[MassChestnutOrchards] Irrigation: timer selection & hardware toadd rows

[Rudolph A Hempe]

We use pressure compensating lines at the South Kingstown Land Trust/URI 
Master Gardener site where we have had 90 % germination. The pressure 
compensating feature is only good for certain length lines (our orchard --9 
planting rows of 160 feet each  and two of 120 feet--is relatively flat, by 
the way). We have had to modify our filtering system so that we can address 
algae clogging of our irrigation system.The system is solar powered.
We (URI Master Gardeners) have used drip irrigation on two vegetable 
gardens, a rose garden and the chestnut orchard. Each one had to be custom 
designed. Because one of our goals is to preach water conservation, precise 
calculations had to be figured out. When it comes to drip irrigation, one 
size does not fit all.

Rudi Hempe, URI College of the Environment and Life Sciences/URI Master 
Gardener Projects Coordinator


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <cbzampini at aol.com>
To: <masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org>
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 8:46 PM
Subject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] Irrigation: timer selection & hardware 
toadd rows


>
> Hi All,
>
> For your information,the irrigation tubing we have been using has internal 
> pressure compensating drippers. It supposidly is not influenced 
> substantially by moderate variation in line length or elevation. The 
> tubing is from Berry Hill Irrigation and is called " RAM" .The dripper 
> spacing is 24inches and the rate is 0 .4GPH. It does need a certain 
> minimum pressure but I do not have that info available at this time. If 
> you call their customer service they are very helpful and will get back to 
> you with technical recommendations. They sell all the related supplies 
> also.
>
> Charlotte
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rudolph A Hempe <rudi20 at cox.net>
> To: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
> Sent: Mon, Jun 14, 2010 4:05 pm
> Subject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] Irrigation: timer selection & hardware 
> toadd rows
>
>
> You need more than a timer--you need a pressure reducer and a filter. 
> (Drip irrigation needs no more than 30 pounds) The amount of water emitted 
> is not only dependent on the timing but also the types of emitters you use 
> (there are many different types.) Dick Perreault a MG, does all our drip 
> irrigation engineering but he is stretched thin. The battery powered 
> timers we use are from Dripworks and can be programmed up to 6 zones.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Yvonne Federowicz
> To: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
> Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2010 7:18 PM
> Subject: [MassChestnutOrchards] Irrigation: timer selection & hardware 
> toadd rows
>
>
> Hello folks,
>
> The irrigation system at Westerly needs a few modifications.
> 1.) Expansion - we need to add 2-4 rows; the tubing is already down near 
> the Orchard, but we need the rest of the hardware that connects 
> everything.
>
> 2.) A timer - provided that the well's owner agrees, we might place a 
> timer on the system.
> I was examining options at a website Rudi recommended:
> http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/timerland.php?left
>
> Any thoughts on the battery-powered ones?
>
> I'd think that we want the "duration" to be at least 3 hours or so. Most 
> systems appear to allow weekly or bi-weekly irrigation.
>
> However the gallons per hour are unknown. The spigot provides a fairly 
> vigorous flow into a garden hose, normally. Also, we'd need to keep the 
> spigot easily accessible to the well's owner.
>
> Thanks! Yvonne
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
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