The quality of source water for irrigation is crucial for any greenhouse operation.This is especially true for floatbed greenhouses, where Styrofoam trays filled with tobacco transplants float in bays of water. Well water is typically used to fill the bays, and its pH and mineral levels can vary somewhat from year to year, with the potential to significantly impact plant growth.
Vigilant growers check their well water annually by sending samples to the Agronomic Services Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which assesses the suitability of water for plant production through a laboratory test known as solution analysis.
