studies

Posted on April 29, 2014August 11, 2014 by torodriptips

Click the links below to explore our archive of drip irrigation “how to” literature, drip irrigation basics, and case studies by crop. These real-world applications show why drip is the most efficient irrigation method that not only saves water, but also improves yield and crop quality.

Drip Irrigation on Peppermint – 2013 Crop Update

Posted on April 25, 2014 by torodriptips

Another season has passed, and Bob McKellip is happy to report that his second year of utilizing drip irrigation on mint was even better than the first. “This Spring, I started up the drip system and everything worked perfectly,” explains McKellip. “I have found that the system is very simple and easy to operate once it’s set-up, and that its just like any other piece of modern farm equipment. With drip, I easily spoon fed my crop with the water and fertilizer it needed on a weekly basis, and harvested unheard of yields on second-year mint – 188 pounds of mint oil per acre!”

McKellip noted that this was achieved in spite of record heat, minimal rainfall, and variable soils with differing water holding capacities. “With drip, I was able to fine tune the irrigation schedule to accommodate different soil types and get more water where it was needed.”

As a result, not only were yields boosted, but water and fertilizer use was down as well.

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