Topic: DIY irrigation system

[zaz283]

I'll be starting my first ever allotment in Jan (booked a patch but waiting to see where the water tank is going for some allotments that'll be cleared in Jan) & want to do raised beds in a decorative layout, so they each won't be all that large... 1.5m x 3m for example. I intend to take a while to get it right..... ah, how it all seems so easy at this stage!

I've found the postings really helpful with advice, particularly about the importance of not over watering. However, I've got a chance before I start to make watering as easy as possible & am thinking about laying perforated small bore pipes under the beds. The idea is that I'd have a pipe at each end of the bed & would water by sticking a funnel in each end & water until both funnels full & leave to drain. The pipes would fan out under the bed (maybe 2 or 3 lines). I'd buy standard plastic piping & drill holes into it.

I thought this may speed up the watering chore in Summer (& allow more time to sit back & enjoy) ...  even if I'm next to water tank I'd still have to use watering cans, & we're only allowed small sheds so reduced chance of collecting enough rain water in butt.

Am I mad, or does it sound a runner?

[Derekthefox]

Well as my signature says, respect your dreams ... when I have these ideas, I keep churning them around to think them through, and see if I can be aware of the problems. The pipework sounds like it would perhaps work, but I would see problems with the funnel fitting into the pipe work. Unless it was a watertight fit, the water would spill out where it enters the pipe ... My estimate is that for the size of beds you are talking about, you may need to apply between 20 and 50 litres of water, this would be spread evenly through the soil, rather that local to the roots. Also eventually the holes in the pipes may clog up, and this would lead to frustration. Please don't be deterred by my comments though, I am not being critical, merely observing where I might anticipate problems.

The one thing an allotment does do is allow us to control our own environment, and on occasion, be original thinkers as well. I have had many successes with my own ideas, I wish you all the luck you may need to get it just right ...

[adam04]

i have used a similar system on the lottie only it ran using the mains.

i found the holes clogged up easily when diging the soil etc.   if the holes are too large it wont work, too small they clog up.

go look around see if you can make similar things to what are on the market.

maybe use something that could use the weight of the water to provide water pressure but also provide enough to stop the holes from bloking.

How about, and im not sure if this wuld work, and old length of guttering with holes drilled in the bottom and thin pip running into the soil. to the roots, the weight of the water being fed along the surface from the gutter would be enough to push water into the soil.  then you would simply fill up the gutter and it SHOULD work!  ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can get irrigation systems based on thin pipes with holes in them; I don't know what they're called. I've never tried anything like that, but I assume it works.

[jennym]

The seep hoses (the ones with small holes in them to allow water to seep out slowly) work best if laid along the top of the soil, or only just under the surface. They had them and used them extensively on the ornamental beds at the horticultural college I attended, had tried them beneath, but they weren't so effective. They had heavy clay soil that had been improved, it may be better on other soils.
Drip irrigation works well though, I've seen this in operation for permanents such as raspberry, blackberry and strawberry - basically a water source, pumped, feeds into a pipe. The pipe is supported at about 18" from the soil, and small outlets are inserted into the pipe to drip water near to the root area. All the ones I saw needed maintenance in hard water areas.
I don't see why this idea couldn't be used to run standard hose pipe from a raised tank, with the water gravity fed, and make small perforations where the plants are. Hose is reasonably cheap, so when it clogged it could be renewed. You'd need to keep the tank filled though, and some sort of mesh to prevent dirt entering the system.

[Icyberjunkie]

..or with your original idea simply place pebbles around the irrigation pipe and guttering over the top.  That would prevent blockage as in soakaways?

Iain

[BAGGY]

Instead of uiong a funnel to pour the water in why don't you try to rig a coke bottle (upside down withthe bottom sawn off) to act as a cistern/hooper.  Then secure the bottle on the outside of the raised bed and it will take 2lt of water at a time.  If you manage to fit guttering on each bed the rain could drain into the bottle.  Just an idea.

[zaz283]

Many thanks for great feedback.

Blocked holes were something I didn’t think about, so thanks Derek & Adam. Like idea of pebbles & guttering to overcome this Icyberjunkie & Adam… if bigger than holes should do the trick & will double as drainage when required.

Problem with seep hoses jennym, in that hope not to have to have rain butt if I can get next to water supply, & water might seep away too slowly for me to do as a quick hit once a day from watering cans

Like idea of using coke bottle rather than funnel Baggy… anything to keep cost down!

Went into local DIY store yesterday to survey the piped goods. Most promising looked to be standard grey cistern 15mm pipe work with T joints & end stops to fit. Haven’t worked out the cost but didn’t look too horrendous.

Will keep you posted although likely to be Feb before I get started since not even sure where the spade will land!

[Icyberjunkie]

Keep us updated John.  Be interesting to follow your progress

[Melbourne12]

We used "porous pipe" from these guys:
http://www.lbsgardendirect.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=R-PPM&recno=4

They have it on special offer from time to time, so you can get it half price - it's quite expensive otherwise.

I typically lay a single pipe along the middle of each raised bed, then connect them together with ordinary hosepipe.  The far end is closed off.  LBS sell the connectors and stoppers too.

Then the whole system can be connected to a hosepipe to water say 6 raised beds each 6 to 8 metres long at once.  More than that and the pressure isn't sufficient (I tried).

The pipe works best on the surface.  At the end of the season it needs to be descaled with acid.  Just dunk it in an acidulated water butt.  We use citric acid available from brewing shops, but vinegar would do if you have a cheap supply.

Next year I might try connecting porous pipe to a water butt to give a constant slow supply.  I'm not sure about this, though - firstly whether the pressure will be enough to deliver anything at all, and secondly I'm worried that this might encourage surface rooting of the plants, which won't be productive.