Drip irrigation is a type of irrigation that irrigates plants at the root zone. It ensures that uniform volume of water is passed to the root zones of plants. Drip irrigation is generally termed as the most efficient type of irrigation in the world.
Drip irrigation for cucumber farming is the use of drip irrigation systems for the cultivation of cucumber. The cucumber crop does really well when grown under the drip irrigation system.
As compared to other types of irrigation, cucumber reaches its optimum yield if drip irrigation is used.
In Nigeria, it is common to see cucumber farmers use drip irrigation as a source of watering for their cucumber crop.
Steps to take to use drip irrigation for cucumber farming
The following steps need to be taken for you to use drip irrigation for cucumber farming:
Prepare the farmland
The farmland to be used for the growing of cucumber must be prepared. Farm preparation includes bush clearing, plowing, harrowing and ridging. Unwanted trees, weeds and stumps should be removed from the farmland.
Without the preparation of the farmland, the drip irrigation system cannot be set up on the farmland. For subsurface drip irrigation system, there will be some diggings on the farmland.
Buy the drip irrigation system
The next step after land preparation is for you to buy the drip irrigation system. You should only buy the type of drip irrigation system suitable for cucumber farming. Check the components of the drip irrigation system and be sure that they are appropriate for the cultivation of cucumber.
Get a source of water
Water is needed for all types of irrigation. The drip irrigation system needs a source of water. Examples of sources of water are well, borehole, river, stream and dam etc. The water should be clean and free of particles that can block or damage the drip irrigation system.
Design the drip irrigation layout
You should get someone who is skilled in irrigation design to design the drip irrigation layout for your cucumber farm. However, if your farmland is small, you may not need an expert to do your irrigation design.
Install the drip irrigation system
The drip irrigation system should be installed by people skilled in the installation of drip irrigation systems. However, for small cucumber farms, DIY can be done. Gravity drip irrigation system can be easily set up by the farmer himself.
Test the drip irrigation system
After the installation of the drip irrigation system, you should pressurize the drip irrigation tapes with water and check that the emitters drip water as expected. If the drip irrigation system does not work as expected, you may need to check the water pressure and flow or better still, contact an irrigation expert.
Cost of drip irrigation for cucumber farming
The cost of drip irrigation for cucumber farming for an acre of farmland is ₦200,000 – ₦500,000 depending on the type of drip irrigation system.
The cost of drip irrigation for cucumber farming for a hectare of farmland is ₦500,000 – ₦1,250,000 depending on the type of drip irrigation system.
The cost of drip irrigation for cucumber farming for 5 acres of farmland is ₦1,000,000 – ₦2,500,000 depending on the type of drip irrigation system.
Do you use drip irrigation for cucumber farming? If yes, why not share your experiences in the comments’ section.
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