Thank you for the kind words! What a great way to start the day today :) I had a look at your channel as well, great stuff! I have a couple figs at home and I'm not experienced with growing them, you commenting here was good timing, thank you for that.
Just in time! Starting to lay out a design and have a couple of trees and 3 hydrangeas that could really use the ring. Was wondering what I was going to do for them. Thanks!
We are so happy to hear that you found the video helpful! Should you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our customer service team ---> help.dripdepot.com/support/tickets/new
Really appreciate videos like this. Very informative and straightforward. We just planted a total of young 18 juniper's and arborvitaes. Wondering what spacing around those trees would be proper? Getting my plan together now to order all parts. Thank you
The general rule is to make the diameter about halfway through the canopy -- this can vary of course, but in general the root system of a tree is as large as its canopy. So if the canopy had a 24" diameter, you could put the drip line ring approximately 12" away. Arborvitae can have root systems that are smaller than the canopy, but with them you can use the caliper to get a good idea of its root diameter :)
Thanks for all the helpful videos!! If I don't want to bury the main line, (I have a long run to a back tree in hard ground) what is the easiest way to unhook the line so I can mow when needed? Also, what is the best tubing size for 6 foot pine trees that are 2 years old? Is the 1/4" drip line just fine? I have very hard, but sandy soil. (I live in dry Colorado)
Great question Anne, I would saw lawn mowers are probably the #2 cause of damaged lines (with doggos being number 1). If you're using the Perma-Loc fittings, the part that connects the tubing to the head assembly will typically have a swivel on it, so it's pretty easy to remove -- the swivel allows you to turn just that part so that it can be removed without turning everything. Here's a link to the fitting I'm describing above: www.dripdepot.com/1193 Another option is a "quick connect" fitting -- it's a little faster than even a swivel fitting -- you can basically pull it apart and then just push it back together. Here's an example of a quick connect fitting: www.dripdepot.com/2500 In regards to the best drip line size, it largely depends on the circumference of your trees -- most likely, the 1/4" will be more than good for you unless the trees are particularly large. The 12" spaced 1/4" drip line is good for up to about 30', so it'd have to be a pretty big tree to outgrow that. And I remember that soil very well Anne! I used to live in dry Colorado as well (Palmer Lake and then Grand Junction when I moved West) :)
The backflow preventer you may not need, as most sprinkler systems will come with powerful backflow protection -- it can be worth confirming (backflow prevention is important!) but most likely it's already present, particularly if it was professionally installed. The pressure regulator (and a fine mesh filter) you'll likely need -- sprinkler systems tend to operate at higher pressure than drip systems, so you'll want to bring it down a little bit to keep the drippers emitting water nice and evenly (and to protect the drip components from too high of pressure). If for some reason the sprinkler system is already at 15 to 30 PSI you could go without the regulator, but most likely it's somewhere between 40 to 70 PSI.
@@JesusistheonetrueGod I did see a couple like that! Did all of yours get free shipping? If not, reply to me here with one of the order numbers so I can make sure, I'd hate for you to pay shipping on one of those when it otherwise would have qualified if it were all in one.
I water my trees for about 2 minutes giving them approximately 5 gallons of water/watering, every other day on hot days. How long would i need to run the drip system to give them that much water? I plan to water about 15-20 plants ranging from flowering plants to trees. thanks for video. very informative.
