Plots next to a canal are productive when the layout is planned: water must reach every bed, and surplus must leave.
Layout
Level the plots so water spreads evenly. Make beds and furrows run gently downhill and keep furrows short so the tail end is not starved. Put a small gate or check at the canal edge for each plot so you can control the flow.
Scheduling
Water by the crop's stage and the soil, not by the calendar alone. Light soils need shorter, more frequent irrigations than heavy ones. Measure what you apply, even roughly, so that you can repeat what worked.
Drainage and salts
Cut a drain at the low end so surplus water leaves the field. Standing water and evaporation leave salts behind, which damage young plants. If a white crust appears, flush with extra water and improve drainage.
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