Don’t let the warm temperatures fool you! Summertime is nearly over, with the first day of Fall looming just around the corner. For citrus growers in California, that means it’s time to start prepping your crops — as well as your equipment — for the cold weather up ahead.
Sam Baldivia is the Irrigation Sales Manager for FGS, and he encourages all of his customers to start maintaining their irrigation systems now, long before next year’s growing season even begins. Once springtime rolls around, he’ll be spending most of his time in the field, helping customers deal with everything from algae buildup (which can cause damage to emitters) to leaky irrigation lines. Those issues can decrease water output and slow down an entire growing operation, resulting in lower profits until the issue is fixed. Preventative maintenance during the fall and winter months can help solve those problems ahead of time.
“Citrus growers should make sure their sprinkler devices are in full operation,” he recommends. “Check for plugging and performance issues. Make sure all your well and filter systems are in good operating form. Check your wind machines.”
Growers should also stock up on spare irrigation parts and related tools to repair any faulty drip lines, sprinklers, valves, and filters. Our FGS supply centers will have what you need. Baldivia’s irrigation department is just a phone call away, too, and they can even conduct a system-wide upgrade during the off-season by using one of our in-house installation crews. These crews are the least busy during the fall and wintertime, making those months a great time to add water meters, soil moisture sensors, and site weather stations to your operation.