Watering a big Garden

[brightlightmojo]

Hello, I am trying to come up with a plan to irrigate 50 200 gallon smart pots. I watered the garden all by hand last year, and it took allot of time and effort. This year I would like to lay out a better way. I have a 1000 gallon tank, close to the garden, and approximately 50 feet above. I want to use pvc to run from the tank, to the pots. I've got some idea's, but was hoping to get some insight into what other peoples automated watering systems look like.

Thanks

 

[dubwise]

I'd go with what you know man...if you've already got a water source (tank,stream,well etc) then if the garden is permanent, then dig your irrigation lines below the frost line (if you've got one in your area) build the main and branches....cutoffs valves are very helpful and clean out valves are very helpful too. I've seen people put air intake valves in their systems to blow out excess condensation during winter months or even fill the system with antifreeze. There are many ways to skin that cat my friend.

 

[Guest02345]

i use a hose, a big ass pump and a watering wand when i do my OD. no matter how big the job.

 

[jackel]

Just use 3/4 black poly tubing instead of PVC. Put some sprayers (4 is better) around the plants. You can run several circuits so pressure is a little higher. You can run battery operated timers soo that you don't have to be present for it to water. You can even set timers so that half of garden or certain circuits are watered on one day, and others watered on next. I would advise this if you only have 1000 gal tank and are filling via spring.
50ft of "head" pressure won't be much. But if it worked last time, I guess it will work again.

 

[SeaMaiden]

IMO you're a fool if you don't put those pots on timed drippers. Can you hook up a timer like jackel recommends? Only thing with drippers is that sometimes you really have to step down the pressure.

 

[brightlightmojo]

Last year I didn't use the tank placed on the hill, I watered by hand. So I'm not sure if I should try and go higher with the tank, or if Ill have enough pressure now. To fill the tank I have a larger pool about half way between my water source and watering tank, so I pump in two stages to fill. I was going to use pvc was to run down the hill before reducing to smaller line. I thought that this would give me greater pressure, but if psi is determined with the 2.31 feet of gain of elevation, the diameter of the pipe doesn't effect the pressure? What are the sprayers you would recommend jackel.

I really appreciate the advise! Thanks!

 

[northstate]

Diameter of pipe will give you more volume going down the hill, you can max out your flow because only so much water can move through say one inch pvc no matter what pressure. 50 200g smarties seems like you need some serious water 10 gal x 50 = 500g a day some days. Use 1.5" pvc coming down and make a manifold that has three or four zones, step down to 1" pvc, through a FILTER, move the water close to plants, then to 5/8" poly to all your pots. Check out Dripworks for all types of fittings and things to make your life easier. I use the 5/8" poly with emitters in it every 18" and make a 10' spiral for coverage ( # DFET181 ) Pressure range is 10-50 psi. It soaks evenly and keeps 'em happy. Good luck on your project and hit me up if you need anything else.NS

 

[SeaMaiden]

Um... ok, crap, I'm used to working with pumped water, but I *think* that the diameter would cause pressure to increase, but not allow the flow to increase. In other words, increased pressure, decreased flow...?

Can someone who knows about such things confirm or deny?

I know this much--for our lower gardens we MUST use a pressure decreaser at the hose bib or we can either blow out the dripper line, or seriously overwater the beds. We have it stepped down to something like 30psi, IIRC. We are on a well, which is very deep, and I think is run off a 1/3hp pump with a pressure out of the head of approximately , which is ABOVE these gardens to which I refer, by perhaps 25' vertical feet or so.

 

[Papulz]

fyi, my set up is similar watching this one for sure..

I had to use 40 gal at the height of the season per 160ish gal pot for a total of 2000 gals of water per watering.

 

[Amanita]

I would suggest timed drippers as well.

 

[farmerjoe420]

........

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

Hello, I am trying to come up with a plan to irrigate 50 200 gallon smart pots. I watered the garden all by hand last year, and it took allot of time and effort. This year I would like to lay out a better way. I have a 1000 gallon tank, close to the garden, and approximately 50 feet above. I want to use pvc to run from the tank, to the pots. I've got some idea's, but was hoping to get some insight into what other peoples automated watering systems look like.

Thanks

Check my signature for my 2009 O.D. grow, I used PVC spliced into my sprinkler timer for a most excellent irrigation method that saved me hours a day...

 

[GP73LPC]

i use pvc, a battery operated timer and gravity. check my greenhouse link in my sig. got some pics of my setup in there.

they also make small DC pumps you could run with a small solar panel and battery...

 

[jackel]

I wouldn't use PVC. A couple reasons why. The biggest one being cost. Poly tubing is a lot cheaper. Secondly, PVC will get brittle in the sun and will have a greater chance of breaking. U have to glue every piece, and if u get a break now u have to cut, and glue in a splice.
Poly tubing is much easier to work with. Your pots don't need to be in straight lines, u can snake the poly where you need it.
If you need a new emitter, I just stab a hole and plug in emitter.
http://www.dripworks.com/
Sprayers: http://www.dripworks.com/product/Q_MST
This place has everything u need. I would use 3/4 poly, compression fittings. Break it into at least 2 runs. (one coming down from tank, than split into 2 at garden).
Run digital water timers. Set at different times.
Use 2-4 stake sprayers per bag.

 

[guest845704]

I have planned to have a dc pump filling huge container and some junctions of it directly to plants. controled by the tap.Then I realize that i dont need to water them so often to make such sustem. I can advise you tomething like that.

 

[mr.shiva]

Drip works is your friend

 

[mr.shiva]

I run dig battery powered controllers with dc valves .... Worth every penny, takes too long otherwise, that and I don't want to stroke out in the gh

 

[Yes4Prop215]

what size pumps are you running for 50 200 gal smartpots?

im thinking main storage tank of 1000-1500 gal capacity...running to 2-4 270gal reservoirs, each res will have its own quadrant of approx 12 200 gal smartpots.

is this too complicated? should i just run 4 pumps directly out of the 1500 gal storage, run 2 at a time and refil when its done...or run one single gigantic pump and split off the garden into sections with the valve manifolds that you can shut on/off..


also my water storage is elevated above the garden by a nice amount....so approx how many GPH do i need to get these ladies watered quickly and evenly all the way down the hilll. and any rec on good brands of water pumps that will knock this job out without breaking...

thanks in advance..

 

[Papulz]

just set mine up as 1.25" lines to each garden, then feed 1'' lines to the rows, which T at each pot and reduces to half inch. then each pot has a 2 foot diameter ring of 1/2 inch line drip line inside of it for even water dispersal.

it looks good so far but i've yet to clamp everything and check flow rates.

i put ball valves at the top of each garden to i can zone it if needed for optimal pressure..

fyi ive got a 2500 gal tank on a hill thats taking care of my reservoir and pressure needs.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

im gonna simplify mine to be Well ---> storage tank (1500-2000gal) ---> 1500 GPH water pump ----> 4 way manifold ----> each of the 4 lines leads off into a quadrant of a dozen 200 gal smartpots. i use the same pump and same res for the entire garden, and just switch up which line gets watered at the manifold.

then gonna do something similar to papuls and what i saw at my friends gardens, using 1/2 inch drip line in a coil on each pot.

if i need a bigger water pump than 1500 let me know, the storage is at a higher elevation so gravity will help out a bit as well....