Hello everyone. I'm going away of vacation for 7 days and I need to keep my three plants watered ( 2 1/2 gallon plastic pots ). So I bought 2 micro irrigation pumps with timer. It is a dripper system. The problem is the dripper stakes only wet one spot in the 2 1/2 gallon pots. What is the bare minimum amount of water I can use to keep them going? will this work?
micro irrigation system
- Thread starter jdr00
- Start date
atmu5fear
Member
How do the dripper stakes work? I'm unfamiliar with that. In the past I've used vinyl tubing (cheap at home depot or Lowes etc) and run it around the base of the plant, just in a circle, and just drilled 1/16 holes in the tubing so when the pump runs the water drips out of the tubing all around the plant. I used 5/8 tubing, a waterfall pump, looped the tubing around the stem, ran it to the next, then the next, repeating the loop, 5 or 6 holes in the tubing around each plant and the end of the tube back in the reservoir with the pump. Water runs through the tubing wets the soil and the excess just ends up back with the pump.
The dripper stakes are connected to the drip line . The water runs down the length of the stake (4 in long) and absorbs into to soil around it. It only wets about 2-3 inches around the stake. Meaning there are dry spots in the planter . I'm wondering if the plant can survive on that?
Autodoctor
Well-Known Member
I’m sure it would if only gone for7 days and personally would make sure good and watered before I left. I personally would get rid of the stake part and make a loop with tubing with small holes Drilles in it
Amazon.com : Kollea Automatic Watering System, Indoor Plant Self Watering System Automatic Drip Irrigation Kit with 60-Day Programmable Timer, LED Display & USB Power, Indoor Irrigation System for Potted Plants : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon.com : [Upgraded Pump] Big Power Automatic Drip Irrigation Kit, Indoor Plants Self Watering System with 0.5-30 Day Interval Programmable Timer, for 15 Potted Plants, Watering on Working Days : Garden & Outdoor
I bought 2 just in case . I think I'm going to use the bottom one
Amazon.com : [Upgraded Pump] Big Power Automatic Drip Irrigation Kit, Indoor Plants Self Watering System with 0.5-30 Day Interval Programmable Timer, for 15 Potted Plants, Watering on Working Days : Garden & Outdoor
I bought 2 just in case . I think I'm going to use the bottom one
mudballs
Well-Known Member
ok im taking some freedoms (you gotta know how much the plant is drinking, then replace that)
for irrigation run time
so thats .16gpm x 60 minutes in an hour = 9gph (seems high but i dont know the machine)
The peak daily water use rates of crops are similar, typically averaging 0.3 to 0.35 inches per day, but single-day values can be about 0.5 inches,
go here
http://irrigation.wsu.edu/Content/Calculators/General/Irrigation-Run-Time.php
enter crop water use in inches per day .35
next we need
Irrigation Application Rate:
the number you gave me is nuts but ok, go here http://irrigation.wsu.edu/Content/Calculators/General/Water-Application-Rate.php
and enter 9gph and that gives you the water application rate in in/hr
then back to irrigation runtime calc
http://irrigation.wsu.edu/Content/Calculators/General/Irrigation-Run-Time.php and put in 14 in/hr as our application rate
our application efficiency is 100% cuz were not losing any water like from a sprayer
then press calculate and if you did it right and your provided flow rate is accurate, you need to run that machine for 2min to wet a 1sq ft pot of soil once a day
xtsho
Well-Known Member
Should have just gotten some Blumat Classics and called it a day.
Amazon.com: Blumat Classic Plant Watering Stakes (X- Large) | for Everyday Home or Vacation Use | Indoor or Outdoor Water Spikes for Plants | Automatic Drip Irrigation (2 Pack XL) : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com: Blumat Classic Plant Watering Stakes (X- Large) | for Everyday Home or Vacation Use | Indoor or Outdoor Water Spikes for Plants | Automatic Drip Irrigation (2 Pack XL) : Patio, Lawn & Garden
www.amazon.com
That sounds about right .Thank you so much for your help!