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Micro irrigation

InBloomInBloom Posts: 68
in Tools and techniques
After a lot of thought - and I would have liked to ideally use grey water and butt setup - but poor health and big op pending, I need to get something set up soon, so I've bought 2 micro irrigation kits that will connect to the mains, I'm sure it'll be more efficient with water than a hose and I soon won't be able to use a can or hose. 

So one bed of 3m and one long bed of 13m. 

I've got some slate arriving to go on the beds, make it look nicer, but also to keep the moisture in come the summer. I'd put bark mulch on before but wanted something more permanent since the bark needs replacing. 



I went for mini sprinkler heads with the irrigation because the planting is dense. So ideally do these need to be buried below the slate? Or to stick out above it? I'm intending to bury the piping below the slate but I can either put the sprinkler heads straight into the pipe fitted flush, or fit them on short lengths to stand up. Which would be best? 

Any tips on piping layout or other people's experiences welcome because I've not set one up before but hoping to get it done this coming weekend. 

Posts

  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    I bought drip irrigation instead as I prefer them close to the base of the plant and they are  not visible. I can wind the drip hose around the garden in any shape, under bark chips even, and secure down with tent pegs. They drip really slowly and the new hedge was especially thankful a few summers ago. 

    The ones you've bought can get blocked if buried. I would position them a few inches above ground level. You may find that they get in the way when you are replanting, weeding etc so bear that in mind when positioning them.

    Let us know how you got on  :)
    I wish I could garden all year round!
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Positioned over the slate may be a less efficient way of getting the water where it needs to be, particularly in hot weather where the slate will heat up and the water may evaporate.  The trade off is as M33R4 mentions, they may get blocked if buried.
  • InBloomInBloom Posts: 68
    I hadn't considered them getting blocked below the slate but yes of course I can see how the outlets could get clogged with soil. Above the slate it is then. Would be good if they'd been black or green instead of bright red! But hopefully the plants will grow over them. 

    Maybe the trade off then is to turn the system on very early morning before things heat up summertime. Because I suppose another way to look at it, if I was still using hose watering then that would be ontop of the slate too.

    How long are people leaving the systems switched on for roughly?  I know that's a bit of a how long is a piece of string question considering soil, flow rate, plant type, weather etc. I'm sure I'll get to grips with it in time once it's set up. But roughly half an hr or an hour or several hours in a row? 
    The sprinklers are adjustable, but I don't think the one I've bought is so sophisticated that it has flow rates marked on it. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited April 2023
    Drippers are more efficient  - less water loss due to evaporation than from the mini sprinklers. Although, if you put the slate over the sprinklers (not soil) they might work more like drippers because the water wouldn't be able to sprinkle but would still seep out.
    I only have containers on my drip irrigation system, from late May through to about late September because frost can knacker the timer if it's left out, and I generally have it on for 10 minutes twice a day (maybe 15 if it gets extremely hot and the plants look like they need more). New plants in the ground get watered until they're established (usually with a can unless there are a lot in which case I might lay out a seep hose), established plants take their chances.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    InBloom said:...How long are people leaving the systems switched on for roughly?  ...

    My drip irrigation I leave for about 6 hours a day. It really just drips very slowly.

    Your irrigation system, perhaps needs half that time? Do a before and after test for a  few set hours test to see how far down the water has reached perhaps?
    I wish I could garden all year round!
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