Installation
We offer free estimates on a full custom home irrigation system. We offer Hunter and Rainbird products which give you multiple options. All our new systems include a Hunter controller within our standard pricing, WIFI contollers are a small upgrade which allows access to your system right from your smartphone. Stop the tedious clock programming and do it from the comfort of your couch. Call today for a free quote.
Service & Maintenance
We offer full system audits of your irrigation system. Our Technician will walk through your system to inform you of any possible issues or repairs and if any upgrades are necessary. Deep Roots Irrigation prides itself on outstanding customer service to ensure customer loyalty for the years to come.
Winterization
Deep Roots Irrigation offers fall blowouts. We guarantee your system against freezing. While winterizing your system we will clear all water from lines and backflow. While blowing out your system we will assess it and inform you of any repairs that you may need the upcoming spring. Please ask about our neighborhood discount program.
Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Greater Minnesota Irrigation Services
With over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial irrigation services, Deep Roots Irrigation offers installation, maintenance and service, as well as winterization. We are you one stop shop for all things irrigation related in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN.
We use the highest quality components and materials while putting our vast experience to use, ensuring your irrigation system works as expected for years to come.
Photo: The NOVAP irrigation system is suitable for trees, rose bushes and other perennial scrubs.
As no water is exposed to the soil surface, moisture loss through evaporation is dramatically reduced.
Ferdinand de Klerk, NOVAP’s brand manager, says the system was developed and patented in Cape Town by Jan Nortjé, an inventor who strives to provide practical solutions to specific problems. “His insight into technical challenges has led to the registration of various international inventions,” says De Klerk.
Development started in 2013, and the irrigation system was launched in April 2017. Trials have shown water-use reduction of as much as 70%. In a Western Cape trial on 1ha of table grapes, a total water saving of 56,8% and a yield improvement of 31,5% were recorded after the change from micro irrigation to deep root irrigation.
The NOVAP system is suitable for any type of tree or shrub, including roses and other perennial scrubs with root systems deeper than 150mm. Fruit trees, vineyards, as well as nuts and date trees respond particularly well to this type of irrigation, according to De Klerk.
Water table at root level
The system consists of a compact plastic unit installed at the optimal depth for specific crops, typically 250mm. It supplies water and liquid fertiliser at a steady rate for maximum uptake, and artificially creates an underground water table at root level.
Depending on the soil type, a hydrated bulb with a radius of up to 600mm is formed 1,2m deep. The capillary movement of water allows the moisture to rise 120mm to 150mm above the system.
(Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow sideways and even upwards in narrow spaces without the assistance of external forces.)
Ideally, the unit is attached to a solid feed line with regulated water outlets (drippers) feeding into it.
When the pumps are switched on, water is pumped from the source, such as a dam, through the main lines to the lands. From the moment it leaves the original source, the water is never exposed to sun or wind.
“This is why 100% of the irrigation water reaches the plants’ deep root levels. At the end of an irrigation cycle, all the water drains out into the soil.
Trials have shown that the soil temperature remains constant at an average of between 18°C and 22°C,” says De Klerk.
Research has found that when the soil temperature reaches 18°C, the plant can function at an optimal transpiration rate. Transpiration, which is water evaporation mainly via the stomata, aids the uptake of nutrient-rich water from the roots, aiding growth.
Deep root irrigation also results in higher chlorophyll content. In mature vine leaves, an improvement of as much as 7,4% was recorded.
The amount of chlorophyll in a leaf contributes to its transpiration efficiency. Higher levels of chlorophyll and increased root temperature work together to improve plant transpiration and fruit development.
“Visually, the differences in foliage growth, fruit size and colouration of the grapes were immediately evident. A plant’s leaf can be described as its food-manufacturing facility.
More and larger leaves result in a well-functioning plant, which obviously results in improved yield and quality,” says De Klerk.
Improving efficiency
Deep root irrigation uses considerably less water, and in South Africa’s dry climate, this is obviously welcome. But reducing water use has two additional benefits: it helps cut electricity usage, saving money, and it results in less humidity in the plant foliage canopy due to the dry soil surface.
“During my visit in December 2018, I noticed the difference in weed growth,” recalls Van Zyl. “With surface irrigation, all seeds present have the ideal opportunity to germinate. Deep root irrigation ensures dry surface soil, resulting in less weed growth and a reduction in the cost of weed control. Moreover, with water saving of at least 50% on average, we’re also recording better foliage growth.”
Increased soil moisture with less water
In a trial in Porterville, the NOVAP system was installed in a 2ha fig orchard, and tree growth monitored. The previous double- line drip irrigation had delivered water at a rate of 13,8ℓ/h/ tree but the deep root system was set to 8ℓ/h/ tree. The trees were planted in clay-rich soil on a slope.
According to Van Zyl, despite the fact that the water supply had been cut by 40%, the soil moisture content increased from less than 40% from 300mm downward to between 60% and 70% from between 400mm and 800mm deep.
