Making a irrigation system Help

ditchwitch

Well-known Member
I have a 80 x 250 garden. I am trying to rig up some kind of irrigation system. For my water source i have a well right at the garden. I tried 1/2 in PVC pipe 250 foot long and drilled 2 really small holes just off center of top like at 11 and 1 o'clock hoping the water would spray or mist 2 or 3 rows each side of the pipe. Problem was i didnt have enough pressure for the 250 foot so i cut the pipe in half down to 125 foot. I actually have plenty of water just not enough pressure. Would it be possible to put a pressure washer inline to increse my pressure and fix my problem.
Im not looking for something big and costly. And im not trying to water the whole 80 x 250 at one time. If i could mist 2 or 3 rows each side of the pipe would be great. I know with all the knowledge of yall folks on here this could be a easy fix .
Thanks for your imput in advance.
 
1/2 inch pipe is pretty small for a 250 foot run. You need to go much bigger; I'd use at least one inch. There is no such thing as pipe that's too big.

What I use to water our much smaller garden is a impact sprinkler mounted on top of a five-foot long section of 1/2 inch galvanized pipe. The sprinkler head I use is similar to one shown in the link below. These sprinklers can cover a 40 foot radius when mounted high if there's enough water pressure. In your case, you could mount a sprinkler on the main line every twenty or thirty feet to cover your 80 foot wide strip. You probably won't be able to run them all at once unless you have a quite large pump, as each sprinkler head requires 5 gallons per minute.
Impact sprinkler head
 
How many GPM can your water source deliver?

Can you split your runs in the center of the garden and then feed each shorter 125 foot run from the center of the garden? Something like four runs in an "H" pattern? You will need a larger supply line to feed into the center of the "H" or into multiple "H's":
A 1 inch supply line would feed into four 1/2 inch runs (one "H").
A 1 1/2 inch supply line would feed eight 1/2 inch runs (two "H's") and
A 2 inch supply line would feed sixteen 1/2 inch runs (four "H's").
 
By the way, you can find information on line regarding pressure drop through a pipe, just google "pipe pressure drop". I used one such calculator to determine the pressure drop over 250 feet at 5 gallons per minute for different pipe sizes:

1/2": 27 psi
3/4": 7 psi
1": 2 psi
1.5": 0.2 psi
2": 0.1 psi

So you'll have problems running a single sprinkler head over 250 feet with 1/2" pipe.

Now, let's say your pump can put out 20 gpm and you want to run four 5 gpm sprinklers over an average distance of 200 feet:

1/2": 315 psi
3/4": 74 psi
1": 22 psi
1.5": 3 psi
2": 1 psi

Even one inch pipe will be marginal at 20 gpm.
 

As Mark says your problem is friction loss, you need bigger diam. Look into soaker or "seep" hose. It will flow the water more slowly and you could probably do much more area at once although you would probably need to leave it longer. The hose would be much easier to move handle and store, and you get less evaporation than with a spray type system.
 

I also like the seep hose, but I refer to as a weep hose.
The only problem I've seen with it is if your water has a lot of minerals in it it will plug up the holes in the weep/seep hose.

Dusty
 
(quoted from post at 04:15:48 06/18/14)
I also like the seep hose, but I refer to as a weep hose.
The only problem I've seen with it is if your water has a lot of minerals in it it will plug up the holes in the weep/seep hose.

Dusty

I can see that minerals could be a problem. Our water as a kid when we used seep hose was very soft. Vinegar or some milkstone remover from a dairy supply would take care of it by pouring a quart or so into the hose then turning the water on.
 
Now that i really dont no. but judging by the water and pressure i get from just out of the hose pipe, i figure i could be around 5 gallon a min maybe a tad more. I do understand about the size of the supply line i was thinking i didnt have the volume in 1/2 to start with but i just tried it anyways just to see
 
i actually bought 2 of those on a tripod but they are from Lowes. There pretty cheap ones. i know i cant run both at the same time because it cuts way back. and they are only about 3 1/2 foot tall. maybe i get it higher it would work better. I even tried those fan sprinklers 2 at a time. But draging all that hose pipe around is what i am trying to get away from if possible
 
Yea Mark That google is cool didnt think to even look there actually. I like good info from folks like yourself thats been there done that kinda thing. that info is worth more than gold. I do kinda understand the pressure drop. I figured i didnt have the volume (pipe size) that i would need. i was just hoping i could rig up something rather simple and easy to water. i even tried when i cut the 1/2 inch in half i feed water to it from both ends with a hose pipe splitter valve to try to help with the pressure drop. it did work a little better after adjusting the hose closer the the well end. but it didnt do what i was looking for.
 
