When C.S. and Avice McCorkle started McCorkle Nurseries in 1942, they offered a one-stop retail, landscape and growing operation to the developing community around Augusta, Georgia.
In 1977, the next generation of the McCorkle family focused the enterprise toward its current configuration. C.S. and Avice's sons, Don and Jack McCorkle, sold the retail operation and turned their attention to expanding the 5-acre landscape and growing operation.
In 1997, Don's son, Skeetter, assumed the position of CEO, while Jack's son, Chris, was named Vice President of Operations of the Luckey's Bridge and Neals Mill Farms. Skeetter's sister, Beverly, is also an active participant on the McCorkle team. |
Stewardship of natural resources is a top priority for McCorkle Nurseries. The majority of water used for irrigation is reclaimed run-off from production areas from 17 ponds around the farm.
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A hydrangea plant with an SM-200 soil moisture sensor. The sensor is connected to an irrigation controller, which starts irrigation when the measured substrate water content drops below the set point, and stops irrigation when the set point is exceeded.
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Sensor Research: We used eight plots inside a greenhouse for research into the use of soil moisture sensors to improve the efficiency of irrigation. We have outfitted four of the plots with soil moisture sensor-based irrigation controllers (IL200-MC Irrigation Moisture Clik). These controllers automatically turn on the irrigation as the substrate water content drops below a user-defined set point, and turn the irrigation off the set point is exceeded.
These plots are paired with conventionally irrigated plots (using timers) to allow for detailed side by side comparisons. All plots are outfitted with flow meters and dataloggers that can track water use continuously. The objective of this research is to quantify water savings that can be achieved using soil moisture sensors for irrigation control. |
Preliminary Data: We reduced water use for irrigation by 83% using soil moisture sensor-based irrigation, as compared to standard irrigation practices. This reduction in water use also reduced leaching of fertilizer from the containers, and resulted in a higher substrate EC, indicating higher nutrient availability in the substrate.
Using soil moisture sensors for irrigation control also reduced temporal variably in substrate water content. Growth was similar with sensor-controlled and conventional irrigation. |
Cumulative water use during a 10-day period. Plots were irrigated using standard nursery practices (timer, red lines) or with a soil moisture sensors-based irrigation controller (Moisture Clik). Note that the control plots did not get watered over the weekend, while the sensor-controlled plots did.
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