skip to main content

drip irrigation hose longevity question

16 years ago

I bought some drip irrigation hose at Walmart. It is narrow black tubing that you put little fixtures on at each plant. Since I rotate my crops every year, the little fixtures will not be in the right place after the first year. How do you handle this? Or is this type of tubing only meant to be used one year?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

charotarguy
16 years ago
Hi pieheart,

This is the first year for me as well for drip irrigation system, I got a lot of parts from www.mrdrip.com as well as walmart. I think what you need are goof plugs. But the ideal way would be to put to design it in a way that you plant you dont end up with to many of them. Hope this solves your problem.

CG
pieheart
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the link, charotarguy! I got my supplies at Walmart on clearance, but I'm going to check your link for any parts WM doesn't have.

This is my first year with raised beds, I'm using a kind of modified square foot garden method. I'm winging it this year, seeing what works and what doesn't. I guess I'm a relaxed gardener! I'm going to set up the drip system this weekend, I will be giving your suggestion some thought and see if it will work with the mistakes I've made so far in plant placement.
Related Discussions
Container tomato drip irrigation question
Q
Comments (4)
MG Moisture Control soil is not recommended for most container growing situations. It simply holds too much water...and becomes a mucky mess near the bottom. That being said....drip systems need constant fine tuning due to weather and growth habits. I always recommend the cheap moisture meters that are about 10-12 bucks. They really work well! Then, you can probe down to the root zone...which is what counts.
...See More
Drip Irrigation Design question
Q
Comments (3)
Seth, Will the faucet be the permanent connection for the irrigation to the trees? You could probably get away with flexible pipe on grade if there isn't much traffic in the area. Just make sure to secure it to the ground with u hooks so that if you do walk by you don't take yourself out! What kind of trees are they, that would impact how much water you need to get to them...
...See More
Drip irrigation questions
Q
Comments (1)
How far apart are the hoses? Also, you have to dig your hand into the mix to see if the water is fanning out as it goes down, or if it is mostly dropping straight down. It is entirely normal for the surface to remain dry except for an inch or so on either side of the hose. What your mix is comprised of makes a difference as well. If you are using Mel's mix you may need to up the percentage of compost to get the moisture to wick into the drier areas well. The peat, once dry, won't wick the moisture to itself. It has to be at least damp before it will do any wicking. Using a light mulch also helps as the water will kind of circulate a bit from evaporation under the mulch and provide a more even moisture level. In any case I don't think you will get away with anything over 12" spacing with those soaker hoses (I have the same soakers). Anything over 6" spacing between the hoses and unless you use a moisture trapping mulch you won't get the entire surface moist, but the water should fan out enough as it drops that 3" down everything is watered. If this isn't the case either move the soakers closer together or increase the amount of compost in the mix.
...See More
Questions about irrigation drip kits?
Q
Comments (5)
I use the irrigation drip and love it. From time to time a dripper will get clogged, all you have to do is take it off and let the water rush through the opening and then put it back on. I have learned the hard way not to use any of the spray nozzels, just go with the 1 gallon per hour pressure compensating drippers. I wouldn't actually use a kit, just get the 1/2" main line tubing, the 1/8" tubing that reaches to each individual shrub, and the 1/8" soaker tubing for perennials. Then get enough 1 gallon PC drippers to reach all of the shrubs and you are set. I've got them everywhere, the oldest set is 4 years old and still working. The most used ones are in the rose gardens, one is 3 years old, the other is 1 year old. I turn them on once a week for a few hours or so during the heat of the summer. The roses love it. Many other shrubs don't need that much water. The only big problem I've had is that every once and a while some critter will knaw on the 1/2" line trying to get to the moisture. This results in a fine mist being shot out of the line every time the water is turned on. It's easily fixable, just cut the line and take out the knawed part and put a 1/2" connector in to connect the hose. M
...See More
dirtmecnanic
16 years ago
Flexibility is a key virtue of drip irrigation. My wife likes to move stuff around a lot - I tried to get her to plant things in pots and put the pots on pallets so I could just move them around, but she got all puffed up...

To your point, you can use goof plugs or just replace the pipe past the filter and pressure reducer......pipe is about a dime a foot, so it's not a big deal to replace once a year. I would rather replace than repair. Home Depot has fair (but reduced) inventory of DIG drip irrigation supplies.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Install a Drip Irrigation System

By Marianne Lipanovich

Save time and water with a drip watering system in your vegetable garden — a little patience now will pay off later

EARTH DAY Grow a Beautiful Garden With Ecofriendly Greywater

By Greywater Corps

Reducing home water waste means lower bills and a healthier planet. Here's how to set up a greywater home irrigation system that can help

GREEN BUILDING How to Harvest Rainwater for Your Garden

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Conserve a vital resource and save money by collecting stormwater for irrigation in a barrel or tank

SAVING WATER 6 Reasons Why You Should Save Your Rainwater Now

By Falon Mihalic

Collect and store during the rainy season so you’ll have water ready for irrigation when you need it

CONTAINER GARDENS Container Garden Basics: How and When to Water Potted Plants

Confused about soil moisture, the best time to water and what watering device to use? This guide can help

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES How to Grow Your Own Fresh, Sweet Corn

By Marianne Lipanovich

Here's how to plant and care for your own mini cornfield

FARM YOUR YARD How to Build a Raised Bed for Your Veggies and Plants

By Annie Thornton

Whether you’re farming your parking strip or beautifying your backyard, a planting box you make yourself can come in mighty handy

SAVING WATER 11 Ways to Save Water at Home

By Carol Crotta

Whether you live in a drought-stricken area or just want to help preserve a precious resource, here are things you can do to use less water

FARM YOUR YARD How to Grow Vegetables in Containers

By Annie Thornton

Get glorious vegetables and fruits on your patio with a pro’s guidance — including his personal recipe for potting mix

GARDENING GUIDES Essential Watering Tips for Your Edible Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

To give your edible plants just what they need, check out these guidelines for how, when and how much to water

Sponsored

Structural Remodeling

Franklin County's Heavy Timber Specialists | Best of Houzz 2020!

More Discussions

Bower's Vine Leaves Limping

9

Renovating drip system-a question for those with experience

12

What threads does the Orbit B-hyve XD with 4 outputs have?

0

Your experinces with expandable garden hoses

0

Fertilizer injector on siphon valve turned to drip irrigation

2