Posted on 03/01/2026 5:58:25 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
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Shortest roll I've seen is 1,000' but the one I'd want is 2,500' for $125.
Seems high until you compare it to the standard 1/4" drip tubing which is almost $100 for a 500'.
The tunnel is 36' but my beds haven't made it past 25' so far. Even so, for two lines per 25' bed and 6 beds, that's 300'. Basically, the 500' roll of cheap 1/4".
The 2,500' roll for $125 would be enough to do it 8 times. If it lasts 4 years, that's 32 years worth. In reality, I could do the tunnel and have plenty for outdoor beds and still for many years.
The "cheap" 1/4" stuff has always seemed... cheap. Very variable from one drip emitter/hole to the next. Never any brand name attached to it.
500' of "cheap" - $100
2,500' of Toro - $125
Cheap is not so cheap.
The Toro drop tape is 5/8" and I've always used 1/2" mainline for the 1/4" drip tubing. I see Tees for 1/2 or 3/4 main to 5/8 drip. 1/2 supplying multiple 5/8 seems weird but the drip isn't a full 5/8 free flowing. I'm going to have to do some math for gph/gpm.
My original plan for a 12vdc system has changed to 24vdc. My pump is a 12vdc RV pump of unknown age but probably 10-20 years old. I've picked out a new Jabsco 24vdc, 3gpm pump so that's my starting point for calculations.
Quick calculation of flow rate on Toro drip tape says a full IBC tank will be equivalent to that 1" of rain per week recommendation. Four tanks will last a month. As far as rainwater collection from the tunnel, 1" of rain will be about 500 gallons or two tanks full.
All works out to nice round numbers for me.
1 tank is a good watering.
2 tanks get filled with 1" of rain.
Every 1/2" of rain I can collect is a good 1" watering.
I can store a maximum of a month's worth of watering.
Small pond at the top of the property with a properly installed supply pipe is something I've been wanting for 10 years. Did the calculations once and it would be enough pressure to run drip just off the volume of water and elevation change. No pump needed.
Meanwhile - drip and see tagline. I can get by with what I've got for a bed or two.
Last year, I abandoned the various drip small diameter systems and bought new flat irrigator hoses and controlled the total flow timing.
The various systems of which you speak are to me an enormous hassle that in the end do not function properly. As you have noted, the expense for unused tube and never having enough of specific fittings and to many of others finally got to me.
However...... more power to you and your endeavor
I dunno, Guys. I ENJOY watering. I have 16 raised beds and enough hose to cover them all. I like talking to and inspecting everything as I go along. That way I can look for disease and stop it in it’s tracks. Same with Bad Bugs. And I can praise the Good Bugs I see, too.
And, of course, talk to my plants. :)
It takes me maybe an hour a WEEK to do so, but I also mulch heavily with straw which keeps the moisture in.
On a drought season (which I love!) it’s more time, but I do it early AM and then again PM if needed, with enough dry-time before sunset. And, yes. I’m retired, so I have the time to do this.
But, Gadget Guys are gonna Gadget, LOL! I get that, too. :)
I’ve been getting by pretty well with drip, even the 1/4” no-name stuff. Most of what I have left is several years old but has been in two different gardens, chopped up and rearranged. I learned a lot playing with the toy stuff.
I’m no longer doing the hokey pokey a hole and shove a tiny barbed fitting into it. Moving up from 1/4 to bigger stuff allows getting away from that and using compression fittings. I’m also trying to go with brand names as much as possible.
The tunnel is so simple. A main line straight across one end with drip lines coming off of it. Instead of running two lines per bed, I now run a single line twice as long. Run it down the bed, make a u-turn and back up to the main line. Seems to help even out the pressure/flow. Still requires two shut offs to be able to turn each bed off individually which I want.
I have no well or municipal water supply so I’m limited to tanks and flow rate is also limited by the pump and limited tank volume. That also helps keep things simple though. The pump is in the tunnel and tanks right outside so it’s all very self contained. It will even be running from the solar panels sitting 30 away as it did part of last year.
Having no spigot with an unlimited supply of water kind of forces me to use drip. Mulch as well.
Swapping to this Toro and actually growing in the entire tunnel is already going to push me to some limits. I’ve only grown in 1/3 of it so far. Just did some calculations.
Flow rate for 100’ of Toro drip tape is 1.12 gpm and my RV pump is 3 gpm. I could water up to 250’ of drip at once. My tunnel beds will be 150’ of drip.
I’m wanting to grow some in outdoor beds this year and those will need watering, at very least in July and August.
I could water a 50’ bed with two rows of drip along with the tunnel(250’ total) but I’d prefer to keep the tunnel as it’s own zone.
