| Frequent
Questions |
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What
is the FertiGator?
What is fertigation?
What are the benefits of fertigation?
What is wrong with fertilizing the old way?
Where can I buy one?
How do I install one?
How does it work?
What must be done to keep it operational?
Are there any systems on which the FertiGator
can't run?
Where is the fertilizer kept?
What kinds of fertilizers do you have to use?
Why do you recommend organic-based fertilizers?
Can it deliver other lawn-care products?
How is contamination of water-supply avoided?
What kind of backflow prevention is required?
I have a poor irrigation system. My sprinkler
head spacing is less than perfect. Will the fertilizer cause
green circles around the heads?
Will the nutrients burn the grass if I have
a blow-out or a head sticks on?
Will the fertilizer in the lines cause damage
to irrigation system heads or valves?
Does fertigation only aid in leaf growth? Will
it produce poor roots? |
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What is the FertiGator? |
| The FertiGator
is an automatic fertilizer injection system that attaches
to any in-ground sprinkler system. It is programmable by zone
to deliver fertilizer precisely where you want it. It is ideal
for residential systems and can also be used for commercial,
municipal, sport turf applications. |
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| What
is fertigation? |
| Fertigation
is a time-tested process of delivering small amounts of fertilizer
through an irrigation system each time the system is operated.
Fertigation has been used extensively in agriculture for more
than 30 years and has gained wide acceptance in the golf course,
nursery, turf and athletic industries over the last 10 years. |
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| What
are the benefits of fertigation? |
| Supplying
grass and other plants with small amounts of fertilizer on
a frequent basis through an irrigation system allows plants
to thrive in a constantly nutrient-rich environment. Plants
use nitrogen and other necessary nutrients quickly. Fertigation
keeps the nutrients readily available to the plant resulting
in strong root growth and better plant health. This is what
slow-release fertilizers try to mimic. It is also less time-consuming
and more affordable for the homeowner than walking behind
a spreader or using a lawn care company. |
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| What
is wrong with fertilizing the old way? |
| The traditional
method of monthly fertilization results in substantial over
feeding as the plants use up the nutrients in the first few
days following treatment. After a week or so, the lawn must
endure a period of near starvation, until the next chemical
release or treatment in several of weeks. Another huge dose
of chemicals is followed by another stressful low nutrient
period. This sequence of peaks and valleys can be difficult
for the plant. This process is also more time-consuming for
the do-it-yourself homeowner and more expensive for everyone. |
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| Where
can I buy one? |
The FertiGator can be ordered on-line or call us
Toll Free 1-866-401-8150
and our friendly reprsentatives will be glad to help you with your order.
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| How
do I install one? |
| The system
is easy to install. Mount the controller next to the sprinkler
timer and connect the appropriate wires. 'T' the injector
into the irrigation mainline between the backflow preventer
and the first zone valve and run wires to the controller.
Run a tube from the injector to the fertilizer container located
in the valve box, garage or shed. You are done! |
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| How
does it work? |
| The FertiGator
is composed of two main parts - an injector and a controller.
The controller reads the sprinkler system timer to determine
what zone is on. It then tells the injector how many times
to pulse in order to deliver the right amount of product to
that zone. The injector pulses the proper number of times,
drawing the fertilizer through a tube from the fertilizer
jug and injects it in one milliliter pulses into the sprinkler
system line. |
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| What
must be done to keep it operational? |
| Nothing!
Once it is installed and programmed, the FertiGator will automatically
fertilize your lawn each time the sprinkler system operates
throughout the year. When the bucket or jug of fertilizer
is empty simply stick the fertilizer tube into a new bucket.
The FertiGator is designed to easy to use and hassle-free.
It even remembers its program over the winter or after a loss
of power. |
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| Are
there any systems on which the FertiGator can't run? |
| The FertiGator
can be installed on any system and will operate at any water
pressure capable of operating a traditional in-ground sprinkler
system. The FertiGator will not operate properly on the very
rare systems where the mainline pressure is less than 25 psi. |
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| Where
is the fertilizer kept? |
| The fertilizer
container is located anywhere the property owner desires -
in the valve box, backflow cover, fake rock, basement, garage
or shed. The fertilizer is drawn from the container it is
purchased in through tubing to in the injector and out into
the sprinkler system. It can be a maximum of 1500' away on
a level surface. |
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| What
kinds of fertilizers do you have to use? |
| Virtually any liquid fertilizer will work through the FertiGator. We recommend that you use fertilizers specially formulated for fertigation. Click here for our list of recommended fertilizers. |
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| Why
do you recommend organic-based fertilizers? |
| Organic
and organically-based fertilizers do not contain any chemicals
harmful to humans and include substances that enhance microbial
activity and restore the soil's structure and richness. Some
chemical fertilizers include extraordinary and unnecessary
levels of nitrogen, solvents, binders and other chemicals
that, once released on the lawn, are harmful to the many microbes
that live in the soil. These microbes are critical to the
plant's ability to convert molecules into nutrients that the
plant can use. |
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| Can
it deliver other lawn-care products? |
| Yes.
The FertiGator is capable of delivering any liquid such as
FertiGrow's organic-based specialty lawn care products Pest
Repellent, DroughtCare and Rust Stopper. Be sure the label
does not prohibit use through fertigation systems. |
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| How
is contamination of water-supply avoided? |
| Because
fertilizer is being injected into the water stream, a proper
backflow preventer is required in all states. A backflow preventer
is a mechanical device that does not rely on electricity,
but it will keep any liquid containing fertilizer from flowing
or migrating back down the water line into the public drinking
water system. |
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| What
kind of backflow prevention is required? |
| The FertiGator
will not increase the pressure in the irrigation system, therefore
it should only require a pressure vacuum break backflow preventer.
However, each state and local code has different rules for
this sort of system. Each irrigation installer must determine
the requirements in the area. |
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| Michael Chaplinsky in Fertigation Strategies, provides
responses to the most frequently asked questions about fertigation
systems, which are contained within quotations below: |
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| I
have a poor irrigation system. My sprinkler head spacing is
less than perfect. Will the fertilizer cause green circles
around the heads? |
| "This
has been a problem with the old practice of injecting just
a few times a month, but when fertilizer is lightly injected
with each irrigation cycle (micro-dosing) the coverage is
very even. Even coverage is achieved because the sprinkler
impact area will move around slightly with changes in the
wind and fill in spacing gaps. Also, the spray mist will carry
the nutrients to other areas. This light foliar application
will produce a very even coverage and color response." |
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| Will
the nutrient burn the grass if I have a blow-out or a head
sticks on? |
| Unlike
other systems, the FertiGator only works when the irrigation
system timer is intentionally opening zones. In addition,
"the micro-dosing injection rate of the system is designed
to prevent this from ever happening. This means the fertilizer
in that water will be very diluted. You will have a greener
area, but you will not burn or damage the turf." |
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| Will
the fertilizer in the lines cause damage to irrigation system
heads or valves? |
| "Since
the low part-per-million rate is used, it will never harm
the irrigation system." |
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| Does
fertigation only aid in leaf growth? Will it produce poor
roots? |
| "There
is foliar uptake of about 15 to 25 percent, which improves
nutrient efficiency. The biggest improvement is the light
feeding, which keeps the top growth down and allows the plant
to put its energy into root growth. You are not storing in
the soil large quantities of nutrients that can cause uncontrolled
plant growth, or be leached away by rains." |
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