Irrigation system for near free.

[RazzleCat]

Ok, not much of a gardner, but decided to try some veggies this year. Planted tomato's, peppers, cucumbers, green beans, basil, rosemary, catnip and zucchini. So far so good, but once it gets hot my clay soil will bake and watering becomes a problem. I was listing to a pod cast on 3rd world farming where they discussed irrigation. Light bulb off in my head. Here is what you need. One large drum, couple of valves, couple of hoses. Cut top off drum, insert straight valve near bottom, add splitter valve to straight. Place drum on high ground, dig trenches along the root area of plants, take hoses place in trenches, poke holes in hoses, attach to valves and open them. You can now see where you need more or larger holes in the hoses by watching the water flow, adjust accordingly. Place dirt back over hoses, to check that all is working leave valves open, when you see that dark line you know you have water going to the roots. My total cost under $15.00, had one old hose round the house that needed replacing, had one valve (straight) in the basement, got the drum for free, purchases $9.89 for second hose, and $2.89 for splitter hose. What you see here is the base of the drum with the valves and hoses exiting and going underground to the roots. As a bonus you also collect rainwater for watering in the drum. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that this will work, if not, not much spent in cash or labor.
<a href="" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt="hoses leaving valves going under"></a>

[asdjrocky]

1. Looks great.

As it is I'm spending about an hour or more a day watering my 60 plus plants. Good looking beans by the way.

[Dover]

2. Very clever! And it's so weird that you should post this. Just today I came across

this gravity feed product:

http://www.greenhouses.com/Juliana%20Vanlet%20Watering%20System.html

Yours seems much more economical!

[sazemisery]

3. Send your idea to Mother Earth News!

They would love this and might print your idea.

I have drip irrigation that I use on all my vegetable gardens. What a time saver.