Planting My First Garden

[Chainsaw13]

All this talk about gardens has me itching to get mine started. Sucks they're calling for snow later this week. Once the weather does get a bit warmer though I have some plans to expand. Well actually, move some of my raised beds. Need that space for my snowmobile trailer.

Scott, what did you use for the irrigation setup when you had all those beds? I"ve been trying to use the drip irrigation, but my rain barrel does'nt have enough pressure to be effective. I"m thinking of getting a sump pump tied into a timer and see if that can bring up the PSI plus make sure everything gets watered when I"m out of town.

[HK3-]

Wow, some great information here! Never thought about a lot of this stuff but it makes great sense.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Scott, what did you use for the irrigation setup when you had all those beds? I"ve been trying to use the drip irrigation, but my rain barrel does'nt have enough pressure to be effective. I"m thinking of getting a sump pump tied into a timer and see if that can bring up the PSI plus make sure everything gets watered when I"m out of town.

I'm not Scott, but what is the GPH of your rain barrel? Or do you know the PSI? Drip tape only takes 10 psi. That's what I am using.

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by wayner123

I'm not Scott, but what is the GPH of your rain barrel? Or do you know the PSI? Drip tape only takes 10 psi. That's what I am using.

No real idea. It's just a big blue barrel sitting on a couple courses of block. The drip tubes did work, albeit very slowly even relative to their regular output.

I'm just searching for a solution that will allow me to automate the waterings since I have to travel at stretches. But I want to stay with the rain barrel and not use city water.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

No real idea. It's just a big blue barrel sitting on a couple courses of block. The drip tubes did work, albeit very slowly even relative to their regular output.

I'm just searching for a solution that will allow me to automate the waterings since I have to travel at stretches. But I want to stay with the rain barrel and not use city water.

While I much prefer rainwater to city water, what happens if it runs out when you are away? In my small garden I am using 32 gallons or more when I water. A rain barrel filled all the way to the top only hold 55 gallons right?

Maybe use the rain barrel for when you are home and city water while you are away. If you are worried about the chlorine, don't sweat it so much. It has actually been shown to improve some aspects when used.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

All this talk about gardens has me itching to get mine started. Sucks they're calling for snow later this week. Once the weather does get a bit warmer though I have some plans to expand. Well actually, move some of my raised beds. Need that space for my snowmobile trailer.

Scott, what did you use for the irrigation setup when you had all those beds? I"ve been trying to use the drip irrigation, but my rain barrel does'nt have enough pressure to be effective. I"m thinking of getting a sump pump tied into a timer and see if that can bring up the PSI plus make sure everything gets watered when I"m out of town.

I used to work on pneumatic control systems and I had tons of tubing and brass fitting. I just used a wire drill bit to drill holes in the plugs and pointed them up in the air.
I made up a hose adapter and hooked it up to the spigot on the side of our house that was the only thing on our well (we had city water, as well, because the well was slow).
The way I did it would work with your rain barrel, as well. The system didn't need any pressure at all. You'd just have to put some thought into the size of the holes in the caps along the way.