Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?

If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.

Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism
would work without the city water pressure behind it?

Any ideas?

"doofy" wrote in message
...
Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?

If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.

Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism
would work without the city water pressure behind it?

Any ideas?

What area does it need to cover? Under what conditions?

David

David Hare-Scott wrote:
"doofy" wrote in message
...
Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?

If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.

Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism
would work without the city water pressure behind it?

Any ideas?

What area does it need to cover? Under what conditions?

David



I might have a 20x30' plot, in ground plants. San Jose, Ca, Bay Area
summer.

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, doofy wrote:

Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out of
some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?
If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a week
because of the distance.
Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism would
work without the city water pressure behind it?

Ahhh... I'll use these stupid "imperial" units.
1 5-gallon bucket, absolutely full, has 1155 in^3 of water. If you water
only 1/2" deep, that's barely over 4' square. As far as pressure... water
has a a density of 62.4 lb/ft^3. At an elevation of 2 ft, that's a pressure
at ground level of ~125lb/fit^2, or less than 2psi. Enough for only the
leakiest of soaker hoses.

This may explain why you haven't seen more people doing this. You need
'way more buckets, and probably 'way more elevation.

Good luck!

-f

Frank Miles wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, doofy wrote:

Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?
If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.
Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground,
could supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip
mechanism would work without the city water pressure behind it?


Ahhh... I'll use these stupid "imperial" units.
1 5-gallon bucket, absolutely full, has 1155 in^3 of water. If you water
only 1/2" deep, that's barely over 4' square. As far as pressure... water
has a a density of 62.4 lb/ft^3. At an elevation of 2 ft, that's a
pressure
at ground level of ~125lb/fit^2, or less than 2psi. Enough for only the
leakiest of soaker hoses.

This may explain why you haven't seen more people doing this. You need
'way more buckets, and probably 'way more elevation.

Good luck!

-f

WEll, I wouldn't expect one bucket would be enough, but each bucket is
going to have the same pressure problems. And I don't expect to be
soaking the entire square footage of the garden, but just right at the
plant (drip system).

This is just right, but I have to order it from Australia:

http://www.wateringsystems.net/

In article ,
doofy wrote:

Frank Miles wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, doofy wrote:

Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?
If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.
Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground,
could supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip
mechanism would work without the city water pressure behind it?


Ahhh... I'll use these stupid "imperial" units.
1 5-gallon bucket, absolutely full, has 1155 in^3 of water. If you water
only 1/2" deep, that's barely over 4' square. As far as pressure... water
has a a density of 62.4 lb/ft^3. At an elevation of 2 ft, that's a
pressure
at ground level of ~125lb/fit^2, or less than 2psi. Enough for only the
leakiest of soaker hoses.

This may explain why you haven't seen more people doing this. You need
'way more buckets, and probably 'way more elevation.

Good luck!

-f

WEll, I wouldn't expect one bucket would be enough, but each bucket is
going to have the same pressure problems. And I don't expect to be
soaking the entire square footage of the garden, but just right at the
plant (drip system).

This is just right, but I have to order it from Australia:

http://www.wateringsystems.net/

Another system of interest. I never tried it.
If you try it and it does work I might get one.

http://www.gardeners.com/Solar-Irrig...ult/36-517.prd

Enjoy Life ..... Dan

--
Email "dan lehr at comcast dot net". Text only or goes to trash automatically.

It says it is perfect for pot plants. (lol)
"doofy" wrote in message
...
Frank Miles wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, doofy wrote:

Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?
If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.
Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism
would work without the city water pressure behind it?


Ahhh... I'll use these stupid "imperial" units.
1 5-gallon bucket, absolutely full, has 1155 in^3 of water. If you water
only 1/2" deep, that's barely over 4' square. As far as pressure...
water
has a a density of 62.4 lb/ft^3. At an elevation of 2 ft, that's a
pressure
at ground level of ~125lb/fit^2, or less than 2psi. Enough for only the
leakiest of soaker hoses.

This may explain why you haven't seen more people doing this. You need
'way more buckets, and probably 'way more elevation.

Good luck!

-f

WEll, I wouldn't expect one bucket would be enough, but each bucket is
going to have the same pressure problems. And I don't expect to be
soaking the entire square footage of the garden, but just right at the
plant (drip system).

This is just right, but I have to order it from Australia:

http://www.wateringsystems.net/

aluckyguess wrote:
It says it is perfect for pot plants. (lol)

Well I smoke two joints when I'm mulching,
I smoke two joints when done,
I smoke two joints when I spread manure,
And for every hour of sun.
I smoke two joints.

Dan L. wrote:


Another system of interest. I never tried it.
If you try it and it does work I might get one.

http://www.gardeners.com/Solar-Irrig...ult/36-517.prd

Enjoy Life ..... Dan


That looks a little too tempting to leave unattended for a week in a
community garden.

In article ,
doofy wrote:

Frank Miles wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, doofy wrote:

Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?
If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.
Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground,
could supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip
mechanism would work without the city water pressure behind it?


Ahhh... I'll use these stupid "imperial" units.
1 5-gallon bucket, absolutely full, has 1155 in^3 of water. If you water
only 1/2" deep, that's barely over 4' square. As far as pressure... water
has a a density of 62.4 lb/ft^3. At an elevation of 2 ft, that's a
pressure
at ground level of ~125lb/fit^2, or less than 2psi. Enough for only the
leakiest of soaker hoses.

This may explain why you haven't seen more people doing this. You need
'way more buckets, and probably 'way more elevation.

Good luck!

-f

WEll, I wouldn't expect one bucket would be enough, but each bucket is
going to have the same pressure problems. And I don't expect to be
soaking the entire square footage of the garden, but just right at the
plant (drip system).

