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  • From: Roger Weeks <rjweeks70 AT comcast.net>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re: Automatic Watering System Question
  • Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 09:22:17 -0700

Pat -

Out here in the dry west, drip irrigation is the only reasonable method of watering crops. Overhead watering is just too wasteful and only promotes weed growth and plant disease.

In my case, I've got a half-acre field of mixed vegetables and flowers, all fed by black 3/4" drip hose, off of which comes T-Tape, a flexible flat drip tape that you can unroll.

Much of my T-tape is buried to keep the water in the ground where it is needed, and so it isn't broken during cultivation, but I have lots of it aboveground too.

We water early in the morning - from 5-6am, so the water in the hose is not hot, and so that the plants are well watered before the hot of the day hits. I would advise doing the same.

However, I believe that plants actually prefer warm water, I know I've seen studies about feeding plants warm water in greenhouses to increase plant growth - but I can't find any of those studies. :/

We've had drip irrigation systems in our yard for years, and have watered during the hot day when needed - it doesn't harm the plants at all. Especially since the emitters are basically dripping into the ground, and not on the plant itself.

Roger Weeks

Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 11:26:46 -0400
From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
Subject: [Market-farming] Automatic Watering System Question
To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>


We bought an automatic watering system for our garden, and
will be installing it very soon (I hope!). It has hoses and
emitters, as the perforated hose-type does not suit our
setup. The emitters will work better for our garden.

The water that first comes out of the emitters will be hot,
because it will be water that has been sitting in the hoses,
in the sun.

Have people found this to be a problem?

If so, what have you done about it?

Thanks!

Pat




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