Orchard Irrigation plan and project

[andrewj]

Sorry no pics. (I know this will familiarize many with the "back" button - maybe pics later...)

OK, I have a apple orchard with about 140 trees. I have 80 more trees coming in January. This will cover probably 2.5 of my 60 acres. Non irrigated orchards just don't thrive around here. Whether peach, apple, vineyards, etc.

I contacted a local irrigation co. called "WP Law" and went to see a rep. They did an irrigation plan for me which was invaluable to me. I told the rep that while I was irrigating just a few trees, I eventually wanted agriculture on most of the arable acreage so we did a plan that accounts for future expansion. I'm please with the future prospects of the land now.

The plan called for 2 inch "main" line with 1 inch "submain."

I have a buddy with a trencher. It is an old machine that has worn out teeth - I found that this severely limited the trencher's ability - I can get around 24 inches deep if I am lucky. I went with this, though my irrigation rep said 30 inches minimum to account for future bottom plowing if there eve rwas any.

His irrigation plan called for 5 zones. This meant I had to lay 18 guage wires with the pipe. I chose "18/7" which means I can add a total of 7 zones in the future.

So that's where I am - I have buried about 600 feet of mainline so far. 20 foot sections with a bell end and glue is the way to go.

Looks like the expensive part will be the blackline or "coverage." Not looking forward to buying that...

Let me know if anyone has questions.

 

[firemen122]

What size well and pump you running? Are your solenoids going to be were the 2in steps to 1 inch? Going to ue a simple lawn timer to activate solenoids? Overhead or drip or both? Why is blackline the expensive part? Used to be the cheaper part, although been a few years since I laid any. Good luck... What kind of price on trees and what size? Been thinking of starting small u-pick operation with anna and ein shimer apple here in florida..

 

[Apples]

When we set up our trickle irrigation in the orchard, we put all of our valves right next to the filter.We ran 1 1/2" black poly pipe to each zone,perpendicular to the rows.Then we connected the "ram" drip tubing to the main pipe. It was pretty simple and quick. We can add new zones if we want. We use a sand filter to clean up our creek water. Good luck with your project, and keep us posted.

 

[Apples]

Don't forget the deer fence!

 

[flusher]

Sorry no pics. (I know this will familiarize many with the "back" button - maybe pics later...)

OK, I have a apple orchard with about 140 trees. I have 80 more trees coming in January. This will cover probably 2.5 of my 60 acres. Non irrigated orchards just don't thrive around here. Whether peach, apple, vineyards, etc.

I contacted a local irrigation co. called "WP Law" and went to see a rep. They did an irrigation plan for me which was invaluable to me. I told the rep that while I was irrigating just a few trees, I eventually wanted agriculture on most of the arable acreage so we did a plan that accounts for future expansion. I'm please with the future prospects of the land now.

The plan called for 2 inch "main" line with 1 inch "submain."

I have a buddy with a trencher. It is an old machine that has worn out teeth - I found that this severely limited the trencher's ability - I can get around 24 inches deep if I am lucky. I went with this, though my irrigation rep said 30 inches minimum to account for future bottom plowing if there eve rwas any.

His irrigation plan called for 5 zones. This meant I had to lay 18 guage wires with the pipe. I chose "18/7" which means I can add a total of 7 zones in the future.

So that's where I am - I have buried about 600 feet of mainline so far. 20 foot sections with a bell end and glue is the way to go.

Looks like the expensive part will be the blackline or "coverage." Not looking forward to buying that...

Let me know if anyone has questions.

Educate me. "Blackline" refers to what?

Around here there are thousands of acres of irrigated olive, prune plum, peach, nectarine, almond, black walnut, mandarin orange orchards. I see black poly driplines being used as well as impact sprinklers. Irrigated hayfields in my area use surface irrigation on specially prepared fields that are laser leveled, graded, with checks to direct the water flow

What type of "coverage" are you installing?

 

[andrewj]

Black line refers to the "coverage" drip lines, that are black. I have also called them blue stripe with the irrigation guys. I am working through W.P. Law irrigation, who did the peach orchards in my part of the state.

laser leveling a field? Sounds like gilding the lily, with all due respect.

 

[ScottAR]

I don't know anything about orchards, but laser grading fields is common practice down here in rice country. Makes the levee system much easier to layout and install.

If this was not done, the rice plants in the low spots would drown and the plants in the
high spots would "drought" for lack of a better word.

Standing water is great weed control too. HTH

 

[flusher]

I don't know anything about orchards, but laser grading fields is common practice down here in rice country. Makes the levee system much easier to layout and install.

If this was not done, the rice plants in the low spots would drown and the plants in the
high spots would "drought" for lack of a better word.

Standing water is great weed control too. HTH

Orchards aren't laser leveled. However, they are deep-ripped with giant subsoilers on large Caterpiller tractors to break up the hardpan so the root systems of the planted saplings can get established quickly.

Irrigated hayfields (alfalfa usually) are laser leveled and graded for the same reason as your rice fields. There are thousands of acres of rice fields between Sacramento and Redding along I5 that are laser leveled. These rice fields are seeded by aircraft.

Non-irrigated hayfields generally are not laser leveled.