However, I still haven't figured a way to "spray"... without a pump or a very high watertower... well... I ain't figger'd a way besides me holding a watering can.
Drip... is not a problem... gravity fed soaker hoses work fine.
It wastes a lil' water in places where crops aren't growing... but not much.
That's the other problem with spray... the "manual way" I can apply directly to the plants that need it... as needed.
The auto spray way is harder to control (I'm experimenting with a pump and spray hoses on the roof... where accuracy isn't an issue. Because depending on pressure, wind, etc... the spray can go any which way.)
So far, I've found I can water the same plants with
about a 2:5:15:33 ratio --
2 gal. by watering can
5 gal. by gravity soaker hoses
15 gal. by "spraying it with a hose"
33 gal. (or however much the container will hold) by
auto "sprinklers"
sidd replies:
drip is most efficient .. if u are very careful in placing
the soaker hoses and metering the drip (with an accurate
needle valve and flow meter ...if u wanna get fancy u
can put in a programmable timer that comes on only
when cool and dark ... so that evaporation losses
are minimized)
I ponder:
when it comes to time of day, I'm not certain what is best.
agreed, at night 'more of the ground' gets 'more thoroughly soaked.'
but, the plants that get sun all-day-long get too dried out,
if not watered during the day. the problem with watering them
during the day is the manual "sweat." sometimes I wonder
if I waste more water showering... than I save by "manual water
conservation."
the other part about drip that concerns me is the lack "of rain." I've noticed a lot of plants seem to be built for rain. the snow pea is interesting. it has a very little root and frail start of the stalk. but, then these big green leaves and tentacles start to grow. yesterday, I noticed a "cup-like" snow pea leaf that had retained water for a full day since the last "rain." next, to it... I saw a little speck. on closer inspection, one of the smallest spiders had made his home there. I'd guess he was going to eat bugs that I consider pests.
do you think if the plant was getting "drip" instead of spray... I would have taken the spider's whole universe away?
now I add:
did I mention I partially solved this problem by
partially taking my shower in the garden?
(the non-soaping part)
heeehe... irrigation hygiene