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Sacramento, Ca

I have been reading the posts here regarding watering. I see that a lot of you use the T-Tape product. I looked at it on dripworks.com and it looks like a standard drip system to me. What I can't figure out is this; are there just holes punched in the line that the water comes out or are there actually emitters in the line? If there are emitters in the line, what is the GPH? I also see that those of you that use the T-Tape system make a main line and then space your lines off of the main at 18 inches on center. My watering system is as follows; 3/4 inch pvc off of a hose bib, pvc goes into a timer operated valve. Out of this valve are a pressure reducer taking the pressure down to 15 psi, a filter and then a reducer to 1/4 inch drip. If I make a main line of 1/4 inch drip and bring 1/4 inch lines off of this at 18 inches on center, what GPH emitters should I use and how far apart should I space them?

3/18/2009 12:33:39 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

The GPH specs for different T-Tapes are in the catalog. I Guess you could say there are holes punched in the line and are called emitters. Anyway, they drip water at 10 PSI.

3/18/2009 8:42:33 PM

Fresno, Ca

The t-tape has folds/wrinkles that basically "leak" water out. There is also a product called vineline made of 1/2 drip tube that has emiters built inside the tube. I think it is made by rainbird and there are also some other brands. I bought a 1000 ft spool with emiters spaced every 2 feet, and spaced my lines out 12 inches apart and it covers my patch nice. The whole spool only cost a little over $100 and it is much sturdier and long lived than t-tape.

3/19/2009 12:02:11 AM

Sacramento, Ca

All of the pictures I've seen here have the tape laying on the ground. Doesn't this tend to clog the emitters a lot? Seedguy, I see you are in Fresno, any tips on watering when it starts getting real hot?

3/19/2009 8:40:25 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

The emitters face upward when laying it out. I would swear by T-Tape.

3/19/2009 8:08:38 PM

Fresno, Ca

I had my best luck with leaving the drip on during the mid-day heat. probably helped cool the soil. I also have two of the mister kits you can buy at Costco for about $40 last year strong across my patch. I would start my drip around 10am and run till 2 or 3 pm. Most the emitters are self cleaning. T-tape is used in agricultural fields and buried underground for several crops/years. So I wouldn't worry about it clogging

3/19/2009 10:57:56 PM

Sacramento, Ca

Seedguy, are you using t tape or regular drip? What are the GPH of your emitters? How did you deal with the possibility of your fruit aborting due to extreme temps? Did your plants wilt in the heat even though you used a mister system?

3/20/2009 10:09:30 AM

Fresno, Ca

Hit me up on my e-mail: paradisev6@hotmail.com I need to do some research as I bought my drip line last year. I am using a product similar to vineline. It is like standard drip tube with emiters embedded in it spaced every two feet.

3/20/2009 12:36:20 PM