Prides Corner’s most recent endeavor has been upgrading its propagation facilities, as well as an overhaul of its irrigation system.

“Because we don’t have access to a major fresh water source in our area, we needed to become more self-sufficient in our water use,” says Evan Brand, Nursery Manager at Prides Corner Farms. “Our long-term goal is to recapture and reuse 100% of the water we have.”

More Efficient Water Use

The process started a couple years ago, when Brand and the Prides Corner management team approached Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, its long-time supply partner, to map out the project. Initially, the plan was somewhat complicated.

“Our terrain is very hilly, so we needed a system that could handle a range of pressure points,” Brand says. “We also needed to ensure a clean water source, since even a fraction of a percentage of pathogens can be crippling.”

The older system pumped water from a 3-acre pond, and this water was applied to Prides Corner’s liner range. Brand says there was little control of water quality.

The new system pulls water out of a larger pond that has already been recaptured. The water is filtered to physically remove any particulates, then goes through an ozone and sterilization process before it is moved into a holding area that becomes an on-demand source of clean water.

In the greenhouse, most water is applied via overhead irrigation. The plants are also treated with a polymer wetting agent that helps them maintain an adequate moisture level.

“We like the results on our peat- and bark-based media,” says Brand, who notes the wetting agent is used in all woody ornamental and perennial mixes.

The irrigation project is still a work in progress, although Neal Farnham, Regional Sales Manager with Griffin, says the end result should make a huge difference.

“We anticipate being able to irrigate 18 bays 150 feet long each with 24,000 gallons of water from two water silos (with room for a third) on any given day if necessary,” says Farnham, who’s been closely involved in managing the project.

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Image by alexander from Pixabay