How Do You Water A Big Garden?

[baymule]

have no idea what a disc and box blade are but they look like they are new

A disc breaks up ground and a box blade is for scraping dirt roads or driveways to level them back out after you rut them up or get chug holes in the driveway. We'll be on a hard top back road, but the driveway is dirt. Can also use it to level out the garden areas.

This whole thing is barely used. They took the depreciation hit, we got the good deal!

 

[Nyboy]

Got to love a good deal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Carol Dee]

Well, I come here for some much needed advice on watering a big garden and I get a little good advice and a lot of TRACTOR ENVY! My DH knows not to buy me sparkly gee-gaws, buy me something the color of galvanized, or heavy duty paint in orange, red, or green and yellow.

Thanks @bobm for telling me what worked for you. I can see how soaker and drip would be the way to go. Overhead sprinklers would evaporate before the water hit the ground.

@Carol Dee that's a good idea about rain barrels. We have a 12'x24' portable building that we're going to move and plan on building extended sheds on both sides to house the tractor, implements and trailer to keep them out of the weather. That will give me a lot of rain collecting surface! Tell your DH he can come with you on your and @Jeni Ann 's sister's getaway-he can ride the tractor while ya'll plant all those starts Jeni Ann is bringing.

@thistlebloom this is the 2nd tractor my DH has bought for me. The first one was a 28 HP Branson, which I enjoyed until one day he sold it and called to brag on how much money he made on it! I could have cheerfully decapitated him.

@Nyboy DH has been thanked, I 'll probably have to root him out of the seat so I can have a turn! @seedcorn My son has harness and is looking for horse drawn implements...... but tractor is NOT for sale!

@Smart Red I am sure my tractor will be happy snug in it's lean to shed, brought out to mow and disc, and be much admired. My horses used to follow me around when I bush hogged the pasture. They just wanted to hang out with me I guess.

Disc and box blade

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Trailer

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I am thinking I could probably get him to come along! He had a friend that had a Kubota dealership. She still has a tractor at her place and DH always finds a reason to get to play with it when we visit. (Plus I would rather he pull the camper that distance!) LOL

 

[seedcorn]

Glad u rejected raised beds. U would be buying a lot of fill.

If you truly want horse equipment (I know u jest) just go to Amish country-you'll see loads of it. Great thing is the horses won't be following you after that...........

 

[digitS']

I'm not gonna stand as a minority and say that big impact sprinklers are the way to go, Bay'. They are what I'm stuck with in the big veggie garden with its neighboring alfalfa fields.

In the smaller gardens, I'm also using impact sprinklers but they are attached to movable 1 1/4" pvc stands and not 4", 30' metal pipe.

Overhead water is not the best for gardens and garden plants. I was intrigued to read recently about a farm with 300 acres of onions, all with drip irrigation. These drip tape lines are not installed by hand.

The farmers aren't expecting drip tape to stay in the ground any length of time. One year must be the life expectancy for annual crops.

Prices I see for smaller amounts of drip tape are about 2 to 3 cents/foot. A 4' wide bed requires 4 lines, however. If you have 25' beds, it is about 65¢/line, or $2.60/bed, not counting fittings. I think that is cheap. Under mulch, and with heavier drip tape, it should last a number of seasons.

I have no experience with installing, moving, storage - nuthin'. But, you can read a little about the products Peaceful Valley farm supply offers (here).

Steve

 

[baymule]

Thanks for the link Steve!

 

[Carol Dee]

DH got tired of hauling buckets or letting hose dribble on the ones it would reach. Tonight he added another length of hose and an electric pump. Here is the Large water storage tank off the corner of the big shed. Now he can even add a spray nozzle. He is Happy.

Ugh we really NEED to get the weed whacker busy!

 

[baymule]

@Carol Dee now that is a picture of a happy man!

 

[Carol Dee]

@Carol Dee now that is a picture of a happy man!

Shhhh do not let him know I posted a photo with him in it!

 

[seedcorn]

If you want free 250 gallon tanks. Talk to farmers. Most get chemicals in non-returnable 250 gallon shuttles. Clean it out, put on small wagon, portable water. Bay, you could fill it up, put by garden with drip hoses, good to go.

I tried to make liquid compost-not one of my best ideas........