Ultimately it will depend on how many emitters are in your tree ring -- each emitter puts out about 0.5 GPH, so if your ring had 5 emitters in it, the total would be 2.5 GPH, or two hours to deliver 5 gallons -- if it had 3 emitters in it, the total would be 1.5 GPH and would be about 3.3 hours to deliver 5 total gallons, etc :)
Really like your video and explanation thank U .. but how how far from the tree stam do I make the circle around the tree .. my fruit trees are3 - 4 " thick stams .. lemon, lime, j& ackfruit tree
This can vary on the type of tree, but usually on trees of that size we'll go about 6" to 12" from the trunk of the tree, or about halfway through the diameter of the canopy (since many tree's drinking roots are about the same size as the tree's canopy). In common loamy soil, water will spread about 12" from the point of drip, so this distance can get you very thorough coverage of the root zone :)
The tubing and dripline does have a low enough profile that some folks mow over them -- it's definitely a risk every time you do, but raising the mower to a higher position can help reduce the risk. If you do hit it with the mower (I'd say that's one of the most common ways tubing gets damaged) it is fortunately very easy to repair -- quick too, if you already have some on hand. I generally advise against it, but I have done it myself when I didn't have time to get it buried for a season -- I raised the mower which ended up increasing how often I had to mow, but the tubing made it through the season :)
Where should I place the watering ring - directly over the root ball or where the backfill meets the root ball, or at the drip line (widest reach of the branches)? The tree was planted a few weeks ago. 6 foot tall "green giant". Root ball approximately 20" across. Burlap removed from top of root ball, left on sides of root ball. Zone 6a. Thank you.
This can of course depend on a few variables (like so much in drip!) but if the root ball is a 20" diameter, a good general / starting approach would be to make your drip line ring 10" diameter. In common loamy garden soil, water spreads about 12" from the point of drip beneath, so a 20" diameter root ball irrigated by a 10" diameter ring would see thorough coverage. :)
I have one small tree in a perennial bed on the same system. Would you just hand water the tree and drip the plants since they have separate needs? Or what would the irrigation emitter types be?
Good question -- in some cases it can be planned around, by going with something higher flow (a drip line spiral instead of ring, a bubbler, etc) for the thirstier tree and going with drippers or drip line for the perennials. The big thing to keep in mind is frequency, some trees enjoy a deep watering but only once or twice a week, others prefer consistently moist soil. To put both on a drip system, read about the watering needs of the perennial types and tree type -- volume (gallons per hour) is pretty easy to account for when having both on the same system, it's the frequency to really look for :) You could also put each one on its own zone, even from the same hose bib -- a faucet Y splitter or two outlet timer will allow each to be on their own zone and have completely customized watering cycles.
For most trees I place the drip line based on the canopy and try to go as close to halfway as possible (halfway in this case meaning the drip line is right in the middle of the canopy). Since water spreads from the point of drip, this allows water to cover the entire canopy zone, which for many trees is where the drinking roots will be found. As the tree grows I will splice in additional lengths of drip line, at least until the tree is at a point it doesn't really need the irrigation any more. For larger trees with big canopies I will do a spiral of drip line instead of a ring (though larger trees often don't need much, if any, supplemental watering). Either way, with how water travels beneath the surface, you do get some cushion on placement :)
Great question! The primary reason is to help prevent clogging -- at system shut-down, air is going to drain from the lowest point emitters. As water drains, it is replaced by air and that air might be suctioned in through other emitters. If the emitters are facing up, they'll just pull in air, if they're facing the soil they might pull some dirt and debris with it which can lead to clogging.
On a small enough system, you could -- 1/4" tubing is limited to about 30' length and 30 GPH in flow, but it's best not to hit both thresholds -- a 30' run of 1/4" tubing with 30 GPH going through it would lose close to 20 PSI from friction loss. At 20 GPH it would still be 13 PSI. So basically, you could do so on small system that just needs to water a couple trees and is reasonably close to the water source :)
You bet, the emitter line can be on top of the mulch -- the mulch will eventually reach its saturation point and the gravity and capillary/wicking action will carry the water to the soil and spread out from there. I'd say it's fairly common to have it on top of the mulch. The maximum efficiency is to place it beneath (but that slightly increases the risk of clogging), but it can go either way and still water effectively :)
@@911justice6 I'd say it's around 50/50 for folks who cover it and those who don't, but you bring up a very good point -- it's definitely a good idea to verify flow prior to covering, particularly if it's a larger system or if some of the trees are a good distance from the water source. And yes, hard water can be the bane of almost any drip emitter -- filtering will delay it, but mineral build-up will inevitably happen. In those cases a plant-safe pH solution can be injected into the lines to break it up for flushing, or if it's not too big of a system, the dripline can be removed and soaked in such a soution -- similar to those solutions you see out there for misting nozzles, which have even smaller orifices.
