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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] irrigation
  • Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:55:58 -0400


On Aug 20, 2009, at 11:23 AM, Garth & Kim Travis wrote:

Greetings,
I don't want emitters, I tried them once, useless. Have they changed
much? How do you keep your soil biology healthy with dried out beds? I
like what a good soaker hose does, it is perfect for my set up, but they
don't exist anymore. My plants are spaced very close in raised beds, I
want the whole bed nicely wet, not just part of it.

Drip tape will do that, if you space it properly.

Drip tape does not have separate emitters that you have to put in; the emitters are built in, part of the tape. Spacings vary, but 12" is common and will almost certainly do what you want; just leave it on till the moisture spots start to merge. The moisture will be more evenly spread underground than at the surface. Two or three lengths per bed should do it, depending on your soils. Modern drip tape doesn't clog up much, though you do need a filter in the line; if you're using clear well water, a minimal in-line filter will work; if you're using a pond, you need a disc filter probably; really mucky water might need a sand filter. My pond water is moderately mucky and a disc filter is enough.

I use whatever brand the local supplier carries; they order mostly from Nolte's, I believe. It saves me considerably on shipping to buy from the local people as they are close enough to pick up from. If you have to mail order, try to find a decent priced supplier in your general area. The prices in garden catalogues are generally very high. -- A possible disadvantage is that you may not be able to find a roll shorter than a couple thousand feet or more, except by going the garden catalogue route, and it sounds as if you may not be using that much; but it may be cheaper to buy more than you need from a commercial supplier. Store the extra in the barn and you'll have it available for years for replacements.

I'd recommend getting a heavier weight if you want to leave it in place for more than one year, and not the very lightest weight unless you want to be super careful with it. I use 10 mil in most applications and 15 mil if I want it to stay put for several years.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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