This is just right, but I have to order it from Australia:

http://www.wateringsystems.net/

Doffy, I don't know what kind of amenities you will have at your
community garden plot but they must have water. With water you may be
able to just run a host to a timer and, using simple drip irrigation,
accomplish your garden watering. If you can't get a dedicated hose you
may be able to set up a manifold of faucets from the water source and
implement the above approach.
I'm sure other gardeners will want to work with you on this because
schedules can change but watering needs don't. Nobody wants to be a
slave to their garden. Gardening is more fun when you want to, not when
you have to.
For gardening, the reservoirs from Australia seem like they may be very
expensive. If you were just watering a half dozen shrubs, then it would
probably be fine, but to water evenly a patch 20' x 10'would be one for
every four square feet would be fifty little reservoirs. One for every
eight feet would be twenty five reservoirs and the watering would
probably be very uneven.
Check out the site before you commit your self to, possibly, unnecessary
costs.

Good luck
--

Billy

Bush & Cheney, Behind Bars

Billy wrote:


Doffy, I don't know what kind of amenities you will have at your
community garden plot but they must have water. With water you may be
able to just run a host to a timer and, using simple drip irrigation,

They won't allow that. I can have a drip system, but it must be
manually switched on and off by me.

I guess it's to keep from wasting water with broken timers.


accomplish your garden watering. If you can't get a dedicated hose you
may be able to set up a manifold of faucets from the water source and
implement the above approach.
I'm sure other gardeners will want to work with you on this because
schedules can change but watering needs don't. Nobody wants to be a
slave to their garden. Gardening is more fun when you want to, not when
you have to.
For gardening, the reservoirs from Australia seem like they may be very
expensive. If you were just watering a half dozen shrubs, then it would
probably be fine, but to water evenly a patch 20' x 10'would be one for
every four square feet would be fifty little reservoirs. One for every
eight feet would be twenty five reservoirs and the watering would
probably be very uneven.
Check out the site before you commit your self to, possibly, unnecessary
costs.

Good luck

I'm already not going to go that route because of the expense, and the
shipping.

There's a trick I've been reading about with unglazed ceramic pots sunk
in the soil and filled with water. Just have to find some pots, or take
a ceramics class and make my own. And plant the plants in a circle
around the pot. You can also take two terracotta pots, seal the drain
hole in one, and glue the other pot inverted on top of it. Lot of work
if you ask me.

Or, 5 gal buckets with soaker hoses.

I have some drip irrigation fittings here right now. I might experiment
with them and see what kind of pressure they need.

doofy wrote:

There's a trick I've been reading about with unglazed ceramic pots sunk
in the soil and filled with water. Just have to find some pots, or take
a ceramics class and make my own. And plant the plants in a circle
around the pot. You can also take two terracotta pots, seal the drain
hole in one, and glue the other pot inverted on top of it. Lot of work
if you ask me.

Or, 5 gal buckets with soaker hoses.

and mulch like a mutha.

where can I find some weed-free mulch? I've heard bark is not so good.

"doofy" wrote in message
...
David Hare-Scott wrote:
"doofy" wrote in message
...
Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?

If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.

Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism
would work without the city water pressure behind it?

Any ideas?

What area does it need to cover? Under what conditions?

David



I might have a 20x30' plot, in ground plants. San Jose, Ca, Bay Area
summer.

If all you want is a slow drip feed the fact that it is gravity only wouldn't
be a problem, you might find that you are crimping the hoses to stop it all
running out the first day.

However for that area you are going to need quite a few 5 gallon buckets to
keep that going for a week in summer. I cannot be bothered looking up the USA
gallon's volume in real units (:-) but my guess is that you are going to need
about 400-500 gallons to put an inch on the plot. Whether that is enough
depends on what your summer is like and the type of soil and the type of
plants. There are plenty of cases where it would not be enough for good
growth unless it also rained.

I suggest you do your sums and work out what rate would be right. I suspect 5
gal buckets will not be worth it.

David

David Hare-Scott wrote:
"doofy" wrote in message
...

David Hare-Scott wrote:

"doofy" wrote in message
.. .

Anyone know of the feasibility of a drip irrigation system feeding out
of some 5 gallon buckets into some tubing?

If I get this community garden space, I only want to go to it once a
week because of the distance.

Do you think some 5 gallons buckets, maybe 3 feet off the ground, could
supply a weeks worth of water? Mostly, do you think the drip mechanism
would work without the city water pressure behind it?

Any ideas?

What area does it need to cover? Under what conditions?

David



I might have a 20x30' plot, in ground plants. San Jose, Ca, Bay Area
summer.


If all you want is a slow drip feed the fact that it is gravity only wouldn't
be a problem, you might find that you are crimping the hoses to stop it all
running out the first day.

However for that area you are going to need quite a few 5 gallon buckets to
keep that going for a week in summer. I cannot be bothered looking up the USA
gallon's volume in real units (:-) but my guess is that you are going to need
about 400-500 gallons to put an inch on the plot. Whether that is enough
depends on what your summer is like and the type of soil and the type of
plants. There are plenty of cases where it would not be enough for good
growth unless it also rained.

I suggest you do your sums and work out what rate would be right. I suspect 5
gal buckets will not be worth it.

David



I know I'm new at this, but you're the second person to make
calculations based on covering the WHOLE plot with an inch of water.
Doesn't a drip system negate that need?

doofy wrote:
David Hare-Scott wrote:

I cannot be bothered looking up
the USA
gallon's volume in real units (:-) but my guess is that you are going
to need
about 400-500 gallons to put an inch on the plot.

231 ci per gallon. 375 gallons for 600sf.