In our last conversation with Richie Medeiros from Central Irrigation, we walked through pre-harvest irrigation practices. Now that the nuts are coming off the trees, it’s time to talk about what comes next. Richie broke down the post-harvest priorities every grower should have on their radar, from that critical first irrigation to getting your system buttoned up for winter dormancy.

Start With a Lap Through the Orchard

The single most important thing to do on your first irrigation after harvest is simple: go look for leaks.

Harvest is hard on an irrigation system. As harvesters move through the orchard, they hit valves, and flushouts, and they catch hoses and risers. Any of that can turn into a significant leak the moment you turn the water back on.

Before you settle back into your regular irrigation schedule, take a lap through the orchard and make sure you don’t have any major leaks. It’s a small time investment that can save you a lot of water and a lot of headaches down the line.

Think Ahead to Winterization

Once you’re past that first irrigation, it’s worth shifting your thinking to the medium and long term. Winter is coming, and how you put your system to bed now sets you up for a smoother start next season.

Richie’s winterization checklist covers a few key areas:

Flush your lines. Clearing out your lines helps prevent buildup and keeps emitters from plugging over the off-season.

Check your emitters. If you find emitters that are plugging, this is the time to address them. Depending on the situation, that might mean a shock treatment or some form of chemical remediation to get them flowing properly again.

Service your pump and filters. Go through your pump and filter station and make sure everything is ready to be put away for the winter.

Plan your upgrades and repairs. Winter is your window to tackle the repairs and improvements you’ve been putting off during the season. Take stock now of what needs attention so you can get it scheduled and done before spring.

Don’t Just Watch Pressure, Watch Your Flows

Last time during our pre-harvest check in, we talked about using pressure readings to understand what’s happening out in your field. There’s a second half to that story, and it’s just as important: your flows.

Flows matter first and foremost because you need to know you’re actually delivering the right amount of water to your field. Measuring your water is step one, you can’t manage what you don’t measure.

But flows really come alive as a diagnostic tool when you read them alongside your pressures. Together, the two can help you troubleshoot exactly what’s going on in your system:

• High flow, low pressure likely means you have a leak somewhere in the field or your pressure regulating valves aren’t working properly and need to be adjusted.
• Low flow, high pressure usually points to plugging out in the field. It could also mean a valve is closed that should be open, or that a pressure regulating valve needs adjustment.

There are other factors that can shift the picture, too. For example, if you’re running a VFD (variable frequency drive), your pressure will hold steady while your flow drops. That combination can be a sign of plugging that you might otherwise miss if you were only watching pressure.

Every System Is Different

Irrigation systems can be genuinely complicated, and no two are exactly alike. What reads as a problem on one system might be normal on another, which is why understanding your own baseline, your pressures, your flows, your layout, is so valuable.

If you run into something you can’t quite diagnose, or you’d rather have a professional handle it, that’s exactly what we’re here for. The team at Central Irrigation can help you with all of it:

• Post-harvest system checks: leak detection and getting your first irrigation dialed in
• Winterization: line flushing, emitter shock treatments and chemical remediation, and pump and filter service
• Flow and pressure diagnostics: pinpointing plugging, leaks, and PRV issues before they cost you
• Winter repairs and upgrades: planning and completing the work now so you’re ready to go come spring

Don’t wait until a small problem turns into a season-long water loss. Reach out to Central Irrigation today and let’s get your system ready for winter.

Centralirrigation.com with locations serving Central Valley growers in Merced, Chowchilla, and Tulare.

Call or stop by your local store to schedule your post-harvest and winterization service.