Growing Spaces

[Lisa]

Hello!

I am looking into installing a drip irrigation system to help with more adequately and efficiently watering the raised beds. I have started to research this and have come to realize there are several types of systems with many components - a bit more complex than I had hoped! I found a company called "Drip Depot" on-line that has some good info and have emailed them some questions but of course wanted to get feedback from fellow dome users!

So... I am sure many of you have gone this route... what type of system have you installed?

What has worked well and what problems have you encountered?

Does your system bend easily to fit the curved beds?

Did you bury the hoses or leave them on the surface?

Is it necessary to have a power source? How does solar and/or batteries measure up?

What has been your watering schedule to best accomodate the needs of mature plants and seedlings? (I am assuming some hand watering is needed for germinating seeds and young seedlings.)

BTW - Our water supply is 200 feet away and we currently have to connect several hoses to reach the dome.

Thanks, as always, for sharing your experiences!
Lisa

[udgar.]

Dear Lisa,

I have installed two types of systems, one is a mini-spray system with an adjustable spray that are either half a circle or quater circle patterns. These are adjusted to spray just the width of the bed itself and the distance between the mini sprays is such that the spray patterns overlap each other only slightly.

One of the systems I did simply worked of the hose pressure from our domestic system and was on a battery powered timer. Another system watered out of the tank and had a 12 volt pump that was powered by a battery which was charged by a solar panel. In this type of system it is very, very important to have an excellent filter coming out of the tank as there is always a certain amount of particular matter, especially if you have fish swimming around. Unless you are very technically savvy I wouldnt really recommend this system. When using the domestic water system, I just have this running with a surface hose in the summer months and in the water months I simply hand water out of the tank which I replenish once a month. The dome is approximately 80ft away from the water system.

Another system I installed, had soaker hoses but again a very good in-line filter is necessary. Both systems seem to work very well, however the disadvantage of the mini-sprays is that in the summer, plants with big foliage tended to block the spray and prevent it from watering the whole bed unless you vigilantly trim back the protruding leaves. In the winter I generally water every three to four days and in the summer every one to two days. I would definatly obtain a moisture meter as often when the surface of the soil looks dry it is in fact quite moist lower down. It is only germinating seeds and young seedlings that need surface moisture.

Sincerely Yours,
Udgar Parsons
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[Lisa]

Hi Udgar,

Just wanted to let you know that I did install a soaker hose system and it is working beautifully!!! It seems to be fine being 200 feet away from our house and water supply. I attached the water pressure regulator that was required with the system at the end of the hose by the greenhouse instead of way up by the house. What a time saver - and now I know I am watering consistently and adequately.

A tip that was helpful for me: By placing a small container under the soaker hose in different places and checking after an hour, you can easily find out how much water is getting into your beds and then time your irrigation accordingly.

Happy gardening,
lisa

[Rodney Hoffman]

I would like to install a dip irrigation system that operates by using a pump and filter from the water tank. I have 110v supply in my 18-foot dome and do NOT have a convenient domestic supply of water in the winter.

What size of pump in gpm would I need for this type of system?

I will use a drip system to avoid the leaves from blocking spray heads. I anticipte using a timer system from 110v.

Do you have suggestions on what kind of system of drip I sould use?

Regards,

Rod Hoffman
Evergreen, CO

[Rodney Hoffman]

I have purchased a "Garden Treasures" DD330 Pond Pump that is specifically designed for ponds and the turbid water that often develops with organic growth - it is rated at 330 gph (5.5 gpm), is direct drive, and can pass 1/4" organic material. I think I want to suspend it from the tank cross brace like the solar pump to avoid placing the pump directly on the liner. This avoids the risk of vibration or heat from the motor piercing the pool liner membrane.

QUESTION #1: Can I purchase another aluminum bracket from Growing Spaces?

I also purchased a PPF800 Biological Pond Filter (in-line pressure filter with removable media designed for the same pump), also from "Garden Treasures".

The irrigation system I purchased is a "Raindrip" Landscaping Kit which is a drip watering system that uses the semi-rigid PVC 1/2" tubing as the main feed and 1/4" lines for drip emitters. You can add 1/4" misters spray heads and 1/4" soaker loops, but I will start with the basic emitters.

Question#2: Do you recommend an electronic timer that holds up well in the dome environment?

I agree that turning off the pump and system when not needed is paramount.

I added an in-line "anti-siphon" device near the top of the tank to prevent a siphon from forming after pumping and risking water loss from the tank. Guess I tend to be a bit of an over-designer (I am a recovering engineer).

BTW - all the aabove items were purchased from Lowes in Denver for about $150. These are seasonal items and buying them in the Fall is cheaper!

Udgar - thanks a bunch! My dome is every bit what I wanted and I love the technology and engineering that makes it SO functional and easy to maintain a favorable growing space!

Rod Hoffman, PE
Evergreen, CO

Phone: 303-674-0475 | Cell: 303-517-9430 | Fax: 303-679-9998 | E-mail: rodhffman@springmail.com

["Dr. Dome"]

The three types of drip system I have used or seen used are:
1. soaker hose, a strong rubber
2. emiter tubing with points at nine inch spacing where the water dribbles out
3. individual emitters throughout the dome

No matter which one of these I use the most important thing is to have a good inline filter, preferably one you can clean to prevent clogging of the system. The pump I have used is a SureFlow with a pressure switch attached to a timer. When the timer closes the valve, the pump switches off. It only gives a flow of 3.5 gph but it gives a pressure of 40 psi. You can get this pump in either a 12 volt version, or a 110 volt version.

The spacing of your drippers and drip lines would depend on how porous your soil is. Sandy soil would need drippers at closer intervals.

I am sure there is a lot of useful information on line about different systems.

Best regards,

Udgar Parsons