An introduction to subirrigation in forest and conservation nurseries and some preliminary results of demonstrations

We are successfully using subirrigation to grow a variety of native plants. Subirrigated plants have grown at least as well as their cohorts irrigated with a fixed or traveling overhead system, but with less water inputs, less discharge of waste water, and less discharge of nitrogen fertilizer. So far, we have not been troubled with high levels of accumulated salts in the upper portions of root plugs watered from below, nor have we seen any incidence of disease transferred through the recycled water. As our demonstrations are completed, we will be able to provide managers of forest and conservation nurseries more specific recommendations for using subirrigation in their facilities.