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Midwest

Hello has any of you pumped air below ground a few feet so it will travle up through the root zone if/so would plain air via a small fish tank pump be best or a light supply of pure oxygen just wondering
Thanks RE

1/25/2005 1:36:51 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

i will be trying that this season.

1/25/2005 8:17:47 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

how? drainage pipes as some growers did it already?

1/25/2005 12:23:21 PM

Midwest

hello thanks for the reply I did a search and didn't find anything do you know of a post that talks about it
Thanks RE

1/25/2005 1:10:27 PM

Cologne / Germany

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=8086
Maybe you can ask the grower if this method made any difference.
Can someone explain the advantage compared to watering with carbonated water like some growers do?

1/25/2005 2:35:54 PM

Puyallup, WA

Let me put it this way...I know of no "heavy hitter" that pumps air into or through the soil. I can tell you that CO2 enhanced air in the green house does make a difference.

1/25/2005 2:36:56 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Seeds from CO2 treated plants are thought to exhibit better vigor as well as the very well documented results to the CO2 treated parent plant. But like Stan said, field CO2 enrichment is not practical.

We use Soilmaster calcined clay to add porosity/aearaion & drainage to the soil. But regular addition of leaves & manure does the same thing so long as the grower doesn't skimp.

I had the chance to work with forced "heated" air in the rootzone of the old playing field at Giants Stadium. But the damage to the roots from descication was severe. Of course unheated air wouldn't be as bad. It might be possible to raise the air's humidity to really prevent root injury.

An aquarium pump wouln't have adequate output for a large area I don't believe.

I know a Canadian grower who uses perforated drainage pipe to fertilize into. I suppose that whenever liquids aren't draining through the pipes then air exchange would occur even without forced entry.

1/25/2005 3:13:56 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

it's done alot in hydroponics.

1/25/2005 3:47:54 PM

Ottawa, Ohio

I think your best bet would be to add drainage tile and then add organic matter to help hold some moister. Use drip tape if you live in a dry area. I've put in drip tape two years and never turned it on.

Speaking of drip tape maybe you could bury it 1 foot and water with it when you need it and pump air through it when you don't? Just a thought?

I still think the tile drainage is the best.

1/25/2005 4:52:35 PM

New Jersey

I think you should oxygenate the water instead of pumping air into the ground... I think you'll find much greater benifit from that.

1/31/2005 7:56:29 PM

virginia

giantvegenetics,,,how do you oxygenate the water?.thanks .greg

1/31/2005 8:54:49 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Use the search featur of this website for such words as "peroxide" "dioxide" "oxygenate" etc. Hydroponic suppliers sell oxygenating chemicals that can be added to irrigation water. But these were found to be cost prohibitive for field use when we last discussed it here.

1/31/2005 11:52:37 PM