Re: Watering systems

**Turan** 2/19/2015, 7:17 pm

Sanderson has great experience as do others from here. That is why I tried it out. I think it is something to do with me.

edfhinton 2/19/2015, 8:48 pm

I'm thinking of going the drip irrigation route this year, but I am curious about spacing. For the type that you space the emitters yourself with a punch device, I assumed 6" spacing for the emitters would make sense. But do you just run one strip across each square foot row of squares of the box? or does it vary depending whether you have one, 4, 9, or 16 plants in a set of squares? For instance if I have a row of squares that all have 9 or 16 plants each, should I have two strips through that row of squares with the strips 6" apart? I'm just not clear on how much area a given drip emitter covers.

For the ones with the holes already present, I only found 9" and 12" distances between emitters so far. If 9" then similar question, would I be fine with one strip across a row of squares or stagger the emitter locations of two strips down the row of squares?

Thanks,

-Ed

duhh 2/19/2015, 10:15 pm

Turan wrote:DUH, could you lay out what type of drip tape you use for raised beds and any pros/cons you have found and anything else about using them in raised beds? Please.

I spent way too much on 1/4" tubing and never got it to work well. I am not usually clumsy but I had a horrible time with those brittle tiny elbows and Ts etc. So I went back to my rainbow sprinkler and a soaker hose in the greenhouse. That at least is reliable.

I have seen the drip tape used commonly in market gardens around here, and that seems what the Dripworks catalog is aiming this to. What intrigues me is what seem like easier to use and stouter fittings and a flexible tape.

I make my husband put everything together. Embarassed

The drip tape has changed since we ordered about 2 years ago or so. We used 1/2 in black tubing and fittings (elbows and such)from L or HD and ordered the drip tape from drip works. We use the 4" drip tape because we are always changing the layout of the garden. http://www.dripworks.com/product/Q_TA08 This is what we got for my aunts garden this year. The little tool to help you punch the holes are very very helpful.
These have been great in my raised beds. all my beds are different in size and depth and they have worked well in all.
Watering systems - Page 2 2015-013

(above) is 1/2 of my 4x4 bed 3 lines on each side. I put 6 per bed which I think is a bit overkill, but we weren't sure how much was needed. I think 4 will be plenty because as it drips out it spreads out a few inches to either side.

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(above) 4x8 bed these have been on for over a year now and the lines get moved a little from the dogs/cats/plants but they still work great.

The lines of drip tape are super easy to replace if they spring a leak. We have had to replace 2 so far and that is because the cats or dogs have punctured them

**Turan** 2/19/2015, 11:25 pm

Thank you so much for answering so fully.

I am thinking then that 4 lines for a 3ft wide bed would be more than adequate and at most 5 on a 4 ft bed.

duhh 2/19/2015, 11:54 pm

Turan: that spinds like a good plan!

Judy McConnell 2/20/2015, 10:25 am

Went ahead and ordered from DripWorks, the 6" and 12" spaced drip lines:
http://www.dripworks.com/product/Q_DSD6

This type might well be a poor choice but I'm willing to try it, it is not the same type as Duhh has. Since it is to be delivered next Thursday, I'll have a bit of time to TRY to put some bed set-ups together indoors before I need it in the spring (when ever that comes here).

If assembling 6 - 4x8 beds worth works and all I need to do is get it outside later, maybe I'll save myself some later work - but then again, I might end up with a mess of sphagetti lines.LOL

southern gardener 2/20/2015, 11:22 am

Here is a link to our watering system hubby and I made a while back and have worked GREAT. They cover well, and are still in use after many other trials. We also mulch HEAVILY and have gone from watering once or twice a day to about once a week? We are in Southern California, and it's hot here, and we're in a severe drought.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t16832-garden-sword?highlight=sword

**sanderson** 2/20/2015, 3:16 pm

And here's my 6" spaced 1/4" tubing. 2 rows per square = 4 drips per square. https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t18962-drip-irrigation-for-sfg?highlight=drip+line

**sanderson** 3/11/2015, 2:41 am

Today I cleared out the cabbages, amended and planted Dragon Tongue bush beans. The change out, amending and planting was so easy. Using 2 lines/square, with 6" spaced emitters, set 4" apart, works well for spacing plants. Using Mel's Mix, grids and spacing makes things so easy! I had to share. Watering systems - Page 2 Bean_d10

**AtlantaMarie** 3/11/2015, 7:23 am

Looks great, Sanderson!

