Drip irrigation

[Chuck]

That is exactly what I am in the process of doing, lol. I started at thread on gravity fed systems where I went into detail about the situation and posted a bunch of images. I saw a system yesterday where a little feeder hose went from the sprinkler head in the ground into an extra large pot next to a garden bed. I'll be looking into that for one area.

These drip irrigation systems can be and mostly are very very simple or they can get a little complicated. Mine is simple as I don't need storage tanks, pumps, injectors and so on. All I need is a water hose coming from my well. All you need is a garden hose from the nearest water faucet to your garden. All they basically are is 1/4" black tubing with a PVC adapter that screws onto the end of a hose and some little plastic doodads that drip water and are called emitters. Plus there are different types of little plastic connectors. They come in a package of 10 up to 500 and you put them where ever you like. There is no one correct way to use them nor is there any one design to follow. This year I am expanding my garden so I had to buy more tubing and emitters to attach onto the existing system. 500 ft of tubing costs $22 and 100 emitters cost $23. You can water all of your garden at one time or you can water just a small portion of it. As for the brands. Everything is basically the same and interchangeable with each other.. I like DripWorks the best. I find their prices to be a little less than the others and their emitters to be a little easier to keep clean but basically they are all the same.

 

[gata montes]

That is exactly what I am in the process of doing, lol. I started at thread on gravity fed systems where I went into detail about the situation and posted a bunch of images. I saw a system yesterday where a little feeder hose went from the sprinkler head in the ground into an extra large pot next to a garden bed. I'll be looking into that for one area.

Yes I was aware of that - particularly as you mentioned it in your original question lol

Which is why I would just add - that as I have already responded to your new thread - my response here was more out of courtesy than anything else - due to the fact that you had tagged me requesting an answer to a question.

nearly forgot - apart from the fact that sprinklers use a great deal of water and often unnecessarily too - as they don't usually water the plants as efficiently as individual drippers - they generally don't work too well with gravity fed systems either - unless you have a great deal of pressure and very definitely don't - when the water level in the storage tank starts to get low.

 

[ChanellG]

nearly forgot - apart from the fact that sprinklers use a great deal of water and often unnecessarily too - as they don't usually water the plants as efficiently as individual drippers - they generally don't work too well with gravity fed systems either - unless you have a great deal of pressure and very definitely don't - when the water level in the storage tank starts to get low.

I've said sprinkler because that is the action taken by the tool, but I think I should be saying emitter. This isn't the exact one in place, and I've never actually seen it operational, but it's similar to this image:

These are connected to an automated Rainbird system. What I want to do is change these to the soaker system.

 

[ChanellG]

These drip irrigation systems can be and mostly are very very simple or they can get a little complicated... All they basically are is 1/4" black tubing with a PVC adapter that screws onto the end of a hose and some little plastic doodads that drip water and are called emitters... 500 ft of tubing costs $22 and 100 emitters cost $23. You can water all of your garden at one time or you can water just a small portion of it. As for the brands. Everything is basically the same and interchangeable with each other...

Everything being interchangeable is a plus! That lets me know I can get what I can get and it should work with what is already in place. I could always set up the Rainbird to fill any reservoirs, but that would take place farther down the road once the new garden design was complete. Thanks for the info on pricing!

 

[gata montes]

I've said sprinkler because that is the action taken by the tool, but I think I should be saying emitter. This isn't the exact one in place, and I've never actually seen it operational, but it's similar to this image:
These are connected to an automated Rainbird system. What I want to do is change these to the soaker system

Unless you call things by different names in The States - that is very definitely what we call a sprinkler where I live - which as I've already mentioned - don't work very well with gravity fed systems and especially not something as powerful as the one in the picture - as in order to get something like that to work effectively with a gravity fed system - you would need to add an additional power source - either from a solar or an electrically powered pump.

Oh and just in case its of any help - although there are quite a few variations to this - here is an example of what we call an emitter where I live

 

[Chuck]

I've said sprinkler because that is the action taken by the tool, but I think I should be saying emitter. This isn't the exact one in place, and I've never actually seen it operational, but it's similar to this image:
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These are connected to an automated Rainbird system. What I want to do is change these to the soaker system.

This is NOT drip irrigation. This pic is of a sprinkler head. and will NOT work with gravity. They take a minimum of 12lbs pressure to even start to work. Nor is it compatible to a soaker system or a drip system. What do you want? A drip system or a soaker system or as in you pic a sprinkler system? A soaker system isn't a drip system. Here is a pic of an emitter in my garden. In this particular row they are spaced every 2 feet and they emit 1/2 gallon per hour. On other rows they are as close as 1 foot apart. Oh, and those little weeds are last years corn sprouts.

 

[ChanellG]

This is NOT drip irrigation. This pic is of a sprinkler head. and will NOT work with gravity. They take a minimum of 12lbs pressure to even start to work. Nor is it compatible to a soaker system or a drip system. What do you want? A drip system or a soaker system or as in you pic a sprinkler system? A soaker system isn't a drip system. Here is a pic of an emitter in my garden. In this particular row they are spaced every 2 feet and they emit 1/2 gallon per hour. On other rows they are as close as 1 foot apart. Oh, and those little weeds are last years corn sprouts.View attachment 4266

Garden already has a sprinkler system. As you know, not very effective. In addition to this challenge, I have expanded the growing area. I have that stair riser vertical planter and before long I'll have towers. The sprinkler has been turned off for the winter and I have been watering by hand as I re-introduce plants (all in containers for now).

What I want is to adapt the existing system, but that comes later. For now I need to figure out water delivery to the vertical stuff, I will use a makeshift olla system in the small raised bed, and as I expand I would like to use something rain barrel fed as well.

How is drip different from a soaker system?

 

[ChanellG]

I can't believed I figured out how to upload a photo from my phone! This is what I have been trying to describe.

There are sprinklers already, I need to adapt them.

 

[Chuck]

I can't believed I figured out how to upload a photo from my phone! This is what I have been trying to describe.

There are sprinklers already, I need to adapt them.

Go online and request a free catalog from either RainBird, RainDrip or DripWorks. They will show and explain what everything is and what it does

 

[ChanellG]

Go online and request a free catalog from either RainBird, RainDrip or DripWorks. They will show and explain what everything is and what it does

I found what I need online last night. Now it will just be a question of what system will go where. The water needs in each area will vary depending on what plants are growing where. It's a lot to work out, but I am doing it all gradually so I guess by summer it will all be sorted out and everything will be simpler for next year.