Antonio Scotti

Eric Hanson wrote:Antonio,
a lot of orchards just lay them down and forget about them).
Eric

Thanks  Eric, I like this system
so in a way you are saying that many folks just set up the irrigation system when the tree is small. around the tree trunk, and never actually enlarge it as the tree grows....Interesting
but this is not what I  have learned, the important part of the tree that needs irrigation, mulch and compost is from the tree drip-line outwards, many PC text books and teachers always stress that.

Personally I would use the lowest flow necessary—.5 gallons/hour.    

Why?

Garden Jennie wrote:The local nursery owner recommended emitters ( I use flag emitters) directly punched into your mainline (I have 1/2” and 3/4” tubing). Attach 1/4” tubing to the emitter thus you can move the location of the water delivery as the tree grows. I have three emitters per tree. The length of the 1/4” tubing ranges from 8” to 30”. The flag emitters can swivel around. This does not follow the instructions that come with some emitters. This is what he uses at the nursery to water potted trees but with the barrel style emitter.

So are you saying that for each tree row, you have one blind pipepline and in correspondence of the tree location you punch 3 1/4" tubing with an attached flag emitter at the end, and that's it?
And what about when the tree canopy becomes 16' wide? Would you continue using the same system, only with longer tubings + flag emitters and more of them?
Thanks

S Bengi wrote:Can you post a layout of your site. Size, elevation, etc plays a huge part. When in doubt give too much info.

Lets say I had 20 rows of trees each with 10 trees.
I would give each row their own independent line.
I would then have each of 20 lines connecting connecting to a main line on the right.
I would then have another main line on the left to equalize the pressure.
I would put a switch at each end of every row so that I can independently work on each line.

Hi, thanks for you reply.
Ok I wasn't actually concerned with the overall layout but rather with the connection between the main pipe in each line of trees and the tree itself, the actual bit of drip irrigation that irrigates the individual tree.
Sorry for not explaining any clearer.
Since the tree is going to increase in size over time the emitters will have to be moved further from the trunk. Also the dripline of the trees will be covered will mulch material, meaning that if this is persistent
enough every year or too not only I will have to move the emitters outwards but I'll have to move the mulch which is on top of the drip irrigation (or part of it) as well.
So the question is, how can I place the drip irrigation around each tree so that the amount of work of readjustment of the drip irrigation pipe is minimal, meaning: cutting pipes and reconnecting them in a wider pattern each time. For example one possibility would be to have 2 pipelines for each tree row, each at one side of the trunk of each tree. Whenever necessary these two pipelines would be moved away of the trunk to always be at the drip-line, but I would also need to add more emitters I guess with time. Also the main pipeline (in the tree row) would be without emitters and in correspondence of each tree a piece of
drip-irrigation-pipe would have to be connected....etc. I think this is not a very effective way, and I wonder if there is any better way of doing this.
Hope I made myself more clear.
Cheers

Hi,
I am searching for ideas to design a drip irrigation system layout for fruit trees so that I use minimum piping over the years and
minimum labor (reconfiguration etc.), when the trees grow and the irrigation needs to be moved towards the drip line of the tree.
Is there some kind of standard way to doing this effectively?

S Bengi wrote:Once the birds perch, they dont come down for the night. So if you swap out containers every morning, you are mostly okay and you can save some energy/pollutants.
Based on your winter low, you are in Zone 8, with a climate similar to Seattle/PNW.

But it sounds like you are going to need a water heater. I like this system

Thanks again, nice system!

Jack Edmondson wrote:What depth is the frost line?  Rarely is it more than 4ft or 122cm.  Bury a large bucket or barrel and use a frost free hand pump to bring it up to the surface on demand.  

Well actually I don't think that the ground freezes at depth, maybe just a few cm.....but yes it could definitely be a solution. Thanks!

S Bengi wrote:https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-Ultimate-Deicer-Float/dp/B002QXN1EQ/ref=sr_1_14?dchild=1&keywords=bucket+heater&qid=1590689559&sr=8-14&tag=pfa12-20
This is a great device and the wonderful part is that it is low wattage only a 183KWH per month aka 250W

Thanks I'll check it out

S Bengi wrote:Spain climate is similiar to California with some areas a zone 11/10 and other areas a zone 8 (think Seattle).
https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-spain-plant-hardiness-zone-map-celsius.php
With such mild climate it might be that it will never freeze, esp if a bubbler is used.

In the place where I am building the pen it does get down to -12 ºC in winter, so it will freeze..I know it.
Kind regards
Antonio

Hi Mike
sound like an interesting setup. Would you please be so kind to send a photo along?
Best

Hi,
has anyone ever used the italian alder as a nurse tree for fruit trees either in a forest garden setting or a mixed orchard?
How easy it is to manage it, keep it from becoming too big?
Cheers

Hi
if the drinking water the chickens receive comes from a water tank collecting chicken house's roof water, how do you prevent it from freezing in winter time?
Or does it mean that you have to have an alternative way of supplying water (by hand for example) in winter time?
I have also seen that some water feeders use a nipple system, which I think can also freeze in winter time but seems to be more hygienic overall than the more conventional drinking systems.
So I guess that if you install a nipple type drinking system in a cold climate winter area, the water needs to be supplemented by hand or some other system that doesn't freeze on daily basis.
Any thoughts on these?