California
strawberry growers pioneered drip irrigation in our raised bed production
systems.
Drip irrigation conserves significant amounts of water over other irrigation
methods such as solid set sprinkler and microsprinkler systems.
Sustainable water management is a cornerstone of our growers’ best management practices for strawberry production.
California strawberry growers have numerous tools to help them
optimize water delivery and scheduling for premium fruit quality such as flowmeters, soil moisture monitoring equipment, and scheduling tools.
Salinity
Irrigation is used not only for sustaining plant growth and
fruit yield, but also to manage salinity. Strawberries are extremely sensitive
to salt in both irrigation water and in the soil, so growers leach salts from
the soil profile with carefully managed irrigation applications.
Educational Opportunities
CSC staff, in cooperation with UC Extension faculty conduct
annual workshops geared towards growers, ranch managers, and irrigators to
teach the basics of irrigation design and maintenance in both Spanish and
English.