Author Topic: watering system working  (Read 3112 times)

ACE

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watering system working
« on: March 20, 2019, 12:30:21 »
When I acquired my new plot I planned ahead and put the ibc tank at the back of the shed to gather the runoff from the roof. Then when siting the poly tunnel I put it just down hill from the tank. Sent off for a new tap to fit the tank that will take a hose. I got worried for a bit as I thought the new tap would replace the old one and I would have to drain a 1000 litres to fit it. The new tap came yesterday and what luck it fits onto the outlet on the old tap. All fitted with a hose on a gravity run to the poly and a battery timer clock that opens and shuts the valve. I am going away for 10 days so I dug a hollow in the ground and placed all the vulnerable seed trays and pots in it. 4 minutes water fills the hollow, then drains away, but it's there long enough to dampen the plants. I had it 4 minutes every 4 hours while testing but I reckon I can get away with it every 12/15 hours this time of year although the poly does get hot with the sun shining on the south side most of the day. I'll check tomorrow to make sure things do not get too waterlogged. I'll let you now if it worked.

Vinlander

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  • North London - heavy but fertile clay
Re: watering system working
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2019, 11:13:57 »
Is there something (other than the timer) to reduce the flow or is the "head" too low to need it?

I use drippers, so I need a tight, opaque cover against insects (and to stop algae growing) and a filter - without any they clog up 10x as fast.

Cheers.
With a microholding you always get too much or bugger-all. (I'm fed up calling it an allotment garden - it just encourages the tidy-police).

The simple/complex split is more & more important: Simple fertilisers Poor, complex ones Good. Simple (old) poisons predictable, others (new) the opposite.

ACE

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Re: watering system working
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2019, 11:31:52 »
Is there something (other than the timer) to reduce the flow or is the "head" too low to need it?




  Just the tap to adjust the flow. This is not a permanent system, just for holiday time and it worked well for the last ten days, perhaps a little less time needed for it to be on but what with the hot weather and the system it was like a jungle in the poly this morning. Outside on the plot was pleasing to see. Seedlings coming up everywhere, first earlies needed to be mounded up. Fruit and grape vines budding and a good show of blossom buds on the apple trees.  Also the may blossom on the surrounding hedges is in full bloom.

 

anything
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