We only have a very small garden, maybe 8 x 20 feet. We have grown corn, eggplant, green beans, tomatoes, cantalope and okra and have fairly well with, but this year I want to try to be more efficient with water. So I need advice on a soaker/drip system. I have looked at Sutherlands as there is no Lowes or Home Depot in our town and I haven't had a chance to go to Kerrville where they are. They (Sutherlands) has Rainbird brand and Orbit.
1. Is Rainbird worth the extra money?
2. Should I use mini soaker hoses or the solid tubes with the little holes punched in them or just the regular size soakers?
I am planning to use 1/2 " tubing along the edge of the garden to carry water to each row. Possibly later when I figure this stuff out more I'll use some of this stuff in my flower beds. I also figured on using a valve of some sort at the beginning of each row where the tubing connects to the 1/2 " tubing.
Thanks all.
Need advice on watering system for vege garden
I have a nice watering system to tell you about. I run a hose on a Orbit timer from the garden faucet. Connected to the hose is 1/2 tubing. Next to each plant I place micro tubing with either a spray stake or drip stake.
BocaBob
That's kind of what I am hoping to do. Is micro tubing that 1/4 " soaker hose or just a solid tube? Rainbird has something the same diameter, but there is something inside the tube where the holes are. The holes are about 10 inches apart. I'm wondering if I get that will the holes be close enough together to keep something like lettuce watered. That's not something I listed in the first post, but I grew lettuce one year and really liked it. Lettuce takes a lot of water and when we grew it, we planted it very close together. I guess maybe for the lettuce I would need to use a soaker tube instead of a solid tube.
Sounds like a winner for lettuce and closely planted veggies like beets and carrots. I use the soild 1/4 tube for everything, but I use containers for everything (grow bags, EarthBoxes, and Verticals
BocaBob
I've seen people water their pots like that, but I don't see how all the dirt in the pot gets watered. I used some of those constant water things for awhile and was not satisfied. The spot where the thing went in the dirt would be wet, but the rest was dry.
I use Aqua Turrets mostly (they are sprayers) and they get keep the area watered.
i have been container gardening in 5 gallon containers for years now and i use a simple soaker hose which i purchased from walmart years ago. i attach the soaker hose to a timer then i run the hose through the top part of each container on both sides where i have already drilled holes to accomodate the hose. i set the timer to go off every day from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. it seems to to the trick cause i never had any trouble. two hours may seem like alot but the containers drain nicely if it is over watered due to rain. i have a well so i don't worry about water problems.
Hey Frank, everything good?
Bob
Hey Bob, Is your system set up behind a pressure regulator or do you use the Pressure Regulated (PC) irrigators?
Jerry
Jerry, finally home from day job. I only use the pressure that is created by the pond pump. My drippers and sprayers have no real regulators. I use Aqua Turrets for top spray watering/feeding my 5 gallon grow bags and Earthboxes
I forgot about the pressure regulator thing. I have one that I used to use. It screwed onto the faucet and then the hose onto it.
bob - everything is fine. me and sequee dividied up all our seedingstarting stuff so you will be getting two people involved with this project. i mentioned on the tomato forum that your kit looks really good and i am looking forward to giving it a real workout. LOL glad you are going to try putting your black basket inside a cell from park seeds. i mentioned to you that them were a little short and now that you are dong it i won't try it.
have a great day
Auh shucks Tplant, you let my little secret out of the bag.
Herbie43 (Frank) - The more the merrier and it looks like we have some company on this experiment/comparison of products.
BocaBob
This message was edited Jan 28, 2009 6:39 PM
My grandson had to do a project for school so he planted bean seeds in four different types of soil. Container mix, Top soil, Regular garden soil and Coco coir. Only one sprouted so far! Guess which one and no sign of life from the other three.
Coco Coir!!!
Hi Everyone!
How have you all been?
BB
where have you been bronx boy and what are you up to??