Can you recommend a source for Drip Irrigation material...

**BeeCurious** · 03-13-2011, 06:43 AM

I'm considering installing a small drip irrigation system for some fruit trees and possibly one or two garden beds.

Is there a supplier or types of equipment that you can recommend?

**Kingfisher Apiaries** · 03-13-2011, 07:04 AM

I do not know the brand, but my grower swears by (works well for me) a 3/4 black flexible hose and a special kind of emitter. You have a small spaghetti hose coming out of the 3/4 pipe, with a colored stick on the end (different colors for different GPH). The stick sticks in the ground. Will need to get some pix of it. Easiest to clean if you have hard water issues/dirt. He has like 5 acres of berries and it takes his hired help much less time to check these emitters.

mike

**Ben Brewcat** · 03-13-2011, 09:58 AM

If not your gardening center, Home Despot, Ace, Lowes, any of them will have the RainDrip system. Easy to use and install, been using it for years. There should be a little free booklet for planning and sizing your system or find it online... it'll have both the drip emitters for plantings and several kinds of sprayers/misters for beds, gardens, etc. I use them all over since we lose up to 50% water in large area-spray systems to evaporation!

**jjt42** · 03-13-2011, 10:06 AM

the big box stores don't really carry much that much...and they're pretty over-priced.

dripworks, out of california, is a great source. even with shipping costs, their prices are cheaper then anybody else around, and they have anything you might need.

www.dripworksusa.com

the password for commercial pricing on their website is:
drip123

**NeuroBee** · 03-13-2011, 12:47 PM

http://www.berryhilldrip.com/
I used the garden kit last year to drip irrigate my garden- 15 rows each 17 feet long. Good prices and great service.

Neurobee

**odfrank** · 03-13-2011, 01:33 PM

As a PROFESSIONAL landscaper, I second Dripworks.

www.dripworksusa.com

There should also be a irrigation supply store for landscape contractors in your area and that would be your best bet, to buy what is available locally for professionals.

I do not recommend drip for most applications, spray is better. Drip is thin plastic installed on top of the ground where if is very susceptible to physical damage. It is ruined by rakes, rats, squirrels, sharp deer hooves, children. I do use 1/2" inline emitter tubing, Agrifim of Netafim, these are stronger than barbed emitters. It is also an unnatural way to apply water, concentrating it under the plant rather than wetting the overall area like rain does.
Drip is great for grapes, where it is suspended up on the supports of the ground.

**Swobee** · 03-13-2011, 09:28 PM

Check with your area Natual Resource Conservation District - they usually have such items for sale at great prices along with windbreak/landscape trees and other great things. They also are a good resource for advice on what works better in your region.

**BeeCurious** · 03-14-2011, 06:31 AM

From what I've seen, the various kits will be containing a lot of pieces that I may not need, and not enough of others.

I might find a local source for materials today...

"NDS" has a lot of info on their website.

http://www.ndspro.com/drip-irrigatio...pe-irrigation/

**BeeCurious** · 03-14-2011, 04:03 PM

I visited a "Central Irrigation" dealer today...

I'm curious to know which controllers some of you are using, especially for the more modest installations.

**odfrank** · 03-14-2011, 05:01 PM

I used Irritol MC series for years. Now have installed a few Hunter two wire systems. Hunter sells an inexpensive remote control and also wires easily to rain sensors and weather stations. There are several "Smart" controllers that also read the weather and adjust appropriately.

**TWall** · 03-31-2011, 10:09 AM

BC,

I don't know if you have purchased your equipment yet or not.

Here are a few things to think about.

Soil type: I'm guessing you have a heavier, more clay, soil type. Heavier soils move water down more slowly than lighter, sandy, soils. This allows use to use more widely placed emitters. They will form a bigger "puddle" so you can spread them out.

Sprayers will cover a wider area and allow you to water a whole bed with just a few. When you just want to water a specific plant, fruit trees, the button type emitters are more efficient.

One of the main advantages of drip/micro-irrigation is you apply water to just the plants you want to water, not the entire area. This lets you conserve water. You also tend not to water weeds or grass.

Controllers can be as complex or simple as you want. I prefer the simples that I have to turn on but will shut themselves off. This tends to avoid watering when it is raining, or you otherwise don't need to water.

Tom

**Kingfisher Apiaries** · 04-01-2011, 06:02 AM

We used the drip store for our last order-
http://www.dripirrigation.com/

They had the cheapest prices i could find...plus UPS shipping on 500' of hose and the associated stuff was 25 bucks....cannot beat that.

mike