| Advantages | Disadvantages | What About Disease | Why From Midwest | What Is Needed | Pricing Information |
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The biggest dollar savings, by far, is labor costs. If fully automated, one person can water an acre or more in 20 to 30 minutes. (Just decide which zones need water, and start the controller.) One grower who has about an acre of EBB-FLOW benches recently commented to us: "They replaced two full time employees, the labor savings alone paid for the system in about two years."
Much more even crop growth due to even watering and reduced plant stress. Up to 10% faster crop times, depending on the crop.
Savings of 30% to 95% on water and fertilizer, depending on previous watering method(s).
Humidity is much easier to control, especially in poly houses. Most growers report greatly reduced use of fungicides. Generally there are no weeds growing under the benches, and greatly reduced incidence of fungus gnats, etc. as the area below the benches is usually very dry.
EBB-FLOW benches can automatically water successive crops at any spacing and in any pot size, without changing anything. This is a big advantage for growers who grow different crops and different sizes at different times of the year.
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The main disadvantage is a somewhat higher up front cost compared with other benching systems. Most of our customers have said that they had a 10 month to 2 or 2-1/2 years payback period in savings. As an example, a typical good quality rolling expanded metal bench costs $ 2.80 to $ 3.40 per square foot. Add to that $ .50 to $ 1.00 for a drip irrigation system. this compares to $ 4.20 to $ 4.95 per square foot for a completed EBB-FLO system, depending on number of benches, control system, plumbing, etc. It is in the same ball park!
Some people are concerned about the solid surface cutting down on air flow through the plants. Our customers have stated that this just isn't a problem. Since the plants never get wet, and the area under the benches is normally very dry, the humidity is very easy to control, especially with the use of horizontal air flow fans. Many of our customers have hot water heat running below the benches. This usually results in the bench surface being 75 to 80 degrees. Again, most of our customers have said that they use much less fungicides than before.
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In over 17 years in Europe, and over a decade in the USA, it just doesn't seem to be a problem. Extensive research was done at several universities in the US in the early 1990's, looking into disease spread with sub-irrigation systems. Results confirmed what growers using sub-irrigation for many years have said: It is much harder to spread diseases with a sub-irrigation system than with any other commonly used watering system.
Two main reasons for the lack of disease spread:
1: When properly designed, an EBB-FLOW system does not allow any exchange of irrigation liquid between pots. When the water is drained from the bench, the capillary action in the root media in the pots is still taking up water. This means that the water goes into the pots, but does not come out. Sort of a one way street. So, even if one pot does contain disease pathogens, it is very unlikely that any will come out of the pot.
2: Research has also shown that most plant pathogens are heavier than water. When the watering cycle is completed, the pathogens, if there are any, settle to the bottom of the holding tank. For some reason they appear to be killed when they are under several feet of water.
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WHY EBB-FLO BENCHES FROM MIDWEST GROmaster,INC.?
We have 8 widths of EBB-FLO Wtrays in stock, and others that can be special ordered. We can fit benches to almost any greenhouse configuration.
We have over a decade of experience and several hundred installations throughout the US.
EBB-FLOW benches have always been our main business, not just an occasional side line. Our experienced staff can help you design an entire system that will do what you want it to do, and will work!
We stand behind all our products with years of experience and service, and with parts in stock at our Illinois warehouse.
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