It can work in a gravity system, but it's going to require an elevated water source -- the dripline likes a minimum of 5 PSI which comes out to be close to 12' of elevation. If the water source can get a little higher than that there will be enough pressure. When 12' or more of elevation cannot be achieved, there are other options, however. A button dripper that can work at near 0 PSI like this one is a good choice (though definitely more labor time involved in installing many drippers): www.dripdepot.com/cleanable-dripper Drip tape is also an option as it can (and often does) work in very low pressure systems like gravity setups.
@@dripdepot Thanks! How long of a run of drip tape could one do with an IBC tote about a foot off the ground. I’m planning orchard rows that are over 300’ long with a water source on one end only. Could I do a run of 3/4” mainline all the way down and a series of shorter drip tapes off of that? Or do you recommend 3/4” mainline and a bunch of 1/4” tubes with valves as drippers due to the dirty water?
@@alexw890 Unfortunately I don't think a foot of elevation would be enough to operate 300' of drip tape -- with 1' you'd have about 0.433 PSI (a little more with the height of the tank, but that isn't static and changes as it empties). For example, if you were using a 300' run of drip tape with a 0.25 GPH emitter spaced every 12", you'd have a flow rate of 75 GPH -- 75 GPH going through 300' of line is going to lose about 1.8 PSI from friction -- that's a nice low amount, but is higher than the starting pressure. I think you might be on the right track in suggesting 1/4" coupling valves for the dirty water, as a filter is going to cause a bit of a pressure loss as well -- coupling valves used as emitters works well in dirty water gravity systems, as they can easily be cleaned if they get clogged, and they can be adjusted so that each one is essentially just dripping -- a cleanable dripper would also work here, they're pretty easy to unthread and give a good rinse (here's an example of one: www.dripdepot.com/cleanable-dripper-flow-rate-half-gph). If it's possible to elevate the water source some, I'd look into that if possible -- even 10' of elevation would provide 4.3 PSI, giving you a bit more room/buffer to work with -- in our gravity video we elevated our water source about 6' if I recall correctly -- this was enough, but we were only irrigating a couple 8' raised beds.
@@dripdepot Thank you so much for your time. I’ve seen your gravity video, that much height is not possible for me. We will have to revisit this when I get closer to implementing it. I’ll send y’all an email with my plan and any questions. I’ll be going with you guys for sure and it’s gonna be a big project by the time I’m done. Thanks again!
@@alexw890 You're very welcome! And you bet, when you're ready to start hammering out the details, send us an email -- during office hours we'll get back quickly and there's a good chance I'll be able to assist as well, I'm one of the people who receives emails from our support@ address :)
Best irrigation video on the planet. Thank you sir!
I just got back from a short vacation and walked into this comment -- thank you! What a way to get back into the swing of things :)
Those are some good looking chickens you hired for your "extras!" 🐓 🐓 🐓
The property owner, whoever she may be, raised some mighty fine chickens! Omelette was a treat to work with and a true professional 😁
I've watched a lot of irrigation videos on youtube the last couple days and yours are the best! Thank you for uploading these guides :)!
Thank you for the kind words! What a great way to start the day today :)
I had a look at your channel as well, great stuff! I have a couple figs at home and I'm not experienced with growing them, you commenting here was good timing, thank you for that.
@@dripdepot Thank you very much! :) ! That's made my day.
Just in time! Starting to lay out a design and have a couple of trees and 3 hydrangeas that could really use the ring. Was wondering what I was going to do for them. Thanks!
