Field capacity

Field capacity is the amount of water that remains in the soil after it has been drained by gravity. For most crops, field capacity or slightly below, is the optimum soil moisture condition for the vegetative growth stages.

As an irrigation system is designed to replace the water used by the crop since the last irrigation, field capacity is a method so you can know that this replenishment has been achieved.

What is your field capacity?

You will need a tensiometer.

Step 1: Saturate the soil until your tensiometer reads 0cb.

Step 2: Wait a few days … without rain.

Step 3: Remeasure the same area. The measurement on the tensiometer is your field capacity.

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