Re: watering practices

rich, thee and me should probably start a micro-irrigation fan club. it's so simple, so cheap, and saves so much water and money, it's crazy not to investigate it. i hope david doesn't mind my saying this, but we set up his whole greenhouse on a micro-drip system that lets him determine which pots get how much water--greatly reducing the need for hired hands or late nights.



At 01:15 PM 4/6/03 -0700, you wrote:
Hi Jim,
Got to agree with you, those laser drilled 1/4" lines are probably going to
be the wave of the future.  I too suffer from the lime in the water problem.
I do soak my soaker hose in vinegar during the winter, so by spring they
aren't too bad.  Rich, peeking out of the snow storm in Z-5
----- Original Message -----
From: "Island Jim" <jsinger@igc.org>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2003 5:06 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] watering practices


> my two cents worth on those porous hoses made from old tires. i tried them
> when i first moved here, but there's too much calcium in the water
> here-abouts and they get clogged them in no time. what works better is the
> laser-drilled drip lines [made by dig, i think]. when they eventually get
> clogged, they are small enough to soak in a bucket of vinegar overnight
and
> dissolve the calcium.
>
> At 11:14 PM 4/5/03 -0500, you wrote:
> >Richard -
> >Got a handy-dandy reference book that gives the gph for each plant? ;+)
> >That part is just a bit too scientific!  If the soil's dry, I water it.
> >But still thinking about it...
> >
> >Kitty
> >
> >
> > > [Original Message]
> > > From: Richard T. Apking <richa@midlands.net>
> > > To: <kmrsy@earthlink.net>
> > > Date: 4/5/2003 10:01:11 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [CHAT] watering practices
> > >
> > > Hi Kitty,
> > > I'm not ignoring you, but work (inventory) has been the big thing in
my
> >life
> > > the past week, 36 hours overtime in a week.
> > > To answer your question, you have the right idea, I tend to use both
> >systems
> > > in conjunction.  Individual plants that have a specific water
requirement
> > > get a dripper that is rated at the amount of water the plant requires
in
> >gph
> > > (gallons per hour).  Rows of plants such as radishes, onions, etc get
the
> > > weeper hose commonly made of recycled tires, it is kind of rough and
funny
> > > feeling.  The great thing about this stuff is that the fittings (tees,
> > > couplings, male and female ends) all fit both the dripper type hose
and
> >the
> > > weeping hose.
> > > As you might have guessed, I am a real fan of drip type irrigation.
If I
> > > can help, just holler.  Rich, who is about to be covered up by the
"last"
> > > snow of the season.
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Kitty Morrissy" <kmrsy@earthlink.net>
> > > To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 7:25 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [CHAT] watering practices
> > >
> > >
> > > > Thanks Rich,
> > > > This isn't in my budget (time or money) for this year, but possibly
> >next,
> > > > which means your suggestion of reading up on it would be ideal for
now.
> > > > Our local Lowe's has lots of books on such subjects, so I might just
> >check
> > > > it out.  I attempted a bastardized version of drip irrigation a few
> >years
> > > > ago by laying the Anderson hoses upside down.  Not a true test I
> >realize,
> > > > but what I didn't like was that the water didn't travel horizontally
> >(as I
> > > > would have expected in a clay soil), but more or less straight down,
> > > though
> > > > this might have had to do with the pressure from the Andersons.
> > > >
> > > > One other qstn.  Can you give me a capsule explanation of the
difference
> > > > between drip and weeping?  I realize drip has specific places to
release
> > > > the water while weepers release all along the hose.  But is there a
> >reason
> > > > one is better than the other or are they for different applications?
> > > >
> > > > Kitty
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > [Original Message]
> > > > > From: Richard T. Apking <richa@midlands.net>
> > > > > To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> > > > > Date: 4/2/2003 12:29:20 AM
> > > > > Subject: Re: [CHAT] watering practices
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi Kitty,
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm probably going to give info you already hve, since it is 4-1
when
> > > I'm
> > > > > reading your 3-29 letter.
> > > > >
> > > > > I don't blow out my system, since I put a pressure type drain at
the
> > > base
> > > > of
> > > > > each sprinkler.  My advice would for you to get a book at your
local
> > > > > hardware store, they should be free from such suppliers as
Rainbird,
> >and
> > > > > Drip Irrigation.  If you can't find a book/catalog, all of the
> > > purveyours
> > > > of
> > > > > such stuff have web sites, that have a ton of information.
> > > > >
> > > > > If you are mainly interested in irrigating your flower beds, I
> >suggest a
> > > > > drip system, it's cheaper and much more controlable and
> >understandable.
> > > > not
> > > > > only that it is easier to install, and IMO better for your plants.
If
> > > you
> > > > > are watering your lawn, then sprinklers are your best bet.
> > > > >
> > > > > If I can help any, in the form of advice or question answering,
don't
> > > > > hesitate.  Good Luck, Rich in Z-5
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "Kitty Morrissy" <kmrsy@earthlink.net>
> > > > > To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> > > > > Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2003 8:31 PM
> > > > > Subject: RE: [CHAT] watering practices
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Gosh, Theresa, sounds like a piece of cake!
> > > > > > Hmmm....what about blowing out the lines for winter?  How would
I do
> > > > that?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Kitty
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > [Original Message]
> > > > > > > From: Theresa- yahoo <tchessie@yahoo.com>
> > > > > > > To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> > > > > > > Date: 3/29/2003 11:02:25 PM
> > > > > > > Subject: RE: [CHAT] watering practices
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Kitty- actually set up a watering system really is easy- kind
of
> > > like
> > > > > > > building things with tinker toys as a kid. Having seen
pictures of
> > > > other
> > > > > > > projects you've done, I am certain you would be able to do
this.
> >I
> > > > > added
> > > > > > to
> > > > > > > my system for my raised beds and it really was easy.  All you
need
> > > is
> > > > a
> > > > > > PVC
> > > > > > > pipe cutter, and the gunk to glue them together. (and a shovel
to
> > > dig
> > > > a
> > > > > > > trench to put the pipe down in of course).  Then decide on
what
> >kind
> > > > of
> > > > > > > timer system you want (electronic w/ solinoid) or the kind
that
> >lets
> > > > you
> > > > > > > hook the whole system up to the outdoor faucet (this is the
> >easiest
> > > > > way).
> > > > > > > Then get pipe and connectors of every type you need.  YOu can
draw
> > > it
> > > > > all
> > > > > > > out on paper before you begin even!  Good luck-
> > > > > > > Theresa
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
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