outdoor irrigation help

[tvc]

We are running 4 10x50 dep houses this year. We are going to set up drip irrigation system for timed waterings when needed, we are planting straight into the ground. Our site is slightly sloping. Its not level and we don't want to level it, the slopes not that major just slight, don't want t disturb native soil. Only doing light till and top dress before drilling our holes to place month old babies into. We need a system that has good pressure to push water (and organic nutrients when needed) down the lines to adequately water evenly over its cycle. Previously we have done hand watering and it was tough with 2 houses. Automation is a must, just trying to learn the ropes here.

we have a 550 gallon water tank setup at the topside of the holler (tanks are all uphill from houses) to feed down the lines which I plan to get some kind of line split so that we can provide different feeding to each house if need be. Also given the slope slight down hill the water will naturally flow but I'm sure I will need some type of pump

I also am not sure as to what size irrigation lines I should get because given we are growing organic I have heard its more likely to clog lines. So I'm thinking if we could get a size larger might help but then we'll need more pressure. Our nutrients using is "key to life" so they are water soluble if that helps in diagnosing our setup.


any help here is greatly appreciated!

 

[below frigid]

Feet of elevation tank above houses? 1 psi for every 2 feet. Nutrients in tank or fertigation. Flat tape better than tubing with emitters for you application. 1 inch main line minimum from tank 2 inch better. 500 gallons is not much for 3 houses. How do you fill?

 

[tvc]

Feet of elevation tank above houses? 1 psi for every 2 feet. Nutrients in tank or fertigation. Flat tape better than tubing with emitters for you application. 1 inch main line minimum from tank 2 inch better. 500 gallons is not much for 3 houses. How do you fill?

The 500 gallon tank is 50 yards above from the houses so a line will have to be ran from there. Ive since learned about dosers , I was wondering is there a way to just have one tank and irrigation drip lines to each house and at the beginning have a dosing setup into the irrigation to add any nutrients if needed. So we have a well on our farm we haul the tank to fill up and then leave it in the holler where our houses are. We are planting in the ground and we don't have to water much I'm thinking. Last year we had some testers in the ground and water them 1/2 what we watered our plastic pots.

 

[below frigid]

You better start planning spring is almost here. Your going to have to fill that tank every time you water. Line split into three is easy big line from tank into 3 smaller lines at the houses, sounds like you need to study up on irrigation and water volume versus pressure, distance versus elevation. You are going to have volume issues. Hauling water is going to get old. Probably go through the 550 every time you water.

 

[below frigid]

Dripdepot has a drip tape buying guide. Drip tape with the large emitters small diameter 5/8 I think it was will work designed for low pressure and low volume. You will need pressure regulator.

 

[tvc]

So were only going to have greenhouse carcass's I guess you'd say. Only the skeleton no plastic. So each time it rains our plants will get watered and also absorbing the water in the ground there is a spring that runs down the center of the holler we are growing in that will also help alleviate water needs. As to pressure I was going to put a well water pump to transfer from our water tanks ( we now have 2 550 gallons) down the drip line with some real pressure. Im starting to study the water pressure vs distance you mentioned above and think that will lead in the right direction. Just not so sure on diameter of drip tape really. whats small emitter vs large emitter pros and cons? I plan to have drip tape lined numerous rows out from each plant so lets say when the plant is small the inner drip tape line will water. As said plant gets bigger (as you would normally hand water in a circle and start extending the circle so the roots seek out water) I then cut the inner drip tape lines off and only allow flow down the outer lines of each row to make the roots reach out to get the water when we do have to water.. A lot but tried to help in understanding the situation

 

[below frigid]

If your going to feed through the drip less clogging with higher gph emitters. Still 3 house's? Volume of water is more important than pressure with the tape. Low pressure bigger main line from tanks = more volume. Pressure regulator to reduce pressure. You may have too much pressure. Main line split into 3 smaller at houses timers come on at different times to only water one house at a time max ,

 

[Dartmouth.Dank]

how do you adjust the ph of your water when using drip irrigation?