Watering from below: subsurface irrigation with MDP
Delivering water straight to the roots, with less lost to evaporation and runoff.
Sprinklers and surface watering lose a large share of their water to evaporation, runoff and weeds. In hot weather much of it never reaches the roots at all.
The idea
Our patent covers MDP as part of an irrigation system as well as a drainage one. The same pipe that lets water out of the soil without clogging can also let water into it, slowly and evenly, right at root level. Laid under a planting bed, MDP can feed water from below while the surface stays dry.
Why it could help
- Water goes straight to the roots, with less lost to evaporation
- A dry surface means fewer weeds and less disease
- Even moisture along the whole bed, instead of wet and dry patches
- One pipe network can water in the dry season and drain in the wet season
- Suits farms, planters, green roofs and landscaping
Where it fits
Hong Kong's weather swings between long dry spells and very heavy rain. A system that can both irrigate and drain suits that pattern well, from small urban planters to farmland in the New Territories. It links naturally to our smart eco plant pot and thin-layer green roof concepts.