“When in doubt, dig a hole”
About muddyboots Irrigation consulting & training
Authentic expertise
Our Story
MuddyBoots (Pty) Ltd was owner founded in 2024 by Karen van der Westhuizen out of a passion for optimising irrigation scheduling and sharing knowledge within the fruit industry, through irrigation consulting and providing irrigation training.
With 14 years of industry experience, Karen is a soil scientist who began by classifying soils and designing new orchard developments across South Africa, as well as in Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Over the years, her focus shifted towards irrigation scheduling. Karen started by building robust irrigation scheduling models, conducting regular irrigation farm visits and has also developed a passion for upskilling growers and providing irrigation training.
Water is a limited resource and it is under immense pressure globally. Effective irrigation scheduling is critical for the commercial success of any farm. Unfortunately, irrigation scheduling can often be over complicated and misunderstood. We at MuddyBoots hope to change this.
insights from Karen van der Westhuizen
Why Irrigation Consulting?
Irrigation scheduling is critical for producing high quality fruit and it is a daily decision that every grower faces. Typically, farms have a great variation in soils, terrain, microclimates, system designs and cultivars. These variations effect the irrigation requirements of orchards and complicates the decision making process for growers.
Through the irrigation training that I have given to table grape, citrus, blueberry, pome and stone fruit growers, I believe that the key to effective irrigation scheduling, optimising water use and increasing yields, lies in upskilling the people who make the irrigation decisions.
By properly understanding the principles of plant water use, the variables in an orchard as well as the decision making tools available, growers are able to irrigate more effectively.
I have seen how farms benefit from good irrigation training followed by regular irrigation consulting. Irrigation farm visits include digging soil profile holes and evaluating the soil moisture, root distribution and best irrigation strategies.
Through MuddyBoots irrigation consulting and training, we hope to further increase the industry’s knowledge base and a farm’s water use efficiency.
Location and areas serviced
Where is MuddyBoots based?
Office is in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Ease of driving anywhere in the Western Cape
- Available to travel in Southern Africa
- Opportunity to consult or offer training globally
Muddyboots’s irrigation consulting Background
What have we learnt from the Western Cape?
It has been said that the growers in the Western Cape, and South Africa in general, are leaders in practically implementing irrigation knowledge. At MuddyBoots, we are privileged to have honed our expertise here and this allows us to offer expertly tested advice to fruit growers.
- Water scarce climate (2017/18 drought)
- Winter rainfall area, with hot summers and strong winds
- Soil types that can vary every 25-50m
- Winter water tables in the soils
- Varying terrain within orchards
- Large hectare farms
- Export driven fruit market
- Cross exposure of different fruit industries
Core Values
Commitment to Irrigation Consulting Excellence
Expertise
We are dedicated to providing the highest level of scientific expertise in soil science, horticulture and irrigation knowledge to ensure optimal crop production for our clients.
Sustainability
We prioritise sustainable farming practices, focusing on water use efficiency and environmental resilience to support long-term success in agriculture.
Innovation
We constantly seek innovative approaches to improve crop yield and water use efficiency, staying at the forefront of industry advancements to benefit our clients.