From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Omaha, Ne.

How much should I water a week for 800sq ft in gallons?
Last year I over watered, this year I'll keep records
Then how do I adjust for inches of rain fall.
Thanks

4/7/2012 10:17:39 PM

Hinckley MN

How much water you need depends on your soil type, 2 inches a week will flood my clay soil, while a sandy soil could take that every other day. If you have average soil start with 2 inches a week or about 1000 gallons for 800 sqft. for every 1/10th of an inch of rain, subtract 50 gallons of irrigation water. if you use sprinklers, just calibrate them to inches per hour by putting out a bucket and measuring how long it takes to fill the bucket 1 inch, then keep everything in inches and just subtract rainfall from your desired level and run the sprinkler the needed time to make up the remainder.

4/7/2012 11:00:34 PM

East Jordan, MI

It really does depend on the soil. I have been told that 1 inch per week in well drained loam is a good starting place, and then you have to do the feel test. You want damp, not wet. My gradfather always told me to go 6 inches down and grab a handfull and squeeze. If you can make a ball and still crumble it up when rubbing between your fingers the moisture was good. If it won't make a ball it's too dry, if it wont break apart it is too wet. I have observed and heard from many that consistant mositure (not swings from dry to wet) is the goal.

1 inch of H2O per acre = 27,154 gal

800 sq ft is .018 of an acre (800/43560sq ft)

So to get 1 inch on 800 sq ft, 70 gallons a day is a good starting point for you.

27154*.018 = 488.772
488.772/7 days =69.8

Adjust from there based on your soil.

4/7/2012 11:33:10 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

^^^ Cecil is the man. He helped me with this in the past. Another huge factor is to keep it consistent. Very dry to wet = blowout.

4/8/2012 12:06:45 AM

The North Coast

Hey Derren C

A follow up on your irrigation system...What is the function of the black device located down stream of the blue handled shut off?

Excited to get my pump and contoller this last week!

4/8/2012 8:52:40 AM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

My patch is on a 15 degree slope with 20 inches of sandy, loamy soil on a medium clay base. The patch is 2,400 sqft, which I water with an array of soaker hoses and an overhead sprinkler. I'll adjust the amount of water if the weather is overly hot or overly wet. For now I am planning on dripping 300 gallons per day (100 gallons per plant) and supplementing with an additional 125 gallons per plant from the sprinkler system. These numbers jive with what cntryboy has posted.

4/8/2012 9:00:41 AM

The North Coast

With all due respect, it sounds like 100 gallons, and then another 125 gallons a plant may be too much. Your numbers would be in line with cntryboy if you added about 70 gallons a plant or 210 total gallons a day. The only reason I am saying anything is that on the Youtube videos from Las Vegas, it was said that most pumpkin growers overwater and end up washing a lot of nutrition into the ground.

Good luck

4/8/2012 9:54:28 AM

Omaha, Ne.

Bat. That is a 1" orbit sprinkler solenoid ($15 Loews) you will need it to stop the water from siphoning. The timer will start the pump and open the solenoid at the same time.
Email me if you need any help.
dchristensen68@cox.net

4/8/2012 11:22:18 AM

Rhode Island

we dont have a set amount of measured water that we use.we let the soil and weather conditions dictate when and how much we water.
for instance, if you scrape off a couple inches of top soil, dig down,grab a ball of soil in your hand and squeeze it, and upon releasing your fist the soil stays in a ball? you have enough water in your soil.
when water is needed and if rain is forcast? we hold off because excess water is not a good thing --at all.you can always water the next day if it does not rain.
ditto as well if we have a drench scheduled. we prefer to drench just before a forcasted rain when possible.

basicly the best way to explain the hows of watering is this ----- keep the soil moist when possible ( not saturated) however a deep soaking once a week, ( via rain or drench ) results in a better effect for getting that moisture down into the plants roots.the trick is to do it right but dont over do it.

4/8/2012 11:50:23 AM

Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

Thanks Bat Cave. I'll be running 9 soaker hoses off a 300 gallon tank with pre-heated water. If I don't have to use the overhead sprinkler that runs directly from the well I'll be happy.

4/8/2012 9:42:25 PM