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Yeah, but I did get it all done. I set my plans, started late, had to return to the cave for a bit, and assumed I would forget something. I didn't have a list and I was getting pretty screwy toward the end. Nope, got it all and even remembered to price a drip system. Wow, I think, depending on what components are needed, that I could create a drip system for my needs below $60, and probably well below. Further, if I wanted to make my garden watering system all one unit, I could get raised misters in there for the water intense crops for no more than $100 sum total, if I had to guess. I would just need enough to cover four rows of crops. I could set the timer to run that later in the night, leaving more water pressure for the lawn watering hoses earlier, when I could tinker with them in the light but after the sun is off the grass. Yeah...
It wouldn't even just be to save money. It would be simply to save water, socially, as we are in a drought. My payoff would be less weed work. I'm not sure if that will really work but it is economically a small enough risk to take the chance. Now, I didn't really have time to ask about specialty tools, or figure out which fittings would be required, or maybe a main pipe to feed the lines off so as to maintain water pressure cohesion if that would be necessary. There is a lot that is unknown, but... Just roughly... it is feasible. So, yeah, D.C., you could be right on the money.
I also had another thought tonight, while driving back. I love to drive. The man whose family feeds me primarily has to drive nights. It's two to four hours, I think. Mosquito abatement. However, it is a late drive and he works all day. Why I didn't think about it before I can't be sure. Perhaps I was afraid of the task. And it is just two nights a week, though if in a crunch I could probably fill in on other nights. They have done me more than enough favors. I have a good driving record. No criminal record. And if I can learn calculus I can probably learn anything else needed. I'll... have to talk to him about it, go on the various paths a few times, probably as passenger and driver, if he thinks it would work. But... I can easily adjust my sleep, he has no choice. Yeah, I'll call him tomorrow or Friday.
Tomorrow? All plumbing all day, and plumbing until plumbing is done. I did by bone meal, and blood meal, plus exchanged the sprayer for the right one. So, if on a break I decide to read the instructions, I might do a bit of that while on a break from plumbing. Or if I finish much quicker than I had thought. After the plumbing... weeding, weeding, and more weeding. But I am loving being at things, getting things done, things that have been in the queue for far too long. Oh, the screen? Actually that was a spur of the moment thing that I noticed long ago but hadn't really settled on doing. It just hit me today and... Well... It might be done yet tonight.
Later or good night.
Regarding the "main line" the easiest way to get started is to just run one of your hoses from the faucet and timer out to the garden. They make adapters that screw onto the end of the garden hose, and accept the 1/2" poly tube on the other side.
ReplyDeleteYou can go to town with tees and elbows and isolation valves and end caps, however it becomes most convenient to manage it. But upgrades as needed are easy to do later. Cut the poly tube, squeeze on a fitting and you're done.
I'd recommend getting an in-line filter. This will extend the life of your emitters. I'd also go with the pressure compensating emitters and dispense with the pressure regulator in the supply line. This will allow you to put mini-sprinklers and/or mini-misters on the same line as the emitters. Otherwise the pressure regulator drops the pressure too much for the misters to work very efficiently. As you noted, they can add a great deal of flexibility to your operation. If you fit them with 1/4" shut off valves, it is easy to turn them on or off as needed.
Yeah, it looked as involved as you want to get. Most of my plants are in straight long rows, no more than 6 to 8 plants per row. One area is a little weird because I put two peppers in oddly. I'll do a little digging on how to set these things up, how flexible the hoses are and such.
ReplyDeleteAs for components, I'll just have to research those based on some of what I see. What you are saying makes sense, but standing in front of a wall of components, trying to make it up even with that sort of advice, would be prone to mistakes.
Of course, as with the notion of pet-resistant screens, just because something exists doesn't mean it is easily or widely available.