**jimmy cee** 3/11/2015, 8:19 am

It looks so nice now, imaging when things start growing.
Can't wait to see it

yolos 3/11/2015, 9:21 am

Looks good Sanderson, but I have a question. It looks from the picture as if you have a "closed loop". The lines going thru your squares are attached to the grid on both sides of the box. I don't remember your other pictures depicting this. In the past, did you only attach the drip lines on one side of the box or have you always attached the lines on both sides of the box. I have been trying to decide whether it is better to do one over the other.

**sanderson** 3/11/2015, 12:53 pm

Jimmy, My cat's watching also. these are her favorite bean leaves. I'm going to try Boffer's trick of a short section of heavy plastic wrapped around the lower part of the poles. No way for her grab hold to jump. But, knowing her, she's like "Simon"s Cat" and will figure out a way to stack things so she can see over the top!

Yolos. Good eyes. The drip line set up is from March 2013 when I made closed loops. I thought the water pressure would be more uniform. Shortly after, I started making each grid with free floating lines across the beds and stayed with it. I found it hard to customize the watering in each square (letting the garlic square start to dry out at harvest) and it was hard to pull out large bundle of roots, like from tomatoes, without making a mess. I no longer have drip lines under the grids. (If your memory is as good as your eyes, you will notice I put the drip lines under the grids and cut and capped them in the 2' x 8' TT.) 16 sq ft is the max for one solid 1/4" supply line. My drips and grids are removable for serious work.

kbachli 3/13/2015, 11:46 pm

I apologize if this is too off this topic, but from your photo Sanderson, I was wondering, when you add mulch does it go over or under your tubing?? wrote:

**sanderson** 3/14/2015, 3:07 am

Mulch goes over the tubes and grids. It's to keep the MM cool and to reduce evaporation. I used plain wood chips the first 2 summers with great success. This summer I am trying chopped bedding straw.

kbachli 3/14/2015, 4:59 pm

sanderson wrote:Mulch goes over the tubes and grids. It's to keep the MM cool and to reduce evaporation. I used plain wood chips the first 2 summers with great success. This summer I am trying chopped bedding straw.

Thank you again Sanderson! I have straw for my compost, so I'll try using that too.

Triciasgarden 3/15/2015, 2:38 pm

That looks so nice and practical! Every time I see someone's watering system, my brain fogs up. I just don't have the ability (or money) to do that. But at least I know how to use a watering can or drag a hose, lol!

duhh 3/25/2015, 2:43 pm

So far amazing! Her plants are bigger than mine!

Watering systems - Page 2 Bevs_g10

**sanderson** 3/25/2015, 3:27 pm

Wow! Sweet!

**AtlantaMarie** 3/25/2015, 3:39 pm

NICE! Tell her congratulations!

CapeCoddess 3/25/2015, 4:29 pm

sanderson wrote:Mulch goes over the tubes and grids. It's to keep the MM cool and to reduce evaporation. I used plain wood chips the first 2 summers with great success. This summer I am trying chopped bedding straw.

You had great success but your changing the mulch? Shocked

why?

Your set up looks fabulous! Can you come over and do that in my garden please? I'm with Tricia...as much as I'd love to stop toting hoses & buckets, I'm baffled by these seemingly simple watering systems.

CC

**sanderson** 3/25/2015, 10:06 pm

Splinters, plain old splinters for 2 years. The oncologist said to baby the left arm, no cuts, scratches, burns, etc. I kept getting splinters,even through the cotton gloves, when I tried picking the wood chips out to replenish with more compost and hand mixing. Just a personal adjustment to gardening.

I do use wood chips now on the rest of the areas of the flower/shrub beds. California drought.

Triciasgarden 3/26/2015, 1:07 pm

sanderson wrote:Mulch goes over the tubes and grids. It's to keep the MM cool and to reduce evaporation. I used plain wood chips the first 2 summers with great success. This summer I am trying chopped bedding straw.

Do you have problems with earwigs in the wood chips? I used straw and they were having a hayday!

Triciasgarden 3/26/2015, 1:10 pm

That is so beautiful! I am envious, but in a congratulatory way!

Sanderson, have you tried the gloves that have a plastic coating on the hands part? I love them!

**sanderson** 3/26/2015, 2:07 pm

Can't pick out chips with those gloves when I amend. I do use that type when planting flowers because of the dirt and small wood chips. Also, glass, wires, etc. that still show up from sloppy workers who built the house 20 years ago and the 13 cu. yd. of black compost we spread and mixed in the dirt. I have wide hands so to get gloves that fit, they often have extra length on the fingers. Embarassed

The knit cotton gloves don't have extra finger length.

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Watering systems