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linchat_gw

Well water, drip system, opinions needed.

17 years ago

Hello all,

I have a 18-20 container garden and I am currently using the Mister drip system (a new install). The drip system is punched into the sprinkler system.

I am using a few drippers, .5 gph, 1 gph and 2 gph (2 gph is too much the pots are flooded quickly will be replacing with 1 gph)

The drippers seem to soak directly beneath the plant and not the whole pot. Is this ok or should I be using something that is more of a spray or mist?

I know this question has been kicked around but could not find direct answer. Should I be using well water over city water or vice verse?

Thanks!

Comments (9)

  • 17 years ago

    Hi linchat take a look at
    http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumeria/msg0812135925478.html?19

    I think that's you need.
    {{gwi:49286}}
    John
    from Greece

  • 17 years ago

    Well water versus city water depends on the quality of both and in most cases is six of one, half dozen of another.

    As far as emitters, high flow emitters generally will result in the water not watering evenly as it just runs through the pot. A couple solutions are use lower flow emitters for a longer time period or use emitters that disperse water over a greater area such as the misters or mini sprinklers (inverted types). Another solution is to add more drip type emitters (of lower flow). Example, a 1gph emitter delivers the flow you want, but not the coverage. Use 2 1/2 gph emitters.

    It does take some experimentation to get things dialed in the way you want.

    For larger pots you might prefer the drip hoses with emitters prebuilt in with 6" spacing. Wrap them around the pot to get a more even dispersal of water.

    Also keep in mind that just because the surface isn't evenly wet this doesn't mean a couple inches below the surface the same is true. The water tends to fan out horizontally as it goes downward.

  • 17 years ago

    You say your drip system is punched into your sprinkler system, in that case the timing of the sprinkler system is in control of the drip emitters. With this limit your only variable is the GPH of the emitters. If I read your post correctly you are doing containers of 18 or 20 inches, or possibly 18 or 20 containers of an indeterminate size. The larger containers would do better with two or more emitters. If your well water has a high mineral content that plugs small GPH emitters that may control your choice of emitters. I have a mineral water problem with my well and am forced to use a water treatment system to remove much of the minerals. Al

  • 17 years ago

    John,

    Nice pics of your container garden, but I am trying to water the root zones only. Do not want to invite fungus or molds on the plants I am growing. 10b is humid and molds are easily grown here. :)

    I switched the system over to driper stakes which shoot out 6 lines of water in about 6-12 inch diameter depending on pressure.
    http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=44223-1029-MLD-STA&lpage=none

    Last night I put the dripper system on a timer from the sprinkler system. Now my dripper system goes off a few minutes after the sprinklers start, the time is synced. The plants get about 4 minutes of water which is doing the trick. Before I added the timer, the system was just watering at the will of the sprinkler timer which was 45 minutes :) (flood like conditions for the containers)

    I was also looking at http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/misters.php, about half way down the page is a cframe downward sprayer which looked nice, maybe better.

    How do you add pictures to the message?

  • 17 years ago

    Sorry the first line of my last message was for john and the rest of the message was a general response to everyone who replied. Thanks for the replies.

  • 17 years ago

    Hi linchat,
    in Athens we have more than 80f temperature, at summer and those days, and very low humidity, also I solve the problem of fungus or molds, fist by watering spraying before sunset (not at night) and secondly I use a homemade formula for most insects White Mites Aphids etc you can see at my pictures how heakthy are looking.
    John

  • 17 years ago

    sorry,
    about temperature in Athens the correct is more than 95f or 35c.
    About how you cam add pictures at your messages, create an account at www.photobucket.com, then upload your pictures.
    If you want to add a picture in a message, click the HTML code and past to your message, try it.
    John

  • 17 years ago

    John,

    What kind of plants are you growing in the picture?

    Thanks for the info for html. Did not know you could use html code in these messages.

  • 17 years ago

    Hi linchat,
    apricots-peaches-almonds--cherries-plum trees and some others, Lemon trees - pistachio/nut trees - Olive trees (and propagation, I know very well those trees)- cycads , some flower shrubs : Queen of the night - some roses - jasmine and of course my latest love PLUMERIAS.

    The most important is : a)that all the above trees growing very well in pots and b) Most of them are in common garden soil mixed with humus from cutted grass and old ship manure, of course for the plumerias I use different soil mix, unfortunally in Greek market we have only a few quarantee good soil mix and those are very expensive, so I make my own with excellent results.

    Many friends from abroad ask me how they hrive all those in pots and how I propagate olive trees, so I have ready printed informations, if you are interesting, open a new topic or send me you email to send you those informations.

    John
    from Athens