(...continued)

I'm still scrambling to figure out my mulching and organic matter strategy. Seems that farmers are getting more into the systemic/persistent pesticides. Picloram seems to be a favorite and it will stay active in dried hay all the way through composted manure. I looked at BTE gardening and it seems good, but there again...ROW crews (here in Alabama) are notorious for spraying herbicides (killers and growth inhibitors) on the ROWs and neighboring trees. I'm not so sure about using shreddings/chips from them. I am considering visiting some forestland and seeing if harvesting leaves and debris from there is feasible. I've even toyed with the idea of using landscaping fabric in the paths, but really don't like that idea too much. I've got lots of pine straw so I may just have to go that route for the bulk of my mulching.

Deer fencing... ???? I'm thinking of all kinds of things. One of them is either to use 48" 2x4 welded wire along the bottom of the fence and top that with 48" poultry wire...along with a couple of strands of hot-wire. The cost-factor, though, is rather intimidating, though, but without some type of protection my garden will simply be a food plot for the deer.<sigh>

Well, I've ran out of time and brain power for now. Any thoughts on all of this? I definitely need some suggestions, recommendations,...basically any kind of help that I can get. :)

I'm planning on either four 3'x50' rows/beds or either breaking the rows in the middle for eight 3'x25' rows.

The tool you need is ALWAYS two rows over ... if not paths, at least put some cut-through stepping stones for these occasions.

Remember that there are limits on how long any run of drip tubing or tape can be ... about 25 feet usually works. Run two or three straight lines down each row, and mulch over them.

For a garden that size, I would buy BIG rolls of drip from an irrigation supply house instead of "kits" from anywhere. (75 ft per bed, 8 beds, = 600 feet of tubing and 300 GPH)

There are also limits on how many GPH you can run from the 1/2 inch supply lines, but I don't think you are going to hit that limit.

And remember to install 1/2 inch compression shut-off valves on each bed so you can stop watering one without killing the others.

Put heavy cardboard in the paths and cover with pine straw thickly for a dry weed-free path.

Mulch the beds and have the drip lines under the mulch.

DO NOT steal organic material from the forests ... they need it!

Can't help you on the deer, but PVC row hoops with deer netting AND a motion-detector sprinkler aimed at the usual approach path might work.

The PVC hoops will also work for frost cover in the fall so your garden keeps going with cool-season vegetables.

Thanks for the feedback, lazy_gardens!

Don't worry I won't strip the forests down if I do gather some from there. I've got an old cabin that I've been working on for *years* and the grounds around it really need clearing. Also, a clear-cut down the road has a lot of waste (don't they always!) that I could gather some from and wouldn't make a dent in it. We'll see... :)

I was thinking that cutting the 50' rows in half with a path *was* creating a shortcut to the other side of the rows. ;) The idea of a stepping stone mid-25' row might work, though. Thanks for the idea!

As for the irrigation line... I'm figuring on having two lines going down each bed hoping that will be enough. If that's not enough I can add another line. What I'm torn between is whether to go with poly-tubing drip-line or to go with drip-tape. They both have their pros and cons. The tape would need to be replaced more often but it is much less expensive and replacing it would put all new emitters into play. But, the durability of the tubing is attractive, too.

It appears that the 1/2" tubing has a much longer run/flow to it than the 1/4" tubing does. It seems the 1/2" would be stiffer and a bit more trouble to position but probably(?) more durable and is capable of longer runs.

Looking at the quantity of tape/tubing I figure I need 400' to run two lines per bed. The package that I linked to at Berry Hill has 1000' of tape which would give me a "spare" application of lines plus a couple of hundred feet for repairs/additions. But, I certainly don't need a SFG size kit...it will have to be a sizable one.

Paths...I've thought of the cardboard and pinestraw....seems until the cardboard gets good and wet that might be a slippery surface. :) But, I may end up going that route. I'm also thinking of trying some Dutch clover between a few rows and see if that works out...our heat might do it in, though, during the middle of summer.

