What is Fertigation?

Fertigation is the injection of fertilizer through the sprinkler system. Fertigation has been used commercially in agriculture and on golf courses since the 1950’s. Much research has been done on fertigation and many benefits have been documented over the years. This term fertigation, however, has been, in our minds and supported by the research, misused more and more over the years. We at FertiWiser, believe that “TRUE FERTIGATION” requires consistent injection of full-strength fertilizer in micro doses every time you water.

Fertilizer is made up of macronutrients and micronutrients. The 3 macronutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. Micronutrients are iron, sulfur, magnesium and a host of others that are required by plants but at a much lower amount and many are already present in the soil.

Natural rainfall picks up nitrogen, the most important macronutrient required for plant growth and health, from the air as it falls. Irrigation water does not dwell in the air long enough to pick up this nitrogen. “TRUE FERTIGATION”, therefore, mimics nature by injecting this nitrogen into the water.

Soils in areas where irrigation is required also typically either lack the other two macronutrients and some or many micronutrients, or they are locked up in the soil due to high Ph or other soil factors. By providing these in the irrigation water, these nutrients can be absorbed through the leaves (called foliar feeding) or through the roots more efficiently. This creates less runoff of unused fertilizer to our lakes and streams and ultimately reduces overall fertilizer use.