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pjt
9th July 2015, 01:50 AM
I am developing a new vege patch, I thought I might try an inground watering system, nothing too fancy just some 100mm pipe laid in a shallow trench, my soil being clay once wet will stay wet for a long while and it seems to soak up the water best if I just lay the hose on top of the soil and just let it run out across the slope, the slope is only slight but is enough to allow water to flow across the surface, my thinking with the pipe is if I fill the pipe it should run across the topside of the patch and downhill into the soil, I might still need to water the surface when I plant seeds at the start....
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These pieces of pipe are about 1800 long, I made some joiners, they are just pushed together, I drilled 16mm holes spaced about 300mm apart in the btm of each pipe, my thinking being to get an even spread of water, each pipe is laid level.
351979

Once all level and pushed together I shoved the hose in the far end turned on flat out, I wanted to see water come out the far end of the pipe, and it did, it was a bit of an experiment with regard the number of holes and size, I didn't all the water draining out at one end only.
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I then backfilled with mulch on the low side and sawdust on the topside.
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I put a rock in the near end of the pipe and a bit of concrete that looks like a tombstone at the far end, I don't want it to be a home for toads, frogs OK.

The outcome I want is not to be spraying water into the air via a sprinkler and not to have to move it, I tend to leave it on in the one spot and forget about it until I hear water running just as I have got into bed:doh:, I'll set up a timing system to turn it on and off, may even help with things that are susceptable to mold.
Will see what happens.


Pete

nrb
9th July 2015, 01:56 PM
I have found that brown 12mm dripper pipe with holes about every 300 mm or so works really well,spaced about 500 mm apart and all looped together,you can then link this up on a timer.
lay this on the surface then cover with mulch.
work some clay breaker into the soil or use that liquid stuff,you should have good soil in no time.