Under mulch! Don't offer weed seeds both water and light....

I'm pretty much a newbie too. The last two years I gently poured cups of water on each plant. It worked pretty well, but I think my raised beds dried out too fast and I wasn't consistant enough.

I thought about regular soaker hoses, but they seemed so inflexible, I didn't think I'd be able to cover the bed well.

I didn't think individual drippers would work well for me, since every year (and within a season) I'd have different numbers of plants in different squares. So, I'm trying a "mini" soaker hose system. One-quarter inch soaker hoses, plugged into 1/2 inch header hose. They are thin so they are much more flexible than the "standard" size soaker hoses, but since they come off a header hose, you really only need to lay them straight anyway.

I've installed them in one 4x4 bed and one 2x4 bed, running 4-foot lengths down the middle of each row of squares. I'm hoping that will be enough even for the 9/sq. and 16/sq. plants (I've got LOTS of compost in my soil). If not, I can easily add more lengths. So far I'm happy with them. Of course the true test will be during this summer's heat.

Has anyone else tried using a mini-soaker hose system like this or a drip irrigation system?

Here is a link that might be useful: Lee Valley mini-soaker hose system

That soaker hose system is exactly what I am thinking about installing. (Thanks for the link, I couldn't remember where I saw it). Right now I have sprinklers that are part of our lawn sprinkler system in the garden,but they are more like misters. I would love to change them out at some point. Please let us know if the soaker hose worked for you in the heat. You have one hose down the middle of each square row? That is what I was thinking about doing.

Hi michele. Yes, I've got one hose down the middle of each row, just under the surface of the soil. So far I think they're working well, though I'm having a hard time trying to decide how much to run them. Just the typical newbie problem knowing how much to water, really. And then a few times I've turned them on and forgotten about them for awhile (oops!). Maybe I'll get an auto timer or volume shutoff gizmo.

I'll try to remember to post about it this summer; I'm curious about how many others use a similar system.

I'm new to SFG, but I know I'm bad at remembering to water, so I'm going to try a drip system on a timer. I'll install one as explained on the Urban Farmer page.

I'd also be curious to know how many others use drip systems.

Riff, do you feed the 1/2 supply line under the garden boxes, or over the boxes? I was thinking about burying them under the boxes, so as not to trip over them when they run between beds. But I'm wondering if that's the right way to do it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Urban Farmer page

Hi XeriJen. Since my garden bed boxes were already in place, I ran the supply line along one top edge of each box. With a bunch of 90-degree elbows, you could turn them straight down the sides, then under the ground to the next bed. I'm thinking about doing that but haven't yet gotten around to it.

I really don't know if there's a right way, but since I wanted my mini-soaker hoses near the surface of the soil, it helped to have the supply line near the surface as well.

A quick look at that page seems interesting--I'll have to take another look at it later.

Hope you enjoy the SFG as much as I do!

--Riff.

You know, this is a good thread to discuss when the SFG method is appropriate. (Heresy!) I have 32 squares, with another 20 being prepared.

But when you have to go to drip irigation, have you outgrown the method? If you do not have the time to splash your squares with warm, sun heated water, are you beyond the idea of SFG?

I do love SFG on my small lot. It's a wonderful intensive small scale method, but when you go big time, does it make sense?

Riff, that sounds like a much better approach, thanks. That saves me a lot of work upending the boxes I just put down and filled last weekend.
Without getting into a debate about SFG, to which I'm a professed newbie, I have to say that for me personally, it's a lot less hassle to install a drip system than it is to go out and water every day. I only have 4 4x4 squares, but with travelling, work, etc it's just easier to have things on an automatic timer. The last time I tried to water a new bed by hand I forgot about it and the neighbors had to call the water company the next day to come turn it off while I was at work. Can't wait to get that water bill...

Joe, that's a good question. But I've only got the equivalent of two 4x4 foot beds, so I'm most definitely not big time! It may seem silly to install a system for so small a garden, but I think it will provide me more consistant watering and better quality vegetables.

But, even on a big scale, I think using a drip/soaker irrigation system doesn't negate the advantages of SFGardening, especially reduced garden space. The ideal soil, untrodden raised beds, and close planting (none of which are really unique to SFG) are still valuable. Same for the square foot organazational structure, succession planting, and compost renewal.

I do like the idea of examining each plant as you water it, for disease, pest, or soil problems. Now I just do it while the irrigation system is on!

--Riff.

Joe:
Square footing still makes sense for me, and I'm running the following:
4x17 (buried soaker)
4x14 (buried soaker)
4x8
3x10
3x12 (along a fence)
3x20 (also along a fence used as a long gourd/squash trellis, but includes an asparagus bed and a pad for large watermelons to stretch out.)

Less work per foot of growing area carries forward into larger scale just fine if using low impact or "natural" methods are part of your goal.

Just wanted to check in and say that we got our drip system all set up, and then we went out of town for almost a month. We just got back, and the corn and squash that hadn't even come up when we left is half a foot tall, and the tomatoes are almost as tall as I am! So I'm quite pleased with the fact that we can water automatically, and it's working great.

Howdy, XeriJen!

That's a very encouraging report.

I'm in favor of having an effective automatic water control layout for use in many cases, such as vacations, accidents, illness, or even the daily watering needed during periods of intense heat and drought. (In most of the Southwest, we spell that last problem, s-u-m-m-e-r.)

I'm trying for a real yard myself, soon. I probably will be putting in a timed system for landscaping, as well as a backup system for veggies (in case of Mandatory Incredible Working Hours, patent pending).

XeriJen, thanks for the update! Quite a happy result for being gone so long! I've got soaker hoses, but no timer -- now you've got me thinking about a timer. (Mostly for vacations, but also for MIWH, too.)

--Riff.

Thanks for the soaker hose idea. I don't have that much, just 7 squares. But here in AZ, its just so hard to get enough water to them, not to mention the sunburns while watering. My husband and I have been trying to figure out what to do. I think the hoses are the perfect solution.

Here is a link that might be useful: my page

Ok, let me try and ressurrect this interesting thread...

I have a 3x43 sq ft bed - not completely planted up yet. I bought a 50ft 'rubber sprinkler'
Description: 'gentle misting action ideal for watering newly seeded grass, plants and shrubs
Excellent for long narrow areas,
Stripe up for sprinkling, stripe down for soaking'

I plan on soaking.

My questions are:
Run the hose down the middle, right?
Will it be enough to water all 3 rows the same, or will it end up flooding the middle and leaving the out edges dry?
(Seems excessive to have to buy a hose for each row!!)

Mikhailah