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Netherlands

I have a 50 gallon rain barrel collecting rain from my greenhouse roof. I want to run a 50-75 ft long soaker hose from it into the greenhouse. The barrel is about a foot higher than the patch. Is this going to work without a pump?

1/18/2006 3:35:39 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

You will find as the water goes down. So does the pressure, you might have to raise the barrel up a few feet to work properly. Yoe will also want some kind of filter like a nylon over the downspout.

1/18/2006 4:26:01 PM

Indiana

it will work but mine would take a day or two to empty

1/18/2006 4:47:38 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

to create a siphon may be tricky with a soaker hose, but use a regular hose, get the siphon going and then hook up the soaker to the end of the regular one

1/18/2006 7:27:01 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

We use a drip system instead of soaker hose...

1/18/2006 10:10:16 PM

Netherlands

Thanks guys. Shannon can you explain how your drip system works?

1/19/2006 2:09:27 AM

Montoursville, PA

Brad.........Excellent views and data relating to drip systems are found on line in the DRIPWORKS of California web site. Google will get you there.

1/19/2006 8:19:28 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Brad it is a 1/2 inch black pvc hose. You then use a tool to puncture the hose in spots. Putting emitters every couple feet. The nice thing is you can turn them on as the plant grows. You can also hook up 1/4 runners to get the outside edges of the plant. Here is a website with some examples.

http://www.dripirrigation.com/

1/19/2006 9:06:05 AM

Netherlands

These systems all work on about 10-30 psi. I have no electricity or running water though. I can't raise my rain barrel either. I will try to contrive something myself using your info.
Thanks.

1/19/2006 11:56:28 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

We have no pump on ours it gravity fed. You need to adjust the emmiters. The ones furthest from the barrell are open more than the ones close to equal out flow.

1/19/2006 12:17:00 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

(Shannon)...any type of ball park figue on $ needed to spend to set up drip system for 2500 sq. ft.? Just lookin for an estimated cost. Thanks for all info. Peace, Wayne

1/19/2006 8:39:43 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

For 2500 sqf you are going to need more than a gravity fed barrel. April's drip system is made with a Series of T's, then 3 christmas tree patterns after that I think we spent close to $80 for the whole system..Seems I remember the inline filter being the most expensive part.

1/19/2006 9:35:12 PM

Montoursville, PA

If you use the T-Tape system, of Dripworks, of California a 2500 sq. ft. patch will work nicely, on 3 - 5 lbs, of pressure generated, from gravity. Yes you will have, to raise your barrels, up to get the aprox. five lbs. The water escape holes are manufactured into the T-Tape. The inline strainer is important, for any system, of drip irrigation. You can see all types, of systems, in the DRIPWORKS, of Calif. catalog. Using their guidelines you can get pretty close, to your exact costs. They advise only, to those who follow their guidelines before calling for help. The instructions are, in the catalog. The only person I know who was dis-satisfied with their lack, of help did not provide his design following their instructions. That seems fair enough, to me.
It disturbs me a bit when folks will not or choose, to not do their own homework based, on common helps that are, in various catalogs or advisory sources.

1/20/2006 10:54:24 AM

Grandfield Oklahoma

Take the height in feet times .433 it will give you the pressure in p.s.i.

Don't know if that is helpfull or not

1/22/2006 2:49:57 PM