Gravity fed drip irrigation advice?

[joem789]

Hey there.

I just tilled up a 100' x 45' bed for planting. I plan to put down black plastic mulch on part of that. Since there are gonna be times when I aint home to keep things wet, i figured I should put in some type of irrigation. FOr the lack of size I figure it might as well be on the cheap.

At first I figured I could get away with using some 1/4" drip line tubing with preinstalled emitters. And tie it all together to a mainline coming out of a barrel. With the barrel setting next to the bed. The ground is all flat. But I began having some doubts that there would be enough gravity pressure. I understand getting it up higher makes a difference. So instead of building something to set it on, I thought of something that might be better.

I also have a 550 gallon tank that has a water hose thread fitting on it. And my house sets up the hill from the yard where the garden will be. Im not sure of the rise. But its probably at least 50 ft up, with a distance of maybe 150-200ft away. Could I not set the tank up on the hill, hook some water hoses together, and run them down the hill at that distance and drop, giving me suitable water pressure for the drip line? And would 1/4" be suitable or would I need 1/2"? I would be running at least several 100' lengths off the side of the mainline to ocver every 100' row. Thanks! Joe M

 

[jeff9366]

Hey there.

I just tilled up a 100' x 45' bed for planting. I plan to put down black plastic mulch on part of that. Since there are gonna be times when I aint home to keep things wet, i figured I should put in some type of irrigation. Iit may as well be on the cheap.

For portable, six-month to one-year irrigation use T-posts with sprinklers on top, supplied by garden hose. We use hose Quick Couplers on the feed hose, moving from one sprinkler to the next. With ten foot tall T-posts you have really wide coverage, maybe 50'. We use this irrigation hardware in our 1-1/2 acre Blueberry field. Simpler, cheaper than drip.

Multiple venders sell identical LOW QUALITY, asian made T-post sprinklers. I bought at Tractor Supply Company. I would buy higher quality if it was out there, but, alas, not.

((Rainbird (brand) should sell high quality T-post bases.))

I recommend letting these LOW QUALITY sprinklers turn through 360 degrees, rather than oscillating. They operate trouble free fairly long turning through 360 degrees, only a short time oscillating.

LINK: Groundwork T-Post Sprinkler - For Life Out Here

What equipment did you use to prepare the bed?​

 

[zoedog2012]

Call Drip Works 1 800 522 3747, they will have the answer for you. Great company to work with. DripWorks.com - Drip Irrigation Supplies & Systems

 

[Mendonsy]

I have a garden with 9 raised beds that I drip irrigate from 250 gallon tanks. Those tanks are only about 5' above the beds, but my drip lines are 1/2" PVC pipe with 1/8" holes drilled every 3" so it's more like a dribble than a drip. In dry weather each bed needs to run for about 10 minutes per day.
Using those smaller lines and drip emitters would certainly require more pressure. If you have a 50' drop you would end up with about 21.5 psi.

 

[jeff9366]

"House" incoming water pressure is 55 psi to 60 psi.

 

[cmyoung2]

Yep, do this. I use their 1/2" drip lines under plastic, on a timer. The nice thing is they operate at low pressure, so gravity will work. I use a pressure reducer to get it down to maybe 10 psi, and a 9 volt timer to regulate watering. Works great

Call Drip Works 1 800 522 3747, they will have the answer for you. Great company to work with. DripWorks.com - Drip Irrigation Supplies & Systems

 

[jenkinsph]

Call Drip Works 1 800 522 3747, they will have the answer for you. Great company to work with. DripWorks.com - Drip Irrigation Supplies & Systems

I ordered some drip materials today and just compared prices with Drip Works. I bought mine from Baron Supply for a lot less, 1/2" poly 5000 ft. .06/ft for $300.00 220 160 drip line 3000 ft $96.00 total including delivery $396.
Drip Works price for the same materials $839 plus shipping, more than twice as much.

 

[jenkinsph]

"House" incoming water pressure is 55 psi to 60 psi.

Maybe at your house but much more variance in pressures exist all over the country. I see pressures from about 30 to 85 psi considered normal. I have seen water meters with 150 psi here in the mountains which require pressure regulators at each house to reduce to workable range of 45 to 85 psi. It is much easier to control the pressure in a more or less level community.

 

[smokinmad]

"House" incoming water pressure is 55 psi to 60 psi.

That depends on height of your water tower, our 100' tower puts out 32 to 35 psi.