Watering System

We needed a plan to get water up to the garden

after fighting the drought last year.  It is about

a 150 ft run between garden and house, winding through the wooded

area so stringing out hoses didn't work well.   

 We lost pressure.

My husband attached a dual valve manifold to our existing faucet.

The knobs allow you to turn on or off each hose, or have

both of them running water at the same time.

He used Schedule 40 PVC 1/2 pipe with a threaded

end so we can screw on a short length of hose.

  It runs parallel to the garage behind the plantings

and then drops into a 5 inch deep, narrow ditch, created

by using one tooth on a box blade.  It cut a channel

into the gravel driveway directing the ditch towards the garden.

This is not frost proof so you need to make sure you can drain the pipes.

   On the other side of the drive it  again

comes above ground, running along the ground

on a slightly downward slope with connections

leading to the garden- through the wooded section.

There is a cuppler at the low point between garden

and drive which is used to drain the water in fall.

We installed another one at the low point at the 

garden for the same reason.  Last season that one split

 from freezing water.

The cupppler is the  bulge in the  line you can see

 just to the right of the T-post. 

Then it makes a turn and follows the T-post

up to the faucet.  It is attached with zip ties.

There is a quick connect on the hose and faucet

which allows us to move the hose if necessary.

 We also have another T-post equipped with an impulse sprinkler

which allows us to have a directional or continuous spray in a circle.

  The entire system cost us about $50 to do ourselves.

By using the rigid pipe we get more pressure to the garden.

It is nice to have  dual faucets so we can turn it off

at the garden to reposition the sprinkler or 

attach a rotating sprinkler for specific areas.

We can also quickly turn the entire system off at the house 

rather than walk to the garden. 

These photos were taken at the beginning our "Spring,"

assuming we ever see  Spring,  so there are still plenty

of weeds and not as much plantings.  I've been busy up there

and after this next set of severe weather outbreaks, 

I'll feel comfortable finishing the job.

 I have two artichokes growing this year- something new to us!  

Then there are the peppers,  cukes, some squash, pumpkin volunteers,

watermelon, herbs and hopefully more tomatillos.

Our little side garden has the salad fixings.