Irrigation

[oscar]

@don1357

Did you see the pictures? Did you notice how I said I like to keep most of the pipe above the ground to serve as a water reservoir? Can you see how you can put the holes to whatever depth you want?

Yes i saw the pictures. I already responded that a shallow dug in large pipe (majority above grond, will likely fall over)

You can drill side holes at a shallower depth. However due to larger pressure (more water Hight) the majority of the water will go trough the bottom of the pipe (or are you spending extra $$ for end-caps?) or the bottom side holes. And thus the majority of the water will be released at to great a depth.

@don1357

10 inches just gives the pipe enough stability so it doesn’t topple over. So a 3’ pipe, lets you hold 2 gallons of water to slowly water your trees, with drip holes at whatever depth makes you happy.

Am i understanding you correctly? Are you proposing a 36" long pipe filled with water, dug in 10" With side drainage holes at for example 2 inch depth? Does it have an end-cap? or open end?

@don1357

But do whatever makes you happy. You seem to be more interested in nit picking and being right so google up ‘deep pipe irrigation’ and go argue with the sources.

I don’t think asking for a reference or source is that much to ask for. Or “nit picking”

You also seem to be more interested in personal attacks aimed at me. Instead of a logical argumentative discussion. That’s a shame.

As a gesture of “good faith”. I googled “deep pipe irrigation fruit trees”
Since google algorithms tailor to personal data. You might get different results. But i mainly got old d.i.y sources which did not seem that reliable. And the 4th hit was from a university.

https://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/1998/061598.html

The pipe in the ground will place the water below the level of the majority of the absorbing roots, those responsible for absorbing the water and mineral nutrients needed by the trees. Most people are surprised at the shallow depth of tree roots. The majority of the absorbing roots of trees are in the top six to twelve inches of the soil.

The second problem I see in what you described is the fact that you are watering at only one point for each tree. A tree has an extensive, spreading root system which is necessary to extract sufficient water and mineral nutrients from the soil. A wide spreading roots system is also necessary to support the tree in strong winds, which we experience here in New Mexico. To adequately supply irrigation water to a tree, it is necessary to provide water to most of this root system. That is, you must water a large area, not just one spot. So the pipe is a bad idea because of the depth, which is below most of the absorbing roots, and the location which waters only a small portion of the roots.

This source goes into why it’s a bad idea to use burried pipes for irrigation. The specific case is about older tree’s. But i think the disadvantages for older tree’s are also there for younger tree’s (if not worse)

If you’re dead set on having a “watering” vessel near every tree. I think digging in a 1/2 or 1 gall plant pot about 1-2 inches is better. Those are wider, so more stable. Also contain a large volume. And can release the water slowly trough the dug in drainage holes. But still at a shallow depth.

I think a much better alternative to the “dug in pipe” would be either a sprinkler emitter system. Or a drip system with multiple smaller (0.5-1.0 gph) emitters. (to wet a larger area slowly. So enough of the root zone gets wetted, and you don’t run into run of problems from bad soil wettability)