We are so happy to hear that you found the video helpful! Should you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our customer service team ---> help.dripdepot.com/support/tickets/new
Really appreciate videos like this. Very informative and straightforward. We just planted a total of young 18 juniper's and arborvitaes. Wondering what spacing around those trees would be proper? Getting my plan together now to order all parts. Thank you
The general rule is to make the diameter about halfway through the canopy -- this can vary of course, but in general the root system of a tree is as large as its canopy. So if the canopy had a 24" diameter, you could put the drip line ring approximately 12" away. Arborvitae can have root systems that are smaller than the canopy, but with them you can use the caliper to get a good idea of its root diameter :)
Great video, just in time!!
Glad we got this one out in time for the season this year, thank you for watching! :)
Thanks for all the helpful videos!! If I don't want to bury the main line, (I have a long run to a back tree in hard ground) what is the easiest way to unhook the line so I can mow when needed? Also, what is the best tubing size for 6 foot pine trees that are 2 years old? Is the 1/4" drip line just fine? I have very hard, but sandy soil. (I live in dry Colorado)
Great question Anne, I would saw lawn mowers are probably the #2 cause of damaged lines (with doggos being number 1).
If you're using the Perma-Loc fittings, the part that connects the tubing to the head assembly will typically have a swivel on it, so it's pretty easy to remove -- the swivel allows you to turn just that part so that it can be removed without turning everything.
Here's a link to the fitting I'm describing above: www.dripdepot.com/1193
Another option is a "quick connect" fitting -- it's a little faster than even a swivel fitting -- you can basically pull it apart and then just push it back together. Here's an example of a quick connect fitting: www.dripdepot.com/2500
In regards to the best drip line size, it largely depends on the circumference of your trees -- most likely, the 1/4" will be more than good for you unless the trees are particularly large. The 12" spaced 1/4" drip line is good for up to about 30', so it'd have to be a pretty big tree to outgrow that.
And I remember that soil very well Anne! I used to live in dry Colorado as well (Palmer Lake and then Grand Junction when I moved West) :)
Do I need the backflow preventer and pressure regulator if I'm connecting to traditional sprinkler system pipes?
The backflow preventer you may not need, as most sprinkler systems will come with powerful backflow protection -- it can be worth confirming (backflow prevention is important!) but most likely it's already present, particularly if it was professionally installed.
The pressure regulator (and a fine mesh filter) you'll likely need -- sprinkler systems tend to operate at higher pressure than drip systems, so you'll want to bring it down a little bit to keep the drippers emitting water nice and evenly (and to protect the drip components from too high of pressure).
If for some reason the sprinkler system is already at 15 to 30 PSI you could go without the regulator, but most likely it's somewhere between 40 to 70 PSI.
I have 48 trees in two separate tree lines. Drip Depot here I come
If any questions come up during the process, don't hesitate to reach out, we'll be happy to assist :)
@@dripdepot Thank you very mich. If you noticed a couple of orders recently, 3 going to the same address, that was me.
@@JesusistheonetrueGod I did see a couple like that! Did all of yours get free shipping? If not, reply to me here with one of the order numbers so I can make sure, I'd hate for you to pay shipping on one of those when it otherwise would have qualified if it were all in one.
@@dripdepot One of my orders didn't get free shipping because it was just these two items:
0-200 PSI Pressure Gauge - Type : Dry
Soil Moisture Meter
@@JesusistheonetrueGod Perfect! Found it and have issued a refund for the entirety of the shipping costs on that one :)
I water my trees for about 2 minutes giving them approximately 5 gallons of water/watering, every other day on hot days. How long would i need to run the drip system to give them that much water? I plan to water about 15-20 plants ranging from flowering plants to trees. thanks for video. very informative.
Ultimately it will depend on how many emitters are in your tree ring -- each emitter puts out about 0.5 GPH, so if your ring had 5 emitters in it, the total would be 2.5 GPH, or two hours to deliver 5 gallons -- if it had 3 emitters in it, the total would be 1.5 GPH and would be about 3.3 hours to deliver 5 total gallons, etc :)
Really like your video and explanation thank U .. but how how far from the tree stam do I make the circle around the tree .. my fruit trees are3 - 4 " thick stams .. lemon, lime, j& ackfruit tree
This can vary on the type of tree, but usually on trees of that size we'll go about 6" to 12" from the trunk of the tree, or about halfway through the diameter of the canopy (since many tree's drinking roots are about the same size as the tree's canopy). In common loamy soil, water will spread about 12" from the point of drip, so this distance can get you very thorough coverage of the root zone :)
Can you laeve the hoses above ground and run a lawn mover over them?
