Drainage tile question

I would like to install about 4 acres worth of drainage tile so I could plant sweet corn a lit
tle sooner than usual, and was wondering what I should look for when buying tile. The length of the ditches for the tile would be about 300-400 ft long, some a little shorter. The soil is a sandy/loam/clay texture.

How far apart should they be spaced? How deep?
What diameter?
Put Gravel Around the pipe?
Are there different grades or qualities to look for?

Any help or advise would be greatly appriciated!

Thanks, Pat

Where I live, rolling hills, so pattern tiling is not done. Out on the level, they usually run 80' apart here in big farming country, with 4 or 6". I don't think any of my experience applies to 5 acres of level truck farm!

--->Paul

They would weld a chain onto the point of a 6" sharpened to a point steel bar. Then attach the chain to a subsoiler shank.

You either have to dig holes or start the bullet from a ditch bank and plow the field with the bullet running about 18" underground.

There was no tile or pipe installed behind the bullet, just the run of the bullet for drainage.

According to the U of Neb report the bullet fields drained as well as the tiled fields and the channel lasted for 5 years or so.

3" drain till was used untill found out cloged with silt in a couple of years, 80 year ago, 4" became the norm, wast your money with anything smaller, will be replacing in short time

I do remember for sure they used a 6" solid bar sharpened to a point and it was 3' long.

They attached it to a nekked subsoiler shank with and 18" peice of chain and drilled it at 18 to 24" depth.

I personally have some 4" pipe on 30 foot centers, that I grew vegetables on. After a rain or series of wet days, as the field dried it did so in strips, spreading out from pipe. My farmer friend with the 2" pipe on 20 foot centers tells me that field dries more uniformly. I understand that as far as pipe is concerned 2" on 15 foot centers is actually less expensive than 4" on 30 foot centers. The installation on 2" being more expensive. My friend tells me that to date 2" is going over well with vegetable and special crops like flowers, etc. I would expect that value of crop along with smaller acreage is driving force on smaller pipe.

I cant help you grade of pipe, probably 15 years since I bought it. If your close to a farm drainage contractor or store, I would try there as opposed to hardware stores.

Here in my part of WV, we dont have much Agriculture, so I will most likely have to get it from some other area.

Can you put it in a trench from a ditch witch?

Also, should I rid the area of the trees (5-6) due to roots?

I would think the ditch witch would work just fine. Big item you have to watch is staying on grade. Agricultural drainage machines all are laser controlled today, for staying on grade.

On the tree item there are certain trees that are bad. Only one I ever personally had problems with was willow. I wouldn't worry about trees around perimeter of field. Those nice shade trees in middle of field are the problem ones. I used open drainage ditches along forest line or edge of field.