Irrigation for raised beds

[617Smoker]

I would like to set up some kind of drip irrigation system for three raised beds I have hoping it will be a time and water saver. Wondering if anyone has a system they like or other advice. Skill set= weekend warrior so nothing too complicated. Thanks

 

[pc farmer]

@pineywoods is your go to guy for that.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I have used soaker hoses like this...

They "sweat" as opposed to spray so the water goes into the ground. A simple in-line timer such as this and it's set-it-and-forget-it...

They make this style of timer with multiple outlets to water different zones or multiple beds. Worked well for me...

 

[indaswamp]

What I use...

 

[617Smoker]

I have used soaker hoses like this...
View attachment 655961
They "sweat" as opposed to spray so the water goes into the ground. A simple in-line timer such as this and it's set-it-and-forget-it...
View attachment 655962
They make this style of timer with multiple outlets to water different zones or multiple beds. Worked well for me...

thank you -- looks like a good, simple setup.

 

[wimpy69]

Nothing beats a soaker hose more than a timer hooked up to it. Normally had them set up in beds but garden took unexpected cardiac break for three years. Small garden last year couldn't sustain growth with excessive heat just by hand watering. Soakers will go back in beds this year before they're graded. That with shade cloth seams like the new norm.
To add; nothing's wrong with the old ice pick and fabric on small sections of hose for individual plants or large flower pots.

 

[Nefarious]

Couple of questions. Are you going to get the water to them via a hose? And does it freeze, will you need to pick it all up every season?

I get the water to the beds with underground pvc pipe and then run drip hose in the bed. If it freezes, it would have to be blown out every season. Better solution in that case is hose with drip jose. Just take it down every season. If it doesnt freeze, you have more options.

 

[cptnding]

Soaker hose works great. Summers can be pretty hot and dry here in GA. I run them at night to minimize loss from evaporation. At the end of the season I roll them up, leave them out a couple days to dry, and cram them into a trash bag for storage. They last for years.

 

[daveomak]

Here's my set up.... Works awesome....

 

[Buckeye1]

I put in a system on corrugated drain hose with a filter sock on then under the dirt. Filled with a piece of pvc only had to fill a few times this summer.

 

[poacherjoe]

Depends on the size of the beds and what kind of soil in the beds and what you plan on growing !

 

[617Smoker]

I put in a system on corrugated drain hose with a filter sock on then under the dirt. Filled with a piece of pvc only had to fill a few times this summer.

Wow that is impressive.

 

[617Smoker]

Depends on the size of the beds and what kind of soil in the beds and what you plan on growing !

Good point. They are various sizes, one is a big box maybe 8x10 w a walkway through it. They are a compost/soil blend w either coir or peat moss mixed in and vermiculite, with compost added on top the past few years. Growing the usual veg.

 

[617Smoker]

Couple of questions. Are you going to get the water to them via a hose? And does it freeze, will you need to pick it all up every season?

I get the water to the beds with underground pvc pipe and then run drip hose in the bed. If it freezes, it would have to be blown out every season. Better solution in that case is hose with drip jose. Just take it down every season. If it doesnt freeze, you have more options.

It would be via hose though I had not thought of the system l

Couple of questions. Are you going to get the water to them via a hose? And does it freeze, will you need to pick it all up every season?

I get the water to the beds with underground pvc pipe and then run drip hose in the bed. If it freezes, it would have to be blown out every season. Better solution in that case is hose with drip jose. Just take it down every season. If it doesnt freeze, you have more options.

they would be by hose. I wish I had installed something under the patio when we put it in. I don’t want to rip it up to run pvc or something under it now., so my layout means k will have to run hose over the patio. And it does freeze here in Mass. So it’s another argument foe simpler soaker hoses.

 

[617Smoker]

Thanks for all the replies. I think a couple of soaker hoses will be the way to go for now. Maybe down the road I will get a more permanent setup especially if I put the work into burying the line under my patio, which lies between the supply and the beds.
The water supply is behind me looking at the patio and the raised bed. The other two beds I added later and they are further away from the water supply-on the other side of the bed next to the garage.

 

[Nefarious]

For the future, you can run the water hose around the patio. You do not have to dig up the patio.

 

[civilsmoker]

My past versions (and the one I'm building this spring) was/will be part of my pressurized sprinkler system. I start with a 40 psi screened reducing valve with 1/2 supply lines to 1/2 drip line (you can get it 6 inch all the way up to 24 inch spacing). The drip lines I use are rated for above or buried. Putting them a foot down makes it nice for weeding (just don't shovel through one....).... I add a in line valve on each box to be able to independently shut of a bed.... But once setup I just program the sprinkler timer and walk away.

 

[pit 4 brains]

I have used soaker hoses like this...
View attachment 655961
They "sweat" as opposed to spray so the water goes into the ground. A simple in-line timer such as this and it's set-it-and-forget-it...
View attachment 655962
They make this style of timer with multiple outlets to water different zones or multiple beds. Worked well for me...

Soaker hose and simple elbows, tees and caps can make for a very custom setup. Finding some bulk hose instead of the hoses with fittings will be a good step since you'll want to cut it to custom lengths to fit your garden and branch out to drip near the plants. They also are easily removed seasonally to allow for mulching, tilling, planting, etc.