Asufficient quantity of high-quality water is extremely important for the production of nursery crops. Daily irrigation is required during most of the growing season for container crops that are predominantly grown in bark-based potting substrates. This need for frequent irrigation requires careful planning and management to ensure that operations have sufficient water to maintain adequate supplies for crop production. In addition, many container nurseries capture and recycle irrigation water, not only to protect the environment but also to provide adequate irrigation supplies for production. High-quality water is required for a number of reasons, including the prevention of plugging of nozzles, staining of foliage and containers, excessively high substrate salt levels, and improper substrate pH. Water supplies containing iron and bicarbonates frequently require pre-treatment before use. Sediment must be filtered out of water supplies to prevent wear and clogging of irrigation systems.
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