Irrigation, would you do it ?

[Adeptandy]

I have an abstraction licence but no kit, is it worth the expense to hire or purchase and have a go to get spring crops up and away that are coming patchy ?
It will be Spring Wheat, Barley, Beans & OSR

My gut feeling is no, but its getting me twitchy seeing others doing it close by

 

[Breckland Boy]

It would be a lot of work just to put half an inch over a large area. Lots of moving pipes before each run. A pump running at 100cm3 and 2 reels will still take probably 4 days to do 40ha. A day less if little or no pipe work.
So no probably not worth it.

 

[Adeptandy]

It would be a lot of work just to put half an inch over a large area. Lots of moving pipes before each run. A pump running at 100cm3 and 2 reels will still take probably 4 days to do 40ha. A day less if little or no pipe work.
So no probably not worth it.

Pipe moving not a problem as main drain on boundary of the fields so was thinking dip suction pipe and move the pump for each run and drop an 1" to be safe it works

 

[Breckland Boy]

In that case it sounds relatively low labour cost. Can you find a pump and reels?

 

[MrNoo]

Though we're due rain next week, Tue onwards?

 

[Flat 10]

I doubt it for those crops.

 

[Tealo]

It's worth it if your land is kind enough for some veg.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

@Will 1594
knows about iritaters, good bad or in deferent

 

[Lincs Lass]

Iritaters for every reason,reels that stop winding, pumps that play up ,flexi pipes blowing ,hooks on the ally pipes not holding,,rubber seels blowing ,,a total pain from start to finish.
The only implement guaranteed to put you in the loony bin

 

[Will 1594]

@Will 1594
knows about iritaters, good bad or in deferent

We are doing it , because we have spare at minute , spuds not ready to do yet ,
And the farm has a hydrant every 36 m in every field , and electric pumps , can run 5 reels off the 3 pumps on separate lines
If you do it , get a 12 v submersible to fill suction pipe and pump as you will be knackered using those lever suction pumps
Don’t envy you laying pipes or moving pump every time . Laid enough pipes and booster pumping to write a book on the fffffff big job . Relative luxury now ?, just press the electric button and away it goes
Can hire you an engine pump , not run for 7 years
we cal it smash and grab , if reel not on spuds carrots or bulbs , will pull one on cereals
, be even better next year when new 700 m one comes with phone control on it

 

[Brisel]

What do you think an inch will cost you all in @Adeptandy ? £35/acre? Spring wheat is circa £160/t Nov 20 feed base so you need a yield response of 0.219 t/acre to pay for it.

Do the most valuable one, in the hope that it makes it rain on the rest & we all benefit from you taking one for the team

 

[Adeptandy]

What do you think an inch will cost you all in @Adeptandy ? £35/acre? Spring wheat is circa £160/t Nov 20 feed base so you need a yield response of 0.219 t/acre to pay for it.

Do the most valuable one, in the hope that it makes it rain on the rest & we all benefit from you taking one for the team

At the moment there is no crop, the waters just to get it going, so I'm guessing if it facilitates germination the yield response will be better than 0.2t/acre.

 

[Breckland Boy]

My spring barley that is getting an inch at the moment won't yield more because of it, but it maintains potential.
The inch I put on in late May can easily be 1t/acre gain.
If applying a dose to get a crop away so it's potential remains to the point of harvest or not, then I would do it.

 

[Adeptandy]

If the YR forecast for the week is accurate I won't need to, but getting a plan in place to do it if I miss it again ?

 

[essex man]

Had two working irrigators at 7 this morn, by 7.30 had zero, six hours later got them both started.
That's the way it goes in the world of irrigation (irritation)
When it works and in the right years it adds easily 2 - 3 ton per hectare to my wheat and 1 - 2 to my barley.
Tenants growing potatoes and onions add to financial viability of equipment.