The tubing and dripline does have a low enough profile that some folks mow over them -- it's definitely a risk every time you do, but raising the mower to a higher position can help reduce the risk. If you do hit it with the mower (I'd say that's one of the most common ways tubing gets damaged) it is fortunately very easy to repair -- quick too, if you already have some on hand.
I generally advise against it, but I have done it myself when I didn't have time to get it buried for a season -- I raised the mower which ended up increasing how often I had to mow, but the tubing made it through the season :)
Where should I place the watering ring - directly over the root ball or where the backfill meets the root ball, or at the drip line (widest reach of the branches)? The tree was planted a few weeks ago. 6 foot tall "green giant". Root ball approximately 20" across. Burlap removed from top of root ball, left on sides of root ball. Zone 6a. Thank you.
This can of course depend on a few variables (like so much in drip!) but if the root ball is a 20" diameter, a good general / starting approach would be to make your drip line ring 10" diameter.
In common loamy garden soil, water spreads about 12" from the point of drip beneath, so a 20" diameter root ball irrigated by a 10" diameter ring would see thorough coverage. :)
@@dripdepot Thank you so much!
I have one small tree in a perennial bed on the same system. Would you just hand water the tree and drip the plants since they have separate needs? Or what would the irrigation emitter types be?
Good question -- in some cases it can be planned around, by going with something higher flow (a drip line spiral instead of ring, a bubbler, etc) for the thirstier tree and going with drippers or drip line for the perennials. The big thing to keep in mind is frequency, some trees enjoy a deep watering but only once or twice a week, others prefer consistently moist soil. To put both on a drip system, read about the watering needs of the perennial types and tree type -- volume (gallons per hour) is pretty easy to account for when having both on the same system, it's the frequency to really look for :)
You could also put each one on its own zone, even from the same hose bib -- a faucet Y splitter or two outlet timer will allow each to be on their own zone and have completely customized watering cycles.
Newbie question here, but shouldn’t the drip line be placed under the tree’s drip line (further out) instead closer to the trunk?
For most trees I place the drip line based on the canopy and try to go as close to halfway as possible (halfway in this case meaning the drip line is right in the middle of the canopy). Since water spreads from the point of drip, this allows water to cover the entire canopy zone, which for many trees is where the drinking roots will be found. As the tree grows I will splice in additional lengths of drip line, at least until the tree is at a point it doesn't really need the irrigation any more.
For larger trees with big canopies I will do a spiral of drip line instead of a ring (though larger trees often don't need much, if any, supplemental watering). Either way, with how water travels beneath the surface, you do get some cushion on placement :)
Awesome. Thanks for your response and help! ❤
@@slothboyomg Any time! If any questions come up, don't hesitate to drop a line, happy to assist :)
Why should the emitter holes be facing UP given that the water needs to go down into the soil? thanks!
Great question! The primary reason is to help prevent clogging -- at system shut-down, air is going to drain from the lowest point emitters. As water drains, it is replaced by air and that air might be suctioned in through other emitters. If the emitters are facing up, they'll just pull in air, if they're facing the soil they might pull some dirt and debris with it which can lead to clogging.
I like that.
could you run 1/4 "blank tubing" down that row as opposed the main tubing?
On a small enough system, you could -- 1/4" tubing is limited to about 30' length and 30 GPH in flow, but it's best not to hit both thresholds -- a 30' run of 1/4" tubing with 30 GPH going through it would lose close to 20 PSI from friction loss. At 20 GPH it would still be 13 PSI.
So basically, you could do so on small system that just needs to water a couple trees and is reasonably close to the water source :)
@@dripdepot Thank you very much for the reply...I'm pretty sure you saved me a headache!
