• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
  • r ranson
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Liv Smith
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Matt McSpadden
  • thomas rubino

Drip irrigation kit for dummies

 
                          
Posts: 15
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
In an ideal world, I 'd read up on drip irrigation, ask questions then evaluate the different products out there. Unfortunately, I squeezed for time. I'm working fulltime, preparing to sell the house and move to Zimbabwe by end of August so I have time to settle before the rainy season starts. I'm tired just thinking about all the stuff I haven't done. So my question is, given my utter ignorance what's the best kit I can get for about half an acre. I'm looking for ALL inclusive - start up and go. The prices I've seen vary so wildly I'm not sure what to make of it.

I've seen this  http://www.robertmarvel.com/HomeGardenDrip.html and http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/heartkit.php and http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8252-250-ft-irri-gator-kit.aspx and tons more on amazon.com. Any pointers? 

Oh, one more http://www.harborfreight.com/irrigation-drip-kit-46095.html
 
pollinator
Posts: 4437
Location: North Central Michigan
41
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
used to be able to get some really good quality kits but haven't seen them in a while..I bought mine about 30 years ago and have reconfigured them many times.

remember to get non drip hose to go under paths and the push in connectors are really great that come with drip and non drip hoses that push into the plastic connectors..

buy extra connectors if you are in a frost area as occasionally they'll crack and need to be replaced esp after years of reconfiguring..

I THINK I orignally bought mine at K mart..but we no longer have a K mart here..so parts aren't avail to me any more..unless i drive where there IS a Kmart and they still have parts??

i love it though, have several acres of ornamental and food areas covered by several drips with lots of shut offs
 
pollinator
Posts: 11853
Location: Central Texas USA Latitude 30 Zone 8
1258
cat forest garden fish trees chicken fiber arts wood heat greening the desert
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Brenda, what kind of drip system do you have - does it just have holes in tubing or does it have emitters?  I had a small system with emitters but they broke very quickly and I gave up on it.  I still have a lot of the tubing and connectors, etc and want to use them for something.
 
Brenda Groth
pollinator
Posts: 4437
Location: North Central Michigan
41
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
the kind i have came with soaker hoses, emitters and sprinklers..the emitters and sprinklers weren't the best, cheap, but the soakers are wonderful..I've used them forever..some emitters still work also
 
Tyler Ludens
pollinator
Posts: 11853
Location: Central Texas USA Latitude 30 Zone 8
1258
cat forest garden fish trees chicken fiber arts wood heat greening the desert
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thank you, maybe I'll try soaker hoses.    I wonder if they will clog with our hard water?  Maybe if I run rainwater through them every so often they won't....
 
steward
Posts: 7926
Location: Currently in Lake Stevens, WA. Home in Spokane
350
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If you are talking about the cheap soaker hoses that every hardware or garden store sells, I can't imagine water so hard that it would plug them.  If it does, just turn them on, and if you find an area that isn't dripping, just prick it with a sewing needle where you want more water.  Their biggest enemy is UV rays, but under a layer of mulch (where they should be), they should last at least until you say "OOPS!" one day while hoeing weeds.
 
Tyler Ludens
pollinator
Posts: 11853
Location: Central Texas USA Latitude 30 Zone 8
1258
cat forest garden fish trees chicken fiber arts wood heat greening the desert
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks John! 
 
Brenda Groth
pollinator
Posts: 4437
Location: North Central Michigan
41
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
all systems are flushable..i have high calcium in my water
 
Posts: 52
Location: Yonkers, NY/ Berkshires, MA USA
2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I know this thread is old, but I'm wondering what suppliers people have used (somewhat recently) for drip irrigation parts or kits. We are building a large rainwater collection system off the barn roof and I am planning to build a rather large drip system off of that for young trees and shrubs.

My initial online search brought me to a supplier with commercial grade expandable and customizable kits... However I am not finding that now. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
I agree. Here's the link: https://woodheat.net
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic