Description of the Process

Direct Irrigation is the is the patent pending process of application of plain water directly to the roots of plants without passing it through the soil or adding nutrients to it, of supplying water directly to plants, bypassing the soil, by means of separate water root systems.

Boundary Layer of Concentrated Minerals

Water & Minerals

Mass flow of Water & Minerals

Rootlet

Root

Hair

How and why does Direct Irrigation work?

In ordinary single-root system culture, the soil solution (or hydroponic solution) contains both minerals and water. As water is absorbed by the root hairs, the dissolved minerals build up around these root hairs forming a boundary layer of concentrated minerals (and other dissolved substances) as shown in the diagram above. This layer of concentrated solutes acts as an osmotic barrier, preventing further absorption of water. The mass flow of soil solution towards the root tends to keep this barrier in place by acting oppositely to diffusion.

Uses Separate Root Systems for Water & Minerals

Direct Irrigation permits each system to function optimally by providing two different environments for two different kinds of roots: soil roots and water roots. The result is rapid and luxuriant growth unprecedented in history.

Isn't Direct Irrigation the same thing as Hydroponics?

Direct Irrigation is not at all the same thing as hydroponics, in which a nutrient solution replaces the soil used in ordinary agriculture. In hydroponics, water and nutrients are delivered to the roots in a single solution through a single root system.

In Direct Irrigation, the plants are given two separate liquids to two separate root systems. The first is soil solution (or hydroponic solution), while the second is plain water without added nutrients. In Direct Irrigation, plain water induces a new and distinctive root system adapted to the absorption of plain water while ordinary roots absorb nutrients. In Hydroponics, there is only a single root system through which both water and nutrients are absorbed, just as in soil culture.

Wilting Plants are Dehydrated

The fact that plants cannot absorb enough water from soil is clearly illustrated by diurnal wilting. During hot weather, even in moist soil, the leaves of plants often wilt during the day to recover turgor during the night. During the night, the reduced rate of bulk flow permits the dissolved minerals to diffuse out of the boundary layer.

Direct Irrigation prevents this dehydration, wilting, and consequent reduction in growth by providing 100% of plant’s needs 100% of the time.

Isn't Direct Irrigation the same as Drip Irrigation?

Not at all. It is not the same as drip irrigation in which water is released slowly into the soil through tiny nozzles that clog frequently. In Drip Irrigation, roots tend to grow into the nozzles clogging them. Several strategies have been devised to prevent this clogging, none completely effective.

In Direct Irrigation, roots are welcomed into the Water Well ™ and do not clog it, since it is the entrace holes are large enough to admit the roots without being occluded and the Water Well ™ itself is large enough to contain the roots.