Drip Irrigation from rain barrel anyone??

Hey, folks!

Say, does anyone have any tips for setting a drip irrigation system up using a rain barrel?  In one patch, I presently use a system I purchased thru DripWorks and couldn't be happier.. but I have access to pressurized water there.  I've torn up a patch a little further out in the field and would like to be able to irrigate once I plant it out with brassicas.  I'd likely tie up all my garden hose if I tried to run water from the well out that far.  The site has a little bit of grade to it.  I think I could achieve a 4-5' elevation difference by setting a 55-gal barrel above the brassica patch.  I was going to punch a hole thru the barrel for a spigot and then basically run the same sort of system I run off the well.. particulate filter, 10psi pressure regulator, and then 1/2" mainline w/ DripWorks drip tape (I think it's 5/8").  Am I missing anything?  I'm not worried about getting water out there in the barrel.. I can use my tractor w/ pallet forks for that.  If additional elevation is necessary I thought about putting 4 small posts in the ground, reinforcing them to one another, and so making a raised platform that I can set the barrel on top of.

Let me know what you think!  Gosh I like this site.. too bad the rest of the Internet can't be this cool.

Hi Adam,

Glad you found Dripworks.  Usually I have to direct people there first, but since you are familiar with it, I can help you a bit more.

So 5’ elevation gives you about 2psi pressure which is enough to get an even(ish) run from their 1/4 inch non-pressure compensating drip line.  It won’t be a terribly long run and it might not be a completely even flow, but it should do the trick.  Alternatively you could use some of their non-pressure compensating emitters.  Unfortunately at such low pressures, I am afraid that pressure compensating emitters/drip line is just not going to work.  But don’t get discouraged, they have some emitters that work as low as 0 psi.

I hope this helps,

Eric