A subsurface drip irrigation system is a highly efficient, low-pressure network that utilises drip tubes or tapes to deliver water directly to the root systems of plants and crops. The concept of drip irrigation, which would lead to subsurface drip irrigation, was the brainchild of a Polish-Israeli inventor, Simcha Blass who developed the idea together […]
Plants absorb water through their root systems via a process known as osmosis. Water moves from soil, which ideally has low salt content, to the inside of root cells that have high salt content. When the accumulation of salt in the soil is higher than inside the roots' cells, the reverse happens. The The soil […]
Golf course bunkers first came into being on links land due to "natural" occurrences. Originally, the ground was open farm or common land. Cattle and sheep roaming the area would find hollows in which to take shelter from rough weather. Their hooves would break down the surface inside the hollows, revealing the sand underneath, and […]
What is irrigation? The general definition is that irrigation is the practice of artificially providing water for the land to help plants, crops and grass grow. For agricultural irrigation, it takes into account the crop requirement throughout the "crop period," in order to satisfy the crop's total nourishment requirement. The crop can be anything, including […]
Centre pivot irrigation systems were invented in the United States in the middle of the 20th century. At the time, they proved to be vastly superior to other traditional irrigation methods. Centre Pivot Irrigation Definition Centre pivot irrigation (sometimes referred to as water-wheel irrigation or circle irrigation) involves sprinklers that rotate and water crops in […]
Water is one of the most precious natural resources on the planet, and making sure we use it efficiently is everyone's business. People with private gardens and households can have a significant impact on how much water is wasted, and in the meantime, the agricultural industry has to step up. Agricultural irrigation is crucial to […]
Not only does the cost of domestic water keep on rising, but it is also a precious resource that, as a planet, we need to conserve. With both things in mind, here are a few tips on how to save and manage your garden watering needs more cheaply and sustainably. Watering at the optimum time […]
About ten years ago, cutting the grass on greens down to a height of 2 mm for long periods would have thought to have been madness. Back then, such aggressive cutting was believed to cause severe stress to grass plants. The usual cutting height was approximately 4 mm, although some more daring greenkeepers were prepared […]
According to the Collins English Dictionary, an irrigation system supplies the land with water by artificial means such as digging ditches or diverting canals and rivers in order to deliver water to promote the growth of food crops. Today, the principle is still the same, even though the methodology may have changed quite significantly. Irrigation […]
One of the key constituents of maintaining a healthy landscape, whether in a private or a public garden, is effective irrigation. When watered correctly, any landscaped area, be it a garden or lawn, becomes more resistant to pests and other horticultural problems. When you create a water-efficient lawn or garden irrigation system, you can create […]
Most golf players will appreciate a good course with its smooth playing surface and luxurious feel, however, not too many will understand the dynamics of what makes a golf course the best it can be. There are many steps to making a golf course, and they all have an important part to play in making […]
Circa 1.8 million years ago, the human brain grew bigger, the gut got smaller, and early-stage humankind began to walk upright. Around the same time, according to Richard Wrangham, a British primatologist at Harvard University, USA, Homo Erectus learned to harness fire to cook food. It was a game-changer. As Wrangham stated, people do not […]
Water is one of the most precious resources on the planet. All life depends on it, so it is of paramount importance that we must use it with care and conserve the supply for future generations. It is quite a challenge, one that is made even more demanding by climate change. Water is not only […]
Maintaining a healthy and playable golf course requires hours of work and a lot of help from staff and equipment. However, one of the most important things is to have the right products that can be used on the surface to keep it perfect for the players. As well as the usual products that many […]
When you visit a golf course, you will notice one thing above all else, how immaculate the grass will be. For the majority of the golf courses around the world, the way the grass is kept is one of the highest priorities. A lot of work goes into maintaining the lawns all year round, and […]
When the weather is nice, there is nothing better than sitting in the garden, enjoying the sun and smelling the flowers. While any garden can be a lovely place to sit, one that is looking nice and is well maintained is something to make you proud. As the weather gets drier, so does the need […]
Agriculture has been a part of human life and its success for thousands of years. As animals, humans need food, and along with hunting, crops were also found to be a great way to feed communities. However, some countries around the world could not rely on rain alone to water their crops, so they had […]
With the global population on the increase, and more evidence that the environment is suffering, there have been a number of changes taking place in governments all over the world. As well as trying to reduce pollution, rising temperatures have seen more demand on water supplies that has to be managed to ensure there is […]
View our range of irrigation decoders here. Tony Ware gained a B.Sc. in Electronic Engineering at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. His career spans 4 decades designing electronic equipment for the medical, scientific and process control industries. He entered the irrigation industry in 1995, designing functionally equivalent irrigation decoders to 8 […]
This Technical Note describes the two kinds of protection against lightning damage in decoder based 2 or 3 wire irrigation control systems. When properly installed, lightning protection in decoder systems will generally be stronger than that found in smaller multi-wire systems. The exception is pedestal-mounted multi-wire, where extensive extra lightning protection components are housed within […]
Basic Knowledge Required to Decide on Efficiency The total area to be irrigated. The amount of irrigation applied over the period. The amount of rainfall received over the period. The amount of water needed by the turf over the period. Only then can comparisons be made between one course and another. What happens to applied […]
Being able to grow food to feed your family and others is the backbone of any community. This is why many cultures put such a great emphasis on farming and celebrating the harvest. As can be seen in many countries such as Africa, a lack of rain and other forms of irrigation can cause extreme […]
Irrigation solenoids are used in control valves to open a pilot hole. This allows water pressure to decrease on the top side of a diaphragm. The diaphragm is then pushed away from the seat by the water pressure below so water flows through the valve to the sprinklers etc. To understand solenoid action, it is […]
Year on year, we are all used to electronics getting cheaper and giving more value. Just take mobile phones as an example. However, these advances haven’t found their way into the control of medium-sized landscape and playing fields irrigation. The current way is to have a controller with many terminals, each with a wire to […]
The main reason for making sure there is no water in the pipes and pumps is to prevent frost damage. A well designed irrigation system will have drain valves around the pipe work at hopefully, the lowest points! To get these to work and the water to come out, air must get in. However it […]
Most irrigation controllers are programmed in minutes per station. The person in charge of irrigation is usually very busy with other jobs, so 10 minutes per golf Green is the default. Using this rule, it is very likely that the ground is being over-watered to some extent. Under watering on the other hand shows up […]
There are a number of things you can do, each small and inexpensive, which can save you all of the above. Get a straight-sided 1L plastic jug. Fill it with water up to about 1cm from the top. Put it on a bar stool about 1m above the ground in an open area. Measure the […]
Tonick adapted their innovative RM-2 irrigation controller to this application with the support of local UAE based automation and SCADA specialist, Precast FZCO based it on the T-BOX RTU from Servelec Technologies. Providing remote connectivity and water balance irrigation control, the Tonick RM-2 is a powerful irrigation control system that provides scalable solutions for very […]
Tonick still open, despite the virus Tonick / TWL-Irrigation is the UK’s largest supplier of commercial hand watering, drainage accessories, Irrigation controllers and decoders. We supply specialist hose nozzles, fertiliser applicators and hand operated water pumps. Our Irrigation controllers, from the mighty Internet-based RM-2, to the tiny deVINCI, along with our expanded range of valve […]
The current Tonick and Underhill brochure is here attached. Pricing for 2020 remains the same as 2019 New products, not includec in the brochure may be found in the news section on this site Underhill_20PgCatalog_2018_EmailVersion