Deer... Well, I tilled an "apron" around the garden proper yesterday...a DMZ to combat the bahia that will inevitably attempt invasions. Overnight the deer had to check that fresh ground out. I'm afraid that the row covers would simply be an amusement for the deer...something to scratch their ears while they dine on fresh veggies. I think I'm going to need a physical barrier for them...8' fence. Or, maybe a shorter double electric fence. On a bright note...I started pressure canning meat last year...I've done beef, chicken, and pork. It might be getting time to try deer. ;)

Ed

Dave, thanks for the feedback on the drip tape. Seems the tape is less problematical in a few ways. I had almost convinced myself that I needed 8" spacing for my sandy soil but then I got to thinking that except for peas, beans and possibly leafy vegetables that I didn't really need that close of spacing. I think I'll go with the 15mil/12"....now, AquaTraxx or T-Tape? :)

Ed

Either Aquatraxx or T-Tape are good choices. Order a few extra splicing connectors just in case a rock causes a leak but NEVER EVER punch a drip hole into the designed driptape or you will need to splice it at that spot too.

Depending on your water you may need a filter to remove sediment. And a pressure regulator is helpful to hold pressure at 10 psi. You should be able to run driptape lines 200-300 feet with no problems if the terrain is fairly level.

I enjoy your sense of humor about the deer. I find that the Penn State 5 wire electrified fence works pretty well. Electric fencing is the only thing they respect.

Agree either is fine. Don't recall the price differences. But I will point out that they sell a special tool for making drip holes and I have never has a problem using it. I always use the 8" spacing tape and with some row crops I find 4" works better.

I wouldn't just punch with anything however and remember that once you do that hole is permanent unless spliced out. ;-)

Dave

PS: agree that the pressure regulator is a must have.

Forgot to add. I changed to 5' welded wire fencing last here as we too have a big deer problem and the 7' plastic mesh was a B-I-T-B to work with. But I set the welded wire as high on the 7' stakes as possible so approx. 1.5' off the ground and then ran the chicken wire around the base to keep out the rabbits and squirrels and various other small mammals.

Barrie and Dave, thanks for the recommendations on the tapes. One more, I see that there is a 25mil "Netafim Dripnet PC", but it carries a premium over the Aquatraxx and T-Tape tapes. Seems it would last for a *long* time...worth the added premium?

Filter and pressure regulator... Seems we get our water from a large limestone aquifer. Some light mineral residue and water is good tasting. A filter would be good to have just for the incidental trash/sediment that might get through. Does the faucet pressure just have to be above 10psi for the system to work satisfactorily? In other words, if the faucet pressure is just 15psi will it work as it should?

Run length... Currently I'm figuring the rows will be 25' long. What I have in mind is the feedpoint to be midway down the length of the garden on one side. There will be a path there perpendicular to the beds and that cuts the garden in half. There will be two poly headers splitting off the faucet and running on each side of this path which would put them at the inside ends of the beds...and then two tapes per bed. Each line will have a cut-off on it...the splitter will have shut-off valves in them. A basic battery operated timer and things should be "good". :)

But, first, even before I start planting, I've got to do something about the deer problem. I went out and looked at the area. This is out in an open area so I have plenty of room. We've got some blueberry bushes near the garden area that the deer simply *love*...we've never gotten but a half-dozen blueberries off of them because the deer prune the blooms/buds back for us.<sigh> So, I figure I could extend the fence to include them along with a little fig tree (who'd of thunk deer like to eat fig trees?...yeah, they like them, too.<sigh>

Anyhow, I drew a 12' apron on three sides of the tilled area and 18' on the fourth side. This ended up giving me a perimeter of 268', an 80x54 enclosure. Most of the mesh fencing comes in 100-150 rolls so I'm looking at four to six rolls. Adding posts to this and the cost begins to get depressing. Dave, using the chicken wire at the bottom is a good idea that I hadn't thought about. I'm seriously thinking of using a few 4x4 posts with some bamboo posts between them...have a run of mesh at the bottom and a few strands of hot-wire at the top and maybe one at the very bottom.

One last thing, Dave. Do you think I'd be better off with the 8" spacing? It can get mighty hot and dry down here in the middle of July...

Ed

What if I could get Dutch or NZ clover working well in the paths and beds....could that work for my mulching and help with the OM????

Dave, you wrote:

"Forgot to add. I changed to 5' welded wire fencing last here as we too have a big deer problem and the 7' plastic mesh was a B-I-T-B to work with. But I set the welded wire as high on the 7' stakes as possible so approx. 1.5' off the ground and then ran the chicken wire around the base to keep out the rabbits and squirrels and various other small mammals."

I'm wondering if simply two 4' bands of chicken wire would hold the deer back...??? It would definitely be better (I think) than the plastic fencing. Thoughts?