A drip tape can be buried for so many reasons. Drip tapes can be buried few inches below the surface of the ground or soil. When drip tapes are buried, they are no visible to the eyes.
Drip tapes can be covered by mulches. These mulches can be plastic mulch, rice husk or fodders. This is a unique way of burying drip tapes. Drip tapes can also be buried by covering them with soil.
It should be noted that some types of drip tapes cannot be buried. However, most types of drip irrigation tapes can be buried if your soil is loose enough.
How to Bury Drip Tape
Drip tapes can be buried using the following methods:
The use of mechanization
A special implement can be attached to the back of the tractor to roll the drip tapes on the soil and also bury the drip tapes at the same time.
This PTO implement dig a trench on the soil, rolls the drip tapes on the trench and cover the drip tapes with soil. It is the most efficient way of burying drip tapes.
Burying the drip tapes by hand
Drip tapes can also be buried manually. This involves the use of labourers to dig a trench on the soil, roll the drip tapes on the soil and bury the drip tapes.
Burying drip tapes by manually can be time consuming. It is also labour intensive and may be more expensive than the use of mechanization.
Why Drip Tapes are buried?
The following are the reasons why drip tapes are buried:
- Expansion and Contraction of Drip Tapes
- Movement of Drip Tapes
- Conservation of Water
- Insect/Rodent Damage
- Sun Damage
Expansion and Contraction of Drip Tapes
High temperature expands and contracts drip tapes. This happens when you lay your drip tape on the soil. If the drip tapes are laid beneath the soil, this problem may not occur. The expansion and contraction of drip tapes as a result of changes in temperature is called tape tenting.
Movement of Drip Tapes
In windy locations, drip tapes may be moved away from the rows of plants. This can impact the access of plants to water.
Buring the drip tapes would prevent the problem of movement of tapes.
Conservation of Water
Buried drip tapes prevent the quick evaporation of water in the soil. This can improve the access of plants to water and also increase crop yield.
Insect/Rodent Damage
Insects and rodents damage of drip tapes is a persistent problem in irrigation farming. However, this problem can be averted if the tapes are buried.
Insects and rodents often cannot access drip tapes that are buried.
Sun Damage
Drip tapes laid on the soil can be damaged by sun unlike tapes buried in the soil. Most drip tapes are UV tolerant, however, the rays of sun can still damage tapes over time.
Do you want to bury your drip tapes and you have questions to ask? If yes, please do not hesitate to ask us the questions in the comments’ section.