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z_warrior
makeshift irrigation system
Jul 23 2009, 12:13 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 23 2009, 12:13 AM EDT
I have this idea that is very simple and doesn't take much time or materials to make.

Basically take a 55gal drum and put it on a table (anything above the soil. This is gravity powered) Then attach a butterfly valve to the bottom. Screw a hose to the other end of the valve and put a stopper in the other end of the hose. Poke a few holes in the hose and fill the drum with water. Now you can control the amount of water your plants get. Do you find this valuable?    
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ak_fred
1. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 23 2009, 2:08 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 23 2009, 2:08 AM EDT
"I have this idea that is very simple and doesn't take much time or materials to make.

Basically take a 55gal drum and put it on a table (anything above the soil. This is gravity powered) Then attach a butterfly valve to the bottom. Screw a hose to the other end of the valve and put a stopper in the other end of the hose. Poke a few holes in the hose and fill the drum with water. Now you can control the amount of water your plants get. "
How is this better than hand watering?.. I guess if you have the materials.

I assume that this is for unattended watering?
 Do you find this valuable?    

z_warrior
2. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 24 2009, 2:25 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 24 2009, 2:25 PM EDT
"How is this better than hand watering?.. I guess if you have the materials.

I assume that this is for unattended watering?
"
Yeah. I figure that you can save time instead of running back and forth to get water and then back out to the fields to water the crops. That you would have more time for other things such as improving deffenses. Also with an irrigation system and more time, you can grow more crops.

This is good for my situation at least. The location of my fortress is a relatives house. They live in the country with large fields all around. With an irrigation system one person can water all of the crops by just turning the flow of water on, as opposed to everyone taking hours to do the same amount of work (or possibly less). Do you find this valuable?    
Reaper37
Reaper37
3. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 24 2009, 2:32 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 24 2009, 2:32 PM EDT
Its a good idea for unmanned watering. Although i would expect everyone to pull their weight with helping (unless of course there are disabilities, but stuff can still be done when in a wheel chair). But it would deffinately allow for more time to do other things. Do you find this valuable?    
EostreRites
EostreRites
4. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 24 2009, 3:46 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 24 2009, 3:46 PM EDT
We use this rain-barrel system all the time. Ours sits on the ground and the hose has no holes, because I like to water and I am always home. Works great.

It has to be painted dark green or black and should have a top that lets in water, but not light. If you let light in you will have very serious algae, mosquito, and micro-organism problems. Do you find this valuable?    

z_warrior
5. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 25 2009, 12:50 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 25 2009, 12:50 AM EDT
"We use this rain-barrel system all the time. Ours sits on the ground and the hose has no holes, because I like to water and I am always home. Works great.

It has to be painted dark green or black and should have a top that lets in water, but not light. If you let light in you will have very serious algae, mosquito, and micro-organism problems."
Thanks for the tip on the algae. I never thought about that. But I have thought about collecting water. Its basically me just putting out a tarp when it looks like its going to rain that is directed toward the drum. Do you find this valuable?    

z_warrior
6. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 25 2009, 12:53 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 25 2009, 12:53 AM EDT
"Its a good idea for unmanned watering. Although i would expect everyone to pull their weight with helping (unless of course there are disabilities, but stuff can still be done when in a wheel chair). But it would deffinately allow for more time to do other things."
Everyone will have plenty to do, so I figured that if I can make it so they have more time to do the same amount of work, they can do a better job. Especially on defenses. If they have another hour or two to improve a barrier, thats another hours worth of work that intruders have to get through. Do you find this valuable?    
timberrattler
timberrattler
7. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 25 2009, 1:49 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 25 2009, 1:49 AM EDT
Heres my two cents on this idea.

First off place your barrel against a building with guttering. Then run the downspout into your barrel. No need to poke holes in a hose if you have a soaker hose (Wal-Mart sells 'em). Everytime it rains your barrel will catch all the water that runs off your building and water your plants. You could also keep your valve closed and water later as well. Put a barrel at every downspout and you'll be collecting a good bit of water with every rainfall. A plastic trash can would work as well as a metal drum and would'nt rust and clog your soaker hose either.

As far as keeping algae out of your water. You'll find that a small burlap sack filled with cornmeal or barley straw placed in your rain barrel will keep the algae away. Its the cellulose in those items that does the trick. Don't ask me the scientific reasoning behind it I'm just an ignorant redneck after all. Do you find this valuable?    

z_warrior
8. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 25 2009, 2:05 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 25 2009, 2:05 AM EDT
" Its the cellulose in those items that does the trick."
Thanks for the tips. Only one question though. Could you use any plant then? I know that plants create cellulose through photosynthesis. If thats IS the case I would just use grass clippings. Do you find this valuable?    
timberrattler
timberrattler
9. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Jul 25 2009, 3:03 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 25 2009, 3:03 AM EDT
"Thanks for the tips. Only one question though. Could you use any plant then? I know that plants create cellulose through photosynthesis. If thats IS the case I would just use grass clippings."
Those are the two ingredients an old friend of mine shared with me. I'm just guessing at the cellulose part because thats the only thing that I can think of that straw and cornmeal have in common. I use barley straw in my horses water and it does the trick. No algae. I use corn meal when I can't get my hands on straw. No algae. Other forms of cellulose might work but I figure if it isn't broke why fix it? Hell cardboard might even work, its a source of cellulose. I guess anything that was once a living form of plant life is. Do you find this valuable?    
Zee-Man
Zee-Man
10. RE: makeshift irrigation system
Dec 21 2011, 10:53 PM EST | Post edited: Dec 21 2011, 10:53 PM EST
While this seems an old thread, a useful bit of info that is hard to find: 1 inch of rainfall equals .62 gallon of water per square foot. If using a roof as a collection system consider an overflow channel for a rain barrel. Roofs collect a lot of rainwater - 20 ft x 10 ft (a very small roof) = 200 sq ft or 124 gallons per inch of rainfall. Do you find this valuable?