@@bobfrye8879 You bet Bob, if any questions come up while you're planning/installing your system, don't hesitate to send them this way!
can the emitter tube ring be above the mulch? wont the mulch absorb all the water and deprive the tree? ty
You bet, the emitter line can be on top of the mulch -- the mulch will eventually reach its saturation point and the gravity and capillary/wicking action will carry the water to the soil and spread out from there. I'd say it's fairly common to have it on top of the mulch. The maximum efficiency is to place it beneath (but that slightly increases the risk of clogging), but it can go either way and still water effectively :)
@@dripdepot Has to be on top so you can verify flow. In hard water areas the drippers may clog within one year.
@@911justice6 I'd say it's around 50/50 for folks who cover it and those who don't, but you bring up a very good point -- it's definitely a good idea to verify flow prior to covering, particularly if it's a larger system or if some of the trees are a good distance from the water source. And yes, hard water can be the bane of almost any drip emitter -- filtering will delay it, but mineral build-up will inevitably happen.
In those cases a plant-safe pH solution can be injected into the lines to break it up for flushing, or if it's not too big of a system, the dripline can be removed and soaked in such a soution -- similar to those solutions you see out there for misting nozzles, which have even smaller orifices.
Will this work with a gravity fed dirty water system?
It can work in a gravity system, but it's going to require an elevated water source -- the dripline likes a minimum of 5 PSI which comes out to be close to 12' of elevation. If the water source can get a little higher than that there will be enough pressure.
When 12' or more of elevation cannot be achieved, there are other options, however. A button dripper that can work at near 0 PSI like this one is a good choice (though definitely more labor time involved in installing many drippers): www.dripdepot.com/cleanable-dripper
Drip tape is also an option as it can (and often does) work in very low pressure systems like gravity setups.
@@dripdepot Thanks! How long of a run of drip tape could one do with an IBC tote about a foot off the ground. I’m planning orchard rows that are over 300’ long with a water source on one end only. Could I do a run of 3/4” mainline all the way down and a series of shorter drip tapes off of that? Or do you recommend 3/4” mainline and a bunch of 1/4” tubes with valves as drippers due to the dirty water?
@@alexw890 Unfortunately I don't think a foot of elevation would be enough to operate 300' of drip tape -- with 1' you'd have about 0.433 PSI (a little more with the height of the tank, but that isn't static and changes as it empties). For example, if you were using a 300' run of drip tape with a 0.25 GPH emitter spaced every 12", you'd have a flow rate of 75 GPH -- 75 GPH going through 300' of line is going to lose about 1.8 PSI from friction -- that's a nice low amount, but is higher than the starting pressure.
I think you might be on the right track in suggesting 1/4" coupling valves for the dirty water, as a filter is going to cause a bit of a pressure loss as well -- coupling valves used as emitters works well in dirty water gravity systems, as they can easily be cleaned if they get clogged, and they can be adjusted so that each one is essentially just dripping -- a cleanable dripper would also work here, they're pretty easy to unthread and give a good rinse (here's an example of one: www.dripdepot.com/cleanable-dripper-flow-rate-half-gph).
If it's possible to elevate the water source some, I'd look into that if possible -- even 10' of elevation would provide 4.3 PSI, giving you a bit more room/buffer to work with -- in our gravity video we elevated our water source about 6' if I recall correctly -- this was enough, but we were only irrigating a couple 8' raised beds.
@@dripdepot Thank you so much for your time. I’ve seen your gravity video, that much height is not possible for me. We will have to revisit this when I get closer to implementing it. I’ll send y’all an email with my plan and any questions. I’ll be going with you guys for sure and it’s gonna be a big project by the time I’m done. Thanks again!
@@alexw890 You're very welcome! And you bet, when you're ready to start hammering out the details, send us an email -- during office hours we'll get back quickly and there's a good chance I'll be able to assist as well, I'm one of the people who receives emails from our support@ address :)
lefty :)
haha yes! At least for most things, I do throw a ball and play guitar right handed for some reason, but everything else is lefty :)