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Gardenmonkey - irrigation systems?

SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,381
13,927
In a van.... down by the river
Montana rider

Montana rider

Turbo Monkey
Mar 14, 2005
1,896
2,502
After years of moving sprinklers we installed a 3 zone soaker hose system for our front/back/side beds a few years back.

It wasn't "that bad" outside the copper pipe plumbing junction in the crawlspace [outsourced] and the basement CPU controller with 3 zone and timer [nerdy and slight electrical project in our case]

If you're just running a battery timer off an exterior hose bib it would be easy-peasy...

But I have to do a pretty thorough review every spring to see what (if any) came apart.

I can't speak to your kit, but I would assume a package like that including most of the parts you need would be cheaper than a la carte.

We ordered a couple (hundred feet of) pipe rolls along with the timer and what we thought we'd need re: connectors, elbows and the like from here:

DripWorks.com - Drip Irrigation Supplies & Systems

Shop quality drip irrigation supplies for your farm, garden, deck or landscape. Tubing, timers, emitters, filters, pond liners, kits and more.
www.dripworks.com www.dripworks.com

I've found there to be considerable variation in quality of the press fit attachment -- which is to say that sometimes shit falls apart... entropy how does it work?

In general I've found this type of fitting is the best -- and the ones with metal teeth/ribs (below, that we bought from a local big box store after we ran out of the good ones) suck ass..

1589831414195.png

1589831456889.png


Not as good:
1589831668277.png
 
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kazlx

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,958
Tustin, CA
My dad has used the Orbit stuff for a long time for tomatoes and peppers and whatnot, but he's always liked it and never had issues. As long as the stuff is standard size, I don't think it matters much and can pretty much interchange. I'd be more concerned about the timer than the rest of the little plastic parts.
 
jebfour

jebfour

Turbo Monkey
Jun 19, 2003
2,132
1,509
CLT, NC
It's been a while since I was in that "exact" industry but Raindrip, Agrifim, Obit and Netafim are/were all high quality brands depending on exactly what you need. I'd go to your neighborhood big-box store or irrigation store (like Ewing irrigation or similar) and see what they are selling. Things occasionally need to be replaced and if you're like me, usually it's when you least want it to.
 
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stevew

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
41,045
9,983
SkaredShtles said:
Any of you gardening fools have recco's for irrigation systems? I'm looking at some of the "kits" on Amazon and wondering if there is a preferred manufacturer, etc. for these sorts of things?

For reference - thinking about this kit: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0836L5MPG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A1PWZW55WKJPDD&psc=1

Would be adding some DIY soaker hose as well to get the row veggies irrigated.
Click to expand...
your kids to good to stand outside in the morning with a hose?
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,381
13,927
In a van.... down by the river
Hey - lotsa good info here. To clarify - I've already have a RainBird irrigation system for my lawn. This is going to strictly be a semi-permanent irrigation system for our veg garden. Which, for a variety of reasons, will not at this point be hooked into the RainBird system.

@jebfour - thanks for the mfg'r recco's.

@Montana rider - thanks for the details - this entire will be 1/4 inch, with no timer. I'm just looking for something I can hook the hose up to, set the timer for awhile, and walk away. But yeah - I'm getting more and more used to shit breaking all the time. Every spring seems I'm replacing at *least* one of the underground sprinkler components.
 
jdcamb

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
20,016
8,724
Nowhere Man!
ABS is shit. It crushes easily. Has a lot of bounce in loose rocky soils. Scours easily. The fittings are onetime use only. You will get leaks and will need any system to be easily repairable. Build your own gravity system using Schedule 40 PVC instead. A drill and some glue and cleaner is all you need. Cut it with a saw. Easy Peasy. 1 and 1/2" Pipe. If you have a Local Toro dealer contact them and see what they recommend in your area. Redirect your gutter into a catchment for supply if you can. If you DIY a catchment system you can avoid conservation restrictions entirely. Do not utilize adjacent to a Right of way or near Utilities. Hitatchi makes a good programmable controller. A single zone system will be waste of time. Any system with Pressure control switches will require conduit runs and additional digging. Fuck that shit....
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,381
13,927
In a van.... down by the river
@Montana rider - as it turns out, I think my plan is too big for a full 1/4-inch installation... so your info on good/bad connectors is very helpful. I think I'm going to need to have a 1/2-inch lines run to each terrace and then 1/4-inch coming off the main lines.

I guess I should probably make a plan before I just start willy-nilly ordering shit. :D
 
boostindoubles

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
8,236
6,649
Yakistan
Draw out the garden, filling a 9x11. Step off distances for piping and put them on paper. Figure out all the tees and elbows on paper. Count how many emitters you are stabbing into the tubing. Determine how much water you have. Divide volume of water into number of emitters. Find emitters in that size or close to it. If not feasible, look into dividing the system into sets to get in range for pressure and flow. How many valves? How clean is the water? Drip emitters get plugged quickly if the water isnt filtered well. Make a list of parts you need. Go to a legit irrigation supply and get all the shit you need. That way if the dogs chew it all to hell or your kid hoes the crap out of it you can fix it quickly with ready at hand supplies.
 
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