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Sunday, January 10, 2016

You want to get things WET!!! try this

Most times we need to get a huge ground wet always, or it might be plants, here is a simple way you can handle this

Step 1: Getting started

Decide what you want to be covered by the watering system. Draw a rough plan on paper showing the garden details (position of the house, beds, paths, tap etc) and measurements. You’ll need this to estimate the equipment for the job whether you do it yourself or go to a specialty irrigation shop for advice and service. You should plan on spacing your sprays about 1 metre apart for good coverage.

Step 2: Get your materials

To help you buy the correct fittings the irrigation shop will need your rough plan and the results of a flow test to see how much volume of water is available.
A flow test is simply an estimate of the rate at which water flows out of your tap. To find this information take all fittings (hoses etc) off one of the garden taps and turn it on full force. Place a household bucket underneath the tap and time how long it takes to reach the top of the bucket. This information will help the irrigation specialists determine the correct components for your garden.
When you visit a specialist irrigation shop they will be able to translate your rough plan into a detailed plan and estimate the length of pipe and the number of fittings that you will need.

Step 3: Laying out the system

You will be supplied with a length of black polypipe tubing. This is the main irrigation pipe from which run the sprayers. We selected 19mm width poly pipe, which delivers a good flow of water.
To make placement easier, unroll the pipe (for example on the lawn) and allow it to straighten in the warmth of the sun. This will get rid of all the kinks and curls.
Lay your piping out over the areas which you want to be watered.
Tip: When laying the tubing try to curve it instead of always cutting and joining with T-joints or elbows as you lose about 11% of your water flow with each additional joint.
Cut your pipe to fit the area using sharp secateurs (alternatively use a sharp Stanley or craft knife but take care not to cut yourself) and join with the appropriate joiner and ratchets. Leave one or two ends open to check water flow.
Cover the ends of the plastic tubing with tape or something similar to stop dirt getting into the pipes as they move through the soil.

Step 4:Flow Check

Once the 19mm pipe is laid out across the garden, connect the main tube to your garden tap. It is a good idea to insert an inline filter between the tap and the main tubing to catch anything which may otherwise block the tiny spray heads.
Turn on the tap to check the flow from the unjoined pipes. This will also flush any soil from the pipes which could impede the flow later.
When you have established that water is flowing to all parts of the system, turn off the tap and join the open ends to the appropriate joiner. Placing a ratchet clip over the piping covering the joiner and sealing with a pair of multigrips stops the tubing from coming off later – it’s often difficult to trace a dislodged seal once the pipe is buried, so save yourself some time and trouble by doing it correctly first time round.

Step 5: Selecting the sprayers

There are a number of different spray heads that can be used to cover different shaped garden beds and so avoid wasting water on paths and the like including:
90deg. heads – good for corners.
  • 180deg. spray heads – use to keep spray off the path when aimed towards the bed.
  • 360deg. heads – deliver a circular spray pattern that is ideal for the middle of garden beds.
  • strip spray heads – to deliver a lengthways band of water for rectangular areas.

Step 6: Installing the risers and spray heads

The sprayers are linked into the main irrigation pipe with narrow tubes or risers (3.9mm), usually called spaghetti tube, which in turn are attached to rigid, plastic stakes known as landscape stakes
Cut the risers to length and attach each piece to a landscape stake and insert a joiner in the end which will be attached to the poly pipe.
Using a hosing clip punch (sold as a punch tool and available from irrigation suppliers), make a hole in the 19mm irrigation pipe at a spot which will be midway between the adjacent plants. Insert one end of the riser tubing to the main pipe and plant the stake in the ground.
Note: The advantage of using risers is that the spray head can be moved around as the plants grow without having to punch more holes in the buried pipe. Fixed risers may have plants grow over the top which will interfere with the spray, so the moveable risers on stakes are more convenient and practical.
Repeat until all risers are in position. If you make a mistake when punching a hole it can be repaired with a seal called a goof plug.
The next step is to attach the appropriate spray head to each riser. You may find it easier to first insert a brass head to cut a thread before inserting the permanent plastic heads.
Tip: Leather gloves will save your hands and give you a better grip when screwing in the spray heads.

Step 7: Finishing touches

Hold down pipe where necessary with wire pegs.
To cover the pipe dig a shallow trench 6-8cm (3-4″) deep, lay pipe in trench and cover.

 

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