There's a better way to do it.. Trees can be planted in deserts without irrigation using technology developed by a Dutch company called Groasis [0]. They have also recently come up with a new version of their Waterboxx that can use any kind of wastewater to plant trees, even sea water. [1] Looks like it works via solar condensation which then wicks into the soil so the roots can follow it down to the deeper capillary water ~3 meters below. So no need for drip irrigation.
This new water filter box will come in handy for ongoing restoration projects in the Galapagos Islands etc where fresh water is unavailable. Will make a post for it when more information becomes available.
Not sure if this way is better. After some in-depth searching, I find the key piece in this solution is a "wick", a capillary rising water tube that takes water (of any quality) and feeds it into the ground.
Notice, that it's a playlist with a bunch of these case studies.
The device displayed in the video (the company makes a few different ones) didn't require watering at all, because it collects dew. It's also biodegradable, so there isn't a cleanup cost. They also provide physical protection for the sapplings, which can be important. It seems to add up to very high survival rate in tough environments.
Dew collection at night and massive evaporation of the Sahara during daytime. Not sure if this would be enough to sustain a medium sized tree. Whatever works in Netherlands may not work in Egypt.
The collected water does not evaporate. The linked case studies are in extreme climates, like a 1500-1900 meter altitude mountainside or a desert in Spain, not central Europe.
Rainwater refills it, evaporation blocked via siphon. Most deserts get at least 150-250 liters of water per square meter per year, often much more. [1] The boxes supply enough water for the roots to grow down to the capillary water below.
Wow, thanks for pointing this out. This simple yet very powerful technology will definitely make planting easier. With apparently no need for water supply. This thing amaze me really
You'd have to constantly refill it, which would still require irrigation for transport.
Instead of centralized distillation plus transport, you have distributed mini distillers at point of consumption plus transport. This doesn't seem special, what am I missing?
There is moisture within ~3m in even the driest deserts. The water in the box slowly releases to make a connection with the capillary water deep below for the roots to reach within the first year. It's a planting method, not irrigation. Refills during rains, prevents evaporation via a clever siphon.
This new water filter box will come in handy for ongoing restoration projects in the Galapagos Islands etc where fresh water is unavailable. Will make a post for it when more information becomes available.
[0] https://www.groasis.com
[1] https://youtu.be/dcSnF_AoqgY