Overhead or underhand - answering original question

[Dan L.]

I want to improve my garden. I need to protect it from the brutal winds we

> have here sometimes, and I would like to shade a portion of it. I am going > to build a framework similar to those at plant nurseries. I would also like > to make raised beds to make it easier to access everything. > > I was wondering about the water system. I would like to have some sprayers > from the ceiling, as I see this reduces temperatures, and soaks everything > as from a natural rain. Is this a good idea? Should I have the water > coming in from the top, plus some coming in pipes in the ground? My garden > is getting irrigated spotty right now because the pipes flow into trenches, > and then gravity takes it to the plants. The plants at the top of the ditch > get more water, and if something interrupts the flow, the plants at the end > don't get hardly any water. I want to make an even distribution system so > that they all get a proper amount of water. I would like it all to come > down from above so that when the water is shut off, it drains out, making it > less likely to freeze come cold weather. > > Ideas and experiences appreciated. > > Steve

I have tried the overhead with not so success on garden boxes.

I have put row covers over some of my raised garden boxes, from wind and bugs.

When attaching hose connections to the top of the frames of the row covers, it made difficult to remove covers on nice days and never did watered the garden well. The overhead sprays was too low to the ground to cover the garden boxes well.

What does work well. I put a cheap underground water line to the garden boxes. Not the popup kind for lawns. The kind that designed for garden beds. I forget the company that makes them. It cost me twenty bucks for a fifty foot line with five adjustable (for height and direction) sprayers. I put one sprayer in the center of each 4x4 box. The sprayers are adjustable in witch they could be placed near the sides and spray at

180 degrees instead 360. I connected the sprayer to a timer. This works very well starting seedlings in my box. When the plants get larger I remove the row covers, turn off the sprayer, let nature due its job.

I use my small air compressor to blow the water lines before winter arrives.

Since the boxes are square and the spray is circular, One can let the corners suffer or over spray on the fabric or put plants that do not need much water in the corners - like marigolds.

I hope this helps - without the politics.

Enjoy Life ... Dan