8 Table Top Boxes with Automatic Watering - Video

Here is a video showing out my irrigation system works.
Note you can select HD to watch it full screen.



Also check out the build thread with pictures - HERE

WOW

What Lisa said

If you're every in Maryland, stop by & I'll put you to work.

That looks like it was fun to put together! But I can't imagine how much all those fittings cost!

I've been thinking about setting up something similar, but gravity fed from my rain barrel.

They were not cheap, but with busy schedules we used to lose plants to lack of water. Also we 2 trips planned and now we do not have to worry about them drying up.

I have a few big rolls of black poly pipe and drip/mister irrigation stuff in the garage which I should and I really meant to use...(I already have and use a $30 battery operated Mister-Mister irrigation timer which I have used for a few years)

but... I still have my sprinkler set in the middle of the square area. I know I need to get off my lazy butt and get that installed.

This system of yours is pretty slick and I like that it makes the grids usefull for something other than organization. Very creative!

Sfg4ukim I just saw your certified sfg instructor tag. I looked into it and ordered the package. Can't wait for it to get here!

One question though...how do you regulate how much water comes out of the farthest vs. the nearest water outlet? (As in the farthest outlet would tend to be lower pressure than the outlet nearest to the water source/inlet)

Mathematically yes it would be. But the friction loss in 1/2 inch pipe is so low 1.1 head feet per 100 feet of pipe And each cross is equal to 4 feet of pipe in loss. So the farthest hole would be at most 20 total feet. That would be about .2 head in loss which equals about .5 psi.


To visualize it... 1 foot of water (head) exerts 2.31 psi (pounds-force per square inch) No matter if it's a lake 1 foot deep or a bucket. The relationship is based on each square inch.

You would be hard pressed to notice the difference.

WOW!

How do you water the back boxes? I didn't see pipes in them.

Those we are finishing this week.

Hi shawn350,

If you don't mind telling us - what size holes are you using in your PVC? And what happens if you want to install this system in a 4'x 12' box? Would the pressure loss to too great for the length?

Thanks
Gloria

I would treat it as 3 4x4 with individual grids. The idea of making a one piece grid would be hard it if you did you would have to do this

Hi shawn350,

I would treat it as 3 4x4
with individual grids. The idea of making a one piece grid would be hard
it if you did you would have to do this

I think something didn't come through on my pc. Your sentence cuts off a "this" - so I'm not sure what it's referring to.
Thanks for your help with this.

Whoops my Photo link did not work.



This would help distribute more even pressure, but again I have experience with pvc and would not recommend something one piece. I would treat it as 3 separate grids

That's quite a system. Good for you.

Thanks for sharing. I like the idea that fuses the water delivery system with the square foot markers. Very smart! Great use of technology.

shawn350,

Thank you so much for the clear explanation. I was thrilled to see your post, I had already purchased the 1/2" pvc for a similar system and was planning to start cutting it tomorrow. You have saved me a great deal of frustrating trial-and-error!

I have a total of five beds - 2 at 4x12, 1 at 4x8, 1 at 4x6, and 1 at 2x8. I will do as you suggest making three separate units in the 12' beds and two in the smaller beds. I was planning on using one 1/32" hole per pipe section - a total of three or four per square, offset so that they distribute the water more evenly to the square. I'll do a test run on each unit before we actually install them in the beds to make sure there is adequate water delivery.

We've had a separate on-demand spigot installed from our well and plan to add a very small controller box for just the SFG's. Something similar to yours.

I really appreciate your help.
Gloria

Well we are almost done. Here is a video of the grids in action.

What a terrific system. No lugging buckets of water for you. Easy Peasy.

Great setup Shawn, I hadnt thought to use sprinkler controllers or to
just drill holes in the tubing.

Here is a link to my post in the DIY section, I'd appreciate any suggestions
on pressure settings and hole size / placement.

watering grid.

Hi Shawn-- Great setup you have there! I would like to try something similar and I, too, am curious about the size of the holes you drilled. Also thinking about some way to elevate the grid above the soil about 1 inch and put the holes in the bottom of the PVC tubes. Seems like that might help keep the water off of the leaves of young plants. Don

Looks good I had thought of that sort of thing but decided on a different set up .

I see a problem ...... tiny plants & direct sown seeds get the same amount of water as big ones in the same bed. That could lead to damping off etc. on the small stuff or not enough water for the big plants if you set it up for the small seeds etc.

Can you remove the grid easily if needs be ?.

What is the life of the plastic tubes with respect to strong UV ?

Can you drain down for winter and get ALL the water out easily for I noticedt the jets are angled up which seems to indicate the holes are at 2 & 10 o'clock along the tube thus likely to leave the tube just over 2/3 full once the pressure is turned off ???

"I, too, am curious about the size of the holes you drilled."

It was 5/64ths

Also thinking about some way to elevate the grid above the soil about 1 inch and put the holes in the bottom of the PVC tubes. Seems like that might help keep the water off of the leaves of young plants. Don

I would just nail little 1x1 blocks of wood at each cap and sit it there.