Irrigation has played a pivotal role in Australia’s agricultural sector for over a century and contributes significantly to Australia’s national agricultural output. Although less than 1% of Australia’s agricultural land is dedicated to irrigation, approximately $9 billion, or 25% of Australia’s gross value of agricultural production is attributed to irrigation annually.
Australia’s heavy reliance on irrigation has been evident over the past decade, with drought and resulting low water allocations severely impacting national agricultural production and income. In response to continuing poor conditions in Australia’s major irrigation districts, an increasing emphasis has been placed upon farmers to increase their water use efficiency through investment in irrigation infrastructure, and by doing so, ensuring the long term sustainability of their businesses.
Total Eden can assist irrigators looking to invest in their future – we have been providing complete irrigation solutions across Australia’s for over two decades and have an enviable reputation within the agricultural industry. Whether you’re a dairy farmer located in Victoria, a cotton grower in the Darling Downs or grape grower in the Hunter Valley, Total Eden can provide long term sustainable solutions to meet your irrigation needs.
The vast majority of Australia’s specialized orchard and vineyard operators rely on irrigation to assist with plant growth and fruit production. Because of drought and subsequent low water allocations in many of Australia’s important growing regions over the past decade, orchardists and viticulturists have generally been required to adopt more efficient irrigation methods to remain viable.
To become more water efficient, Australia’s orchardists and viticulturists are moving away from the traditional methods of flood, furrow and boom-spray irrigation systems to the more sophisticated micro-irrigation systems of drip and spray. These systems allow the required volume of water to be applied directly to the root zone thus minimising water run-off and wastage and optimising growth and production. Other benefits of micro-irrigation include reduced labour costs whilst maximising fertigation techniques – fertilisers can be added to ensure optimal nutrient levels.
We strongly recommend that farmers looking to establish a new orchard or vineyard, or looking to upgrade their current irrigation system, strongly consider investing in micro-drip or micro-spray irrigation systems. Total Eden can advise what system best suits your needs taking into account soil & crop type, planting density, water quality and budget.
Also worth considering is installing a fixed sprinkler system when investing in orchard and vineyard irrigation infrastructure as it will give you protection against frost and extreme temperatures.
Whether it’s a 1 hectare orchard or 5,000 hectare potato farm our 20+ years of experience enables us to design, supply and install in any location and at any time.
Micro Irrigation
Micro-irrigation refers to low-pressure irrigation systems that sprays, mists, sprinkles or drips water to the root zone of plants, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters. These systems are extremely sophisticated and are most commonly used in open fields or hothouses for vine, orchard or intensive vegetable industries including Orchards, Vines, Vegetables, Tea, Peanuts, Corn, Cotton, Coffee & Pepper.
There are many advantages of using drip and micro-spray irrigation systems in the horticultural industries including:
- Water savings of 30-50% – when compared to traditional flood or sprinkler irrigation
- The amount of water applied can be closely managed to match the crop requirements – resulting in increased production
- Reduced labour time & operating costs
- Increase flexibility of watering
- Reduced foliage disease and weed growth
Total Eden has the ability to carry out all components of the project, including system design, supply and installation of pumps, filters, mainlines and emitters. We employ expert irrigation designers who take the time to consider your needs. No project is too big or too small and we install anywhere in Australia.
Australian farmers contribute $155 billion dollars a year to our national economy. It’s an impressive achievement for the driest continent on earth.
Low and unreliable rainfall can make broad-acre production challenging for our agricultural industry, and it’s why efficient water management is crucial.
The wrong irrigation system can lead to over watering, losses caused by seepage and evaporation, decreased production, and unnecessary labour.
When considering ways to save water and increase profitability, there are a number of irrigation system designs to consider.
Centre Pivots or Lateral Moves
Overhead irrigation is one of the most effective ways to achieve greater water efficiencies.
It has the versatility to provide precision application of water, fertiliser, chemicals and herbicides all within a single piece of machinery.
It is also easy to install, maintain and operate, even in rough terrain.
Benefits of converting to linear or pivot irrigation include:
- Improved water efficiency
- Reduced labour costs
- Reduced energy costs
- Consistent yields
- Maximised field potential
- Easily movable from field to field
- Durability
- Remote monitoring and operation
Total Eden has been a leading supplier and installer of centre pivot and lateral move irrigators for over two decades, delivering reliable irrigation solutions to our customers.
We employ certified irrigation designers to develop the best irrigation system for your budget, taking into account your land size, shape and topography, soil and long-term goals.
For the best advice on which irrigation equipment is right for your broadacre farming, viticulture or horticultural needs, contact Total Eden for a no obligation consultation.
Poly-reel Irrigators
Poly reel and travelling irrigation systems are the irrigation system of choice for many Australian farmers. Poly reel irrigators main advantages are its flexibility and portability; they are best suit undulating or un-lasered property because they provide considerable water efficiency and productivity gains as well as improved agronomic conditions and reduced potential of deep drainage.
Because of their relatively high pressure and labour requirements, poly reel and travelling irrigators are best suited to annual crops including pastures with lower water requirements. We stock leading brand poly reel irrigators and provide after sales service so you can be sure that your system operates at its maximum capacity.
Sub-surface Drip Systems
Sub-surface drip irrigation is an irrigation method which delivers water directly to the base of the plant.
Drip tape is usually placed at a depth between 20 and 40cm below the soil surface, emitters placed evenly along the drip tape release water at a specific and even flow-rate per hour. Sub-surface drip irrigation saves water and fertilizer because it drips directly onto the root zone, eliminating evaporation when compared to sprinkler or flood irrigation methods.
Other benefits of sub-surface drip irrigation are that it provides considerable improvement in productivity and water efficiency. The DPI has indicated that improvements in around 20-30% are achievable.
Sub-surface drip systems best suit medium soil country which is dedicated to fodder cropping (i.e. lucerne) or vegetable production. A well maintained drip system requires much less labour to operate than alternative systems and allows for fertigation, providing more effective use of nutrients with less risk of leaching.
Considering the large capital costs of installing systems of this type, it’s important that your system is designed and installed to operate efficiently and effectively. Our certified irrigation designers can tailor a system that suits the topography of you land, its proposed use, your water supply and your budget. With our vast range of experience and 40+ stores nationwide you can understand why Total Eden is the smart choice when it comes to designing and installation your new irrigation system.
Fixed Sprinklers
Fixed sprinkler systems are primarily used for:
- Irrigating turf
- Irrigating vegetable crops
- Frost protection
- Crop cooling in orchards and vineyards
In terms of irrigation, fixed sprinkler systems are assembled so that the water supply pipelines are established below the soil, with sprinkler nozzles elevated above the surface. The size and trajectory of emitters will vary according to the crop type and pumping system in place. If designed properly, fixed sprinklers provide first-rate water efficiency and application uniformity, other advantages include minimal labour requirement and low operating costs.
Total Eden boast expert irrigation designers that have considerable experience designing and installing fixed sprinkler systems for turf and vegetable growers, meaning we will maximise the benefits of your investment. So whatever your irrigation needs, we’ve got it covered.
Choosing the most appropriate irrigation system for your property is not easy but that’s where Total Eden can help. We specialise in all irrigation systems for pasture, cropping and vegetable based operations and can assist in deciding which system best suits your specific requirements.
We design, supply and install anywhere in Australia and no irrigation project is too difficult for us to complete.
Given the Federal and State Governments continue to distribute funding to pasture, cropping and vegetable based irrigators across Australia, there has never been a better time to contact Total Eden to discuss the options available.
