Wierd, but true. I had to do a mind-meld but I forced Mr. Google to reveal the following: http://www.efficientirrigation.com/ http://www.aquaspy.com/default.cfm?id=201 http://news.ufl.edu/2007/11/13/water-sensors/ http://www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/2009/03/how-to-make-cheap-soil-moisture-sensor.html Hope this helps. IMHO The last site is the way to go with just a few reading over time will educate you about various area need patterns at certain times of year and you can set your controller duration with confidence. Aloha

I started using drip emitters a few years ago and agree with Damon - figure out the timing so the plants will have longer, less frequent morning watering. When it's 95+ degrees here, I also turn the system on for a bit in the early evening. I usually water more frequently earlier in the season, since the root system hasn't developed/spread. Eventually, backing off on the frequency and increasing the duration will benefit the plants. Last year, inconsistent watering created a lot of blossom end rot. This year, I'll take control of the timer from my hubby. (We have a cheap timer that has only 2 programs for 7 zones. And it seems like the timer gets shut off during a rainy spell and then forgotten...) When I coddled my plants, I grew monsters with no fruit. A bit of neglect and they fruit like mad.

Agree with Mulio. Heirlooms has nothing to do with it. Raised beds - if I understand your info correctly - will dry out more quickly than in-ground beds so closer monitoring of the soil moisture level is required. That means digging down by hand, sticking your finger deep into the soil to check it on a frequent basis before you water. Right now it sounds like you are watering too frequently and too shallowly. MUCH deeper and less frequent watering is much better for plants for the reasons Mulio already mentioned. Plus the roots don't hang right around the stem, they spread out for several feet. So 1 dripper at the stem base isn't sufficient. Depending on spacing you may need an additional 2-3 drippers between plants. A trick to setting up a drip system - take an empty soup can and bury it in the soil so the top rim sits right at the top of the soil, put a dripper over it, run your system and see how long it takes to fill the can. That is approximately how long you need to run your system 1x a week. If the weather is especially hot, if your plants are not well mulched, or if your soil drains quickly it will be more often. If it rains adjust accordingly. As the plants grow and set fruit increase accordingly. Hope this helps. Dave

It's entirely dependent on your climate, soil characteristics, and the existing moisture content of your soil. I suggest you get a $10 moisture meter from Home Depot and figure it out that way.