Man this is all great info. i like the pressure pump idea. i like the taller sprinkler idea. i like the soaker or drip hose idea. I will start with the sprinker idea first im suse i can find a better one in town other than the cheap one i got from Lowes. The reason im tring to make this kinda simple and easy because its just my wife and myself that made this big garden and we give the stuff away to folks that need it. We dont mind the hard work at all. I actually have a full time job and she is at home working in the yard which if you have ever seen her yard and all the flowers its really impressive. I give her all the credit for that i am just the yard slave LOL. And now we thru in a big garden on top of that. So any good advise on my irrigation is very much appreciated
 
My sister is in charge of the garden, it is 50x200 and she waters with drip tape and/or emitter tubing depending on the plant. I just help a bit up there from time to time. This is the company from which she gets supplies.
Zach
dripworks
 
Dusty, one of the posters Zach also said something about drip tape and he sent a link that looks like the hott idea there, and its alot cheaper than i thought. I could put it close to the plant and have plenty of room to till in between the rows. See i knew folks on here had there stuff together. I love the been there done that kinda people on here and all the awesome info.I am going to call them and get some stuff on its way. Thanks again
 
My 'garden' is the same size as yours. The Drip Tape works great.
A few things to consider, tho.
It requires 10 - 15 psi to operate.
May need a pressure regulator.
You will need a filter(s)
Create differnt zones depending on your pump capacity.

I use stream water and have gravity fed 12 psi at the system. I use the inline spin-on filters which require cleaning a lot, but I dump fertilizer in em easily each time I do.
The lines tend to expand in the heat when empty, so a shovel of dirt every few feet controls it.
I get all my supplies at 'RAINFLO' just google them. They are in PA
 
I have mine all on a timer. When it turns on it runs drip irrigation on everything but the row plants. The rows get those bubblers if they are close ir a soaker hose. It takes a while a get all of the pieces you need but it really saves water as it puts it down on the roots. Also helps with damp-related fungus.
 
I actually called Dripworks the place poster Zach sent the link to. The lady was really helpfull. Even she said i would have to do zones but thats ok with me. There website had alot of good information about that drip tape and how much water and pressure you need and even about a pressure regulator. I look at that link you sent and see what they have maybe they a little cheaper. It looks like around 350 bucks i can have a pretty good drip tape setup.
 
I was thinking of a semi-permanent setup using a large-diameter pipe with sprinklers mounted along its length. Install unions so the pipe can be broken up and moved for spring tilling.

The sprinklers would need individual shutoffs, since it's unlikely your well can feed them all at once.

Going from a 3-1/2 foot standpipe to five feet probably won't get you much more sprinkeler radius. You're up against the acceleration of gravity, and out at the radius edge the water is falling almost vertically. Even if your sprinkler is 100 feet off the ground, you'll only get much coverage.

Drip irrigation is a good idea, but even drip can run into pressure drop issues over 250 feet.
 
Go to a place that sells farm irrigation. They should have the drip tapes. I know that it comes on a roll and they cut what is needed for each job. See if something like that will work for you
 
Driptape, This is the greatest invention since the tractor. Works great, is economical and puts the water right where you want it.
 
LOL, I am quickly learning this for sure, i went to the website a couple of the posters sent. I was really impressed. Now i just have to get it here and get it set up. I know its a little late in the season for it but i know how it will be for next years garden for sure.
 

I started this way that's the only reason I will stay with it...I have two set ups one on a well and one on pond water.... On the well I can run 2 sprinkler heads at a time on the pond pump I can run 4 at a time...

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Drip irrigation system is the only way to go.

I used sprinkler heads on top of T posts plumbed with garden hoses for years. Very inefficient and kept the garden too weedy. Drip system put water where it needs to be and not between the rows, lots fewer weeds.

Next I used the low pressure system with the .4 gallon per hour emitters every 12". It required a pressure reducing valve and was problematic. Plugged emitters, failed valves etc. Hose was really flimsy and would twist up and kink. It was designed to be disposable and I was trying to reuse it. I used that system for a couple years and tossed it.

I now use a heavier tubing with .9 gpm emitters every 12". No pressure reducing valve and the emitters are self cleaning,so far no stoppages. I have about 60'X150' row crop garden with 18 rows. I have 2- 9 row zones set up on a Hunter battery operated irrigation controller. All automatic. The tubing is easy to roll up and reuse. I have individual valves on each row. This gets cultivated with my Farmall Super C and the tubing stay put right next to the plants.

Sizing the system is critical. Too many emitters and your water supply won't keep up. To few and the well cycles too often. My well guy recommended sizing each zone such that the pump runs continuously and maintains 55psi.
 
Thats good information Dean ,Thank you. Yes the more i listen to the posters comments on here and have gone to the couple links they have supplied the drip tape system that seems like the most bang for your buck. And as i read about the pipe i can tell the heavier guage is what i will buy. Just for the same reasons you are saying. I like your idea of the battery powered timmer. Reason is the only power i was going to have is if i make a 110 leg off the well. So hopefully in the next couple weeks or less ill have a drip tape system.
 
If your biggest concern is volume, why not divide the garden into two equal sized parcels and just water each parcel every other day, instead of trying to water the entire garden all at once.

Doc
 

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