I've decided to try either using drip irrigation through lines with emitters or a soaker system, the garden will be too big this year to use sprinklers and with the possible drought forecasted I want a more efficient system. Thanks for any comments or thoughts.

-- Robert (STBARB@usa.net), March 17, 2000

Answers

Hi, Robert. I have used the soaker hoses with pretty good results. I bought a roll of the hose, cut it to length of the beds and put connectors with end caps on as needed. I used a seriesof twin valves with short lengths of regular hose between them so that I could water several beds at once. I put them in place before planting, then planted and mulched deeply to protect the hose from UV degradation, retain moisture, suppress weeds, etc. that you normally expect from mulch. I always take mine up, remove the end caps and flush them before storing in the fall as our well water, unfiltered for the garden and stock, contains particulate matter that clogs the pores otherwise. I have not used the hoses with emitters and can't compare. The soakers have been successful for us. When our Pyrs were pups, they found and chewed some. I put female ends on these shorter pieces and use them again with twin valves to encircle trees for watering at the drip line.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), March 17, 2000.

We use a drip irrigation system in our raised beds and some soaker hoses in our larger flat ground crops. I have a 550 gallon tank which is 15' above the garden on a hill and I fill it from our creek but it is also set up to be filled from the well. I gravity flow back to the drip system in the garden, 150' feet away. The whole set up was built in conjunction with a larger irrigation system but can be seperated by a series of valves. My regular system runs 100,000 gallons a day on a 12 hour basis or the equivalant of 1" of rain, per 3 hours of pumping time, keeping in mind that this is for pasture. The drip system from the tank lasts aqbout 2 weeks, I am adding another 350 gal. portable tank to the extended garden this spring. I expect to run out of water by the end of August, as we have had a dry winter.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), March 18, 2000.