Juurtetsoonile

Juurtetsoonile is an Estonian term describing the practice of directing watering, nutrients, or plant-protection treatments to the root zone—the part of the soil where plant roots actively grow. This approach aims to improve resource-use efficiency by concentrating inputs where they are most needed and reducing losses to evaporation, runoff, or deep leaching.

The root zone depth varies with plant species and soil characteristics; for many crops active rooting occurs in the upper part of the soil profile, commonly within a few decimeters to about a meter. Effective targeting requires knowledge of soil moisture, texture, salinity, and the plant’s growth stage and demand.

Common methods include drip irrigation and subsurface irrigation that deposit water near roots; fertigation, which combines irrigation with fertilizer delivery; localized soil injections or placement of nutrients near the plant base; and practices like mulching and soil conditioning to improve moisture retention and root health.

Advantages of juurtetsoonile include higher water-use efficiency, more precise nutrient delivery, and reduced environmental impact through lower runoff and leaching. Potential drawbacks are uneven distribution if irrigation design is poor, risks of root burn from salts with excessive fertilization, and the need for careful monitoring of soil conditions, irrigation timing, and system maintenance.

The concept is applied in greenhouse production, orchards, nurseries, and field crops, as well as urban gardening, especially in contexts of limited water resources or when targeted nutrient management is desired.