need help with a problem

[richmanbarbeque]

Not really a problem but need help brainstorming for an idea.

I have planted several fruit trees in a half circle along a future food plot on one side and a year around running creek on the other. I want to figure out how to use the creek to water my trees. I am willing to explore a very simple irrigation system. My thought so far is to get a pump, deep cycle battery and some hose to run to each tree. Once a week I can bring the pump and battery out and hook them up to some hose already laid out.

Any ideas on how to run the hose and have outlets for each tree? I have three rows several feet long.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I cant comment on the irrigation system but I will say how I do it, cheap and easy way. 25 gallon tank on 4 wheeler, 5 gallon buckets with a pencil hole drill right by the bottom set by each tree. Fill tank at the spring or creek, then fill 5 gallon buckets. The small hole allows it to seep out over a period of time and really soak in. This allows water to work further into the ground than with alot of water coming in at one time.

 

[NBF7240]

I use the same method but I feel 1 gallon jugs with water.

 

[megalomaniac]

I doubt you'll get enough juice out of a deep cycle battery drive a pump big enough to do much.

I'd think along the lines of a 300 gallon water trough set up higher than the trees, use a generator and real pump to fill the tank from the trees, then connect a soaker hose to the bottom of the 300 gal tank weaving it around the trees. More money than 5 gal buckets, but less work in the long run. Like you said, probably once a week would be more than sufficient.

 

[woodchuckc]

I have a little 2 stroke gas pump with a 1" inlet and outlet that I use to water one of my gardens from a creek branch with. It works really well and will draw water up a pretty good vertical distance. I made an adapter for the outflow to use with plastic ribbed hose that is used for swimming pools, and run about 100' of outflow hose easily. I don't remember the gpm of the pump off the top of my head, but it moves a bunch of water - I can thoroughly water that whole 75x125 garden in about 15 minutes with it. I think I paid about $250 for it new at Tractor Supply a couple of years ago.

 

[Diehard Hunter]

The "Mister Landscaper" system would work. You would just need to get the water into the irrigation tubing. You can put an irrigation head at any place you like, and it is very simple to install.

 

[Football Hunter]

I cant comment on the irrigation system but I will say how I do it, cheap and easy way. 25 gallon tank on 4 wheeler, 5 gallon buckets with a pencil hole drill right by the bottom set by each tree. Fill tank at the spring or creek, then fill 5 gallon buckets. The small hole allows it to seep out over a period of time and really soak in. This allows water to work further into the ground than with alot of water coming in at one time.

I would do this

 

[richmanbarbeque]

great idea Steven, I was actually thinking of doing that. I was wanting something a little faster to save time. Plus, I didn't want look out and see 30-50 orange home depot buckets. Ha!

 

[SwampFox]

I would get a submersible well pump put and leave it in the creek connected to some 1" black tubing. Power it with a genset and pump water above the trees and gravity feed, with some soaker hoses.
Be sure to tie rope to the pump and tie it off to a tree in case a gully washer rain comes through.

The well pump will pump water quite a way up a hill, and could power a sprinkler for plot crops if a real drought came along.

 

[Football Hunter]

Be interested to hear what you do,Ill have to do somethuing too.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Tomorrow I am planning on pricing a few options out. dang trees are costing a fortune. :)

 

[Football Hunter]

yeah there not cheap,wonder when we should spray them?Hate to loose growth to bugs.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

FH, I will go to the qdma forum and check on spraying. They had a few really good threads on that topic last week. I believe they said it was ok after the blooms died, not positive.

 

[Football Hunter]

FH, I will go to the qdma forum and check on spraying. They had a few really good threads on that topic last week. I believe they said it was ok after the blooms died, not positive.

great! look forward to hearing!

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I havent exactly got it all figured out, we dont have to spray in our home orchard to get good production, they are all pretty disease resistant besides spraying Sevin XLR for Jap Beetles. But its something like this....

At tight cluster spray Captan and Imidan

When nearly all petals fall, Captan and Imidan again.

Some suggest captan and imidan again once every week and half or so until around July. After that its just combat Japs with Sevin.

Thats just alot of spraying, I planted some not so disease resistant varieties this year but until I see how those do it will be disease resistant varieties from local trees that Ive grafted from here out.

 

[RS]

I just can't see going to that much trouble. I have planted close to 150 apple trees over the last 7 years and have never watered any of them. From what I can tell, none have died from drought, even during the last two extremely dry summers. All of my trees are planted on high ridges too. I had to knock many of the apples off last year because there were so many it was causing the limbs to break. I was at the farm last week, and it looks like there will be another bumper apple crop this year.

 

[Football Hunter]

I just can't see going to that much trouble. I have planted close to 150 apple trees over the last 7 years and have never watered any of them. From what I can tell, none have died from drought, even during the last two extremely dry summers. All of my trees are planted on high ridges too. I had to knock many of the apples off last year because there were so many it was causing the limbs to break. I was at the farm last week, and it looks like there will be another bumper apple crop this year.

hope I have your problem

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I just can't see going to that much trouble. I have planted close to 150 apple trees over the last 7 years and have never watered any of them. From what I can tell, none have died from drought, even during the last two extremely dry summers. All of my trees are planted on high ridges too. I had to knock many of the apples off last year because there were so many it was causing the limbs to break. I was at the farm last week, and it looks like there will be another bumper apple crop this year.

I hope I have that luck too. My soil dries quickly though. I dont plan on watering any after this first year or two but I better before then. Its not all about just keeping the tree alive though, regular watering is certainly going to help the tree grow faster than if you just rely on rainfall.

 

[Football Hunter]

I just can't see going to that much trouble. I have planted close to 150 apple trees over the last 7 years and have never watered any of them. From what I can tell, none have died from drought, even during the last two extremely dry summers. All of my trees are planted on high ridges too. I had to knock many of the apples off last year because there were so many it was causing the limbs to break. I was at the farm last week, and it looks like there will be another bumper apple crop this year.

I hope I have that luck too. My soil dries quickly though. I dont plan on watering any after this first year or two but I better before then. Its not all about just keeping the tree alive though, regular watering is certainly going to help the tree grow faster than if you just rely on rainfall.

and faster fruit production,hopefully

 

[ferg]

Does the creek run down a hill any place close by ???

ferg....

 

[richmanbarbeque]

ferg, Not really. most of the creek runs a long the flat bottom where the trees are. What were you thinking?

 

[Football Hunter]

if it keeps raining you wont have a problem