Irrigation Calculator

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▼ Calculator Inputs

▼ Understanding the Calculator

Understanding the Irrigation Calculator and Crop Steering

This irrigation calculator is designed to help growers optimize their watering schedules based on various factors affecting plant water needs. It can be particularly useful for implementing advanced growing techniques such as crop steering.

How to Use the Calculator

  1. Input your growing parameters, including the number of plants, pot size, substrate type, growth stage, and environmental conditions.
  2. Adjust the Base Water Percentage and Substrate Water Retention to fine-tune the calculations for your specific setup.
  3. Review the calculated watering schedule, including frequency, duration, and delay between waterings.

Crop Steering with Irrigation

Crop steering is an advanced cultivation technique that uses precise control of environmental factors, including irrigation, to influence plant growth and development. Here's how you can use this calculator for crop steering:

  • Vegetative Growth: During the vegetative stage, you might use more frequent, lighter waterings to encourage root growth and plant expansion. This can be achieved by increasing the watering frequency and decreasing the duration.
  • Generative Growth: To encourage flowering and fruit development, you might reduce watering frequency and increase the dry-back period between waterings. This can create mild stress that signals the plant to focus on reproductive growth.
  • Fine-tuning: Adjust the Base Water Percentage and Substrate Water Retention to create different levels of moisture stress. A lower retention value can simulate faster dry-back for more aggressive steering.

Remember, crop steering is a complex technique that also involves manipulating other factors like temperature, humidity, and nutrients. This calculator should be used as part of a comprehensive growing strategy.

Tips for Effective Use

  • Monitor your plants closely and adjust inputs based on observed plant responses.
  • Consider using moisture sensors in your growing medium to validate and refine the calculated schedules.
  • The calculator provides a starting point; always be prepared to make adjustments based on the specific needs of your plants and your growing environment.

How Each Input Affects the Irrigation Calculation

  • Number of Plants: Directly multiplies the base water need. More plants mean a higher total water requirement.
  • Pot Size (liters): Forms the foundation of the water calculation. Larger pots generally require more water, as they contain more growing medium.
  • Substrate Type: Different substrates have varying water retention properties:
    • Soil: Standard water retention (factor: 0.8)
    • Coco Coir: Higher water retention, may require more frequent watering (factor: 1.2)
    • Rockwool: High water retention, but also high drainage (factor: 1.5)
    • Perlite: Low water retention, requires more frequent watering (factor: 1.3)
    • Peat Moss: Good water retention (factor: 1.1)
    • Hydroton: Low water retention, requires frequent watering (factor: 1.4)
  • Growth Stage: Plants have different water needs at various stages:
    • Seedling: Requires less water but more frequent watering (factor: 0.5)
    • Vegetative: Standard water needs (factor: 1.0)
    • Flowering: Slightly increased water needs (factor: 1.2)
    • Late Flowering: Highest water needs (factor: 1.5)
    Also affects watering frequency, with seedlings needing more frequent watering.
  • Canopy Size (sq meters): Larger canopies increase water needs due to higher transpiration. The calculation uses the square root of this value to adjust water needs.
  • Ambient Temperature (°C): Higher temperatures increase evaporation and plant transpiration, leading to higher water needs.
  • Humidity Level (%): Lower humidity increases transpiration and evaporation, resulting in higher water requirements.
  • Pump Flow Rate (liters/minute): Affects the duration of each watering session. A higher flow rate means shorter watering durations.
  • Base Water Percentage: This user-adjustable value sets the baseline for water needs as a percentage of pot size. Increasing this value will increase overall water calculations.

Understanding Base Water Amount

The Base Water Amount is a starting point for calculating how much water your plants need each day. It's expressed as a percentage of your pot's size. Here's what it means:

  • 50% (Default): This means your plants start with a water need of half the pot's volume per day. For a 10-liter pot, that's 5 liters of water.
  • Higher percentages (e.g., 60-70%): Use for plants that need more water, like fast-growing vegetables or in hot, dry conditions.
  • Lower percentages (e.g., 30-40%): Better for plants that prefer less water, like succulents, or in cooler, more humid environments.

Remember, this is just a starting point. The calculator adjusts this base amount using other factors like plant type, growth stage, and environmental conditions to give you a final recommendation.

Tip: Start with 50% and adjust based on how your plants respond. If they look thirsty, increase it slightly. If they seem overwatered, decrease it.