[AmandaK]

YouTube is your friend here Amanda. Loads upon loads of channels for gardening with instructions on how to install irrigation.

Yeah... I've done that a few times over the course of the last 6 months or so. I think I found all the bad/annoying/product placement channels. Any recommendations? I don't think I can watch another crappy gardening YT video. 

[Stevie]

I like Growing Your Greens. The guy is a bit of the stoner hippy type and pretty entertaining. Some of his guests tend to spout conspiracy theories regarding aluminum, Monsanto and chemtrails, but I filter that out.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUnFheTbVpASikm0YPb8pSw

Lately he has be testing a subsurface watering system, and those videos did seem a little fanboi, but he recently posted one where he was complaining about some of the issues.

This playlist is pretty solid for raised beds. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB85C9A5921497978

[pete b]

Just a clarification: when I say drip tape I'm not talking about the sort of drip hose that uses emitters at certain points. That being said, its probably more appropriate for gardens or fields with rows than raised beds.

[euge]

I'm looking for a combo of drippers and soakers but our water is real hard. Not sure how well the drippers will last.

[AmandaK]

I'm looking for a combo of drippers and soakers but our water is real hard. Not sure how well the drippers will last.

Yeah - that's something else I need to consider. :/

At any rate, I'm looking at a website called Drip Depot. They have plenty of stuff to learn from.

[euge]

I'm looking for a combo of drippers and soakers but our water is real hard. Not sure how well the drippers will last.

Yeah - that's something else I need to consider. :/

At any rate, I'm looking at a website called Drip Depot. They have plenty of stuff to learn from.

Just what I was looking for. I think they must have everything.

[Slowbrew]

I'm looking for a combo of drippers and soakers but our water is real hard. Not sure how well the drippers will last.

Yeah - that's something else I need to consider. :/

At any rate, I'm looking at a website called Drip Depot. They have plenty of stuff to learn from.

You may want to consider some rain barrels too.  We put out 3 of them last year and typically had more water than we could use.  A 20'x24' roof will fill a 55 gallon barrel from .1" of rain.  It's pretty cool to get 150 gallons of garden water from a light shower.  All kinds of options out there.

Paul

[euge]

I've been pricing large water tanks and wish the trigger had been pulled earlier. It floods so bad out back that in a rainy season... Anyway I could have filled several 1000 gallon tanks with what I pumped out over the weekend with twice that to spare. Easily. Pump ran flat out for ten hours. Plan is for a floodwater fed system in times o'plenty.

One of the guys at my old job has irrigation in his raised beds and it was extremely productive despite an extremely harsh and dry Central Texas summer climate. I always have problems at the height of summer. Saving rainwater could help a lot.

[AmandaK]

Rain capture would likely work better for euge than me. a) he gets much more rain(!) and b) I would have to pump it from the house collection point anyway. Good idea though!

I'm pricing out a basic, expandable system at the Drip Depot place.

[Pinski]

Drip irrigation will be a piece of cake for you.
Make sure you have an anti-siphon hose bib or get an valve with a vacuum breaker if you go that route, for backflow protection.  A simple in-line pressure reducer to ~25psi and a filter assembly to prevent clogging of the emitters and your off and running. There really are tons of options depending on your application. I would encourage you to visit an irrigation/landscape specialty shop like Ewing.  Knowledgeable people can show you the range of options you have and you can see and tinker with various components to find the right mix for you.  Good luck, have fun.

[pinnah]

 I am using one of these at the moment
 

 

It is however, a vintage model called the Colorado Sprinkler...made in Illinois by Nelson. 

Easy irrigation is key! I sure wish I had an automated system.  My irrigation water does not get into the canal until mid April, so all my starting has to get hand watered.


Tried the burlap on carrots Pete.  Got some peas and beets in.
Vert, spotted a lone asparagus spear already....garden location much earlier than wild fare apparently.

Plums and apricot in full bloom.    Freeze forecasted for tomorrow.


Anyone grow Okra?

[redbeerman]

We grow okra every year.  Had a bumper crop last year.  They like it hot and usually come on like gangbusters late in the growing season.  We pickle most of it and freeze a bunch for soups.  This year I'm thinking about growing a bunch of different cabbages for sauerkraut, now that I have that process down.  Kohlrabi is also great pickled.  Tomatoes, greens, cukes and peppers will round out the garden this year.  Asparagus should start soon too.

[pete b]

We just had more snow Saturday and its actually snowing now. Its supposed to get up into the 40's and 50's this week so hopefully the snow will start melting in earnest. We're down to about 2 feet of snow left on the garden but I think two more weeks and it might be gone. I do have spinach and lettuce coming up in the cold frame and it was just barely warm enough yesterday to put two packages of bees in their hives. I can't wait to get to the overwintered parsnips.

[Slowbrew]

Just looked at my phone and it's 73F outside today.  Raspberries are starting to sprout and last years canes are leafing out.  Hostas and tulips are peaking out of the ground.  I'm starting to believe it may actually be Spring.

Paul

[pete b]

Just looked at my phone and it's 73F outside today.  Raspberries are starting to sprout and last years canes are leafing out.  Hostas and tulips are peaking out of the ground.  I'm starting to believe it may actually be Spring.

Paul

hard to believe it but just a couple years ago it was in the seventies here a few times in March. April is two days away and we have barely hit 40 once or twice since before Christmas and there's 2 feet of snow on the ground. We've had First Naked Beer Day earlier than this.