I’m thinking 40’ beds outside. They’ll be along side the 36’ tunnel. A 40’ bed with two rows of drip is 80’ of drip. Three of them would be 240’ of drip and be it’s own zone. Sounds like a plan for this year.
Shopping list:
100’ - Main line (DripDepot)
2,500’ - drip tape (Toro)
1 - 10 psi pressure regulator (Senninger)
18 - Tees (Irritec)
18 - Shut off valves (Irritec)
2 - end cap/plug (Irritec)
That covers a brand new system for the tunnel and three 40’ outside beds. Should last for many years. Also in the cart are 50 tomato clips for lean and lower plus 10 misters which are just to try for keeping direct sowed seeds moist. I have a 15psi regulator but the Toro requires 10psi. (see tagline)
The problem is being away and not able to water or just plain forgetting to water.
We may be in travel status during critical July and August days when the auto watering is absolutely necessary.
Then, as you have suggested there are the technical manifestations that prove a challenge. It is of course just fun to try to resolve the watering problem
I'm off-grid when it comes to water. I tote every gallon we use. Pretty sure I'm not even supposed to be gardening.
.
I get it!
Yeah, I get it! :)
yeah
I know how LUCKY I am to have landed where I did. And I’m making the most of what Beau and God have given me.
I never forget that. :)
It’s all good and I get by with what God has given me.
IMO, you are Blessed as opposed to merely “lucky” :-)
highs - 86, 85, 89 - it was just 14 a couple of nights ago
Just ordered a 5 pack of misters. If I had them right now, it would be a good week to direct sow some things. Probably still can and just toss some hay mulch over them to keep from drying out in the summer heat of late winter
Rest of drip stuff can come later. Saved the cart to a list called ... cart
At least I work in the AC said hardly anyone ever in March
GARDEN PATCH PIE
Ing 2 c chp zucchini 1 c chp tomato 1/2 c chp onion 1/3 c Parm 1 1/4 c milk 3/4 c Bisquick 3 eggs s/p
METHOD Lightly grease 10" pie plate. Sprinkle in zucchini, tomato, onion, cheese. Beat rest smooth. Pour into veg. Bake golden 350 deg 1 hr (knife comes out clean); set 5 min. Serve in wedges.
Gorgeous morning ... sun is up over the mountains & there is a slight fog so the landscape has an ethereal quality. I noticed 2 does in the pasture directly across the street. They were only intermittently grazing , seemed to be more interested in the traffic on the road which is especially busy this time of morning as folks go to work. One doe approached the fence & had that “I’m jumping over” look. Ruh roh ... I do not want a dead deer on the road right in front of our driveway! I walked out on the porch & they immediately spotted me & decided to run down the fenceline to the right, gracefully jumping two fences that divided the pasture & disappearing out of sight. If they ran far enough, they were back in the woods or if they crossed the road, they were in front of the Cow Palace. I see deer jumping fences a lot around here & it’s a beautiful sight.
It’s supposed to be 70° today. The grass is going to need mowing next week so it will be a “pick up tree debris” project for the weekend.
Doggone it .... motion alarm ‘barked’ & when I checked it out, it was the propane truck .... 2nd load in a couple of months (like since January). We have a gas furnace as a backup to our heat pump & it has run a LOT with the brutally frigid temps since January. I went out & talked to the driver (nice guy) & he said folks that normally get one load are getting 2, 2 loads are getting 3. Hopefully, with warm(er) temps in the forecast, we won’t need another load this year.
:)
That kind a Quiche is called a ‘Clean Out The Fridge’ Quiche around here. :)
With the Bisquick in the mix, there is no bottom crust - but it can be soggy. I grease my quiche pan, then sprinkle in a layer of (the cheap, green can) Parmesan cheese. That gives a better bottom crust, IMHO.
I learned that from Bridget & Julia on ‘Cook’s Country.’
At least you didn’t run out!
We had three deer in our back treeline the other evening as we were having supper. Looked like a Doe and two yearlings, from their size. We normally don’t have any deer through the actual house yard with all the dogs, but they were either brave or stupid. ;)
Saw two really nice Tom Turkeys on my drive to town, yesterday. Looking forward to Beau bagging one come our season in April.
The weather here has turned for the better, too. 57 today, 67 for Saturday! That is going to be MY ‘Pick Up Sticks’ day, for sure.
Lettuces and spinach in the greenhouse set-up are doing fine. Spinach is ahead of the lettuce, but that’s normal.
Starting tomatoes THIS weekend. I bumped it up due to our ‘Manitoba Mangler’ and ‘Alberta Clipper’ over the past two weeks. They don’t go in until end of May, so I’ve got plenty of time to get them to a substantial size between now and then.
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