Drip irrigation for small orchard (forum)

petemoss starts with ...
Looking at trying to save water and also cut down the time we spend watering the orchard. Have used the brown drip lines in vege garden, great for that. We will need the PC (Pressure compensated) drip line, as the trees in the orchard are on a slight slope.

There are 4 rows of 7 trees, max distance at 31 metres. Tossing up whether to do the hoop/loop idea around each tree, or simply run straight lines. With a straight line, it will be 4 x 31 metres. The hoop idea will be a big job to put in, and doesn't allow for expansion, and the hoop/loops will get in the way when there is any maintenance on the trees (weeding,etc).

Would be interested in your thoughts. What have you done ? Hoop or straight ?

Time: 23rd January 2016 10:36am

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peter30001 says...
please explain hoop/loop idea.

Time: 24th January 2016 8:59am

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Julie W says...
pete, I did loops on my citrus, which were fully grown trees. I started with straight lines on young trees I planted, and now some need more water, so I'm thinking of adding loops.

I don't have as many trees as you, and use mini sprinklers to give more coverage. Also, I read that some trees (can only remember avocados) need humidity under the tree.

I have to remove all the sprinklers when whippersnipping time comes around, but the lines are OK

Time: 24th January 2016 3:33pm

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echinopora says...
I went with deep pipe irrigation fitted with drippers.
http://stfc.org.au/deep-pipe-irrigation
My setup is fairly simple. A 13mm poly hose down each row and 2 4l/hr drippers plugged directly into the 13mm at each tree. Get the drippers that allow you to attach 4mm poly to thd output side. The 4mm poly coming off the dripper feeds into a bamboo cane inserted 30cm into the ground. I put new canes down every so often to stop roots from all forming in one spot. Hope that makes sense.
Rob

Time: 24th January 2016 9:17pm

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petemoss says...
peter30001 - here is the loop idea

http://www.ecolandscaping.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/large-tree-drip.420.jpg

Looking at the image above, I can see how it allows for expansion. Just start with small inner circle, then add more outer ones. There seems to be no provision to clear the lines through. There would need to be a small tap on each loop to do that. Would require a T piece and the valve, about $3 - small expense really.

Julie W - Thanks re loops and that. Yes, as you say, maintenance in and around loops could make things difficult. Unless there are no weeds to start with, like that pic above. Do you think the trees would have received as much water if you kept it in lines, and not loops.

echinopora - I had a look at that article. Seems a good idea, although I wonder how much water is used, as opposed to drip irrigation. We have been using those 4 l/hr drippers in the vege garden, as well as the brown drip line. Find that those drippers clog up, so it is a fair bit of maintenance with them.


Time: 25th January 2016 10:16am

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Julie says...
Peter30001, I am guessing that a hoop/loop is a complete circle round the tree. That is my understanding. A straight line doesn't give complete coverage once the tree is larger.



Time: 26th January 2016 9:51pm

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echinopora says...
are you running a filter infront of the drip line and a flush valve? haven't had any trouble with the drippers other than the odd flush and I do unscrew the drippers when I change the canes. Maybe 30min of maintenance 2x a year. I do run soluble fert thought the system. We get a pretty reliable 1800mm of rain so its more of a fertilization than an irrigation system. I like the idea of getting the fertilizer down below any weed roots.

Rob

Time: 27th January 2016 9:39am

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petemoss says...
Julie - Yes the hoop/loop is a complete circle around the tree, as per the picture in this post.

Yes, a straight line wouldn't give complete coverage once the tree is larger, but the solution there is to add more straight lines - up and down from the main lines.

I'm wondering what commercial orchards do.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 27th January 2016 10:34am

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