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  • #1

    Greenhouse automatic irrigation kits?

    Having impulse bought a polycarb greenhouse, and after spending yesterday wrestling it (mostly) up, my thoughts have turned to watering my future luscious crops.

    Due to exceedingly awkward working hours, it really isn't possible for me to get down to the allotments some days, so I need to set up something that will get on with the job by itself while I'm getting on with mine.

    My plot neighbours had one set up, but they quit just after settling it up, so I can't ask them (leaving their shiny new expensive greenhouse to slowly disintegrate on their abandoned pllot, but I digress).

    There are loads of battery operated automatic watering kits around online, but I have no clue if a) they work with water butts (being an allotment, hogging one of the taps for my exclusive use isn't really an option)
    b) they're any use.

    Has anybody used a cheap set up they would recommend? Things to avoid?

    Any advice would be much appreciated!
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  • #2
    I set one up as described in this thread
    http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...igation-8.html

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    • #3
      I have a soaker hose in my polytunnel beds that runs from a water butt, using a battery operated timer.
      He-Pep!

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      • #4
        Usually the water level in the butt will have to be higher than your highest sprinkler. As long as that's achievable then it's possible to have an automatic irrigation system.

        I use a micro irrigation system and an automatic water timer from amazon. 46mtr kit + timer was about £25/£26? But that should be cheaper if you want less line.
        Forgive me for my pages of text.

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        • #5
          I've basically got a simple dripper system fed from a waterbutt. No timer or anything. The butt lasts a couple or three days and all its doing is dripping slowly into the ground between the plants.

          The butt is filled from the roof of the greenhouse and can be filled whilst you're there.

          So it really depends upon how often you can get to the allotment and how much water you think the plants need.

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          • #6
            I've bought this timer from screwfix to do just that, battery operated and works at under 120PSI and from 0c to 38c temperature.

            Link here Programmable Digital Water Timer Programmable Digital Water Timer | Digital Water Timers | Screwfix.com and at 20 quid a bargain.

            You should be able to connect it up to a water butt, you will just need the correct connections.
            Last edited by Muddy_Boots; 23-03-2016, 12:29 AM. Reason: typo again!!!!!
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            • #7
              Hi, how are you getting on with the screwfix timer from your waterbutt??. Been thinking of doing this for a few a while now for when I go on holiday as it sounds just the job.

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              • #8
                I'm in a similar situation as yourself, having a new greenhouse but not being able to get down and water as often as I would like.

                I use one of these
                Darlac Electronic Water Timer

                and one of these
                Micro Irrigation Kit at wilko.com
                together with some gubbins to connect two waterbutts together with the timer to water my gh.

                The water butts ar on a slab which is on bricks, which are on another slab, on some more bricks on yet another slab to give he the height.

                At the moment the timer is set to come on 10 minutes 4 times a day and the soil is moist but not soaking. I'm thinking of swapping the drippers for variable drippers to adjust at each planter as my 30/70 litre planters can take more water than a 10 litre flower bucket.
                50pcs 13cm Irrigation Sprinkler Adjustable Emitters On Stake Water Dripper | eBay

                I've ran the micro tubing along the greenhouse tying it into the glazing bar onto bolts set level so that they are just under the level of the water butts taps and brought a 'T' pieceout at each glazing bar with a length of tube attached and clamped. I then attached a line of drippers to some of these, leaving others clamped for future use.

                So far it's been working only down one side of the gh and 2 100 llitre butts last a week for 23 stations.

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                • #9
                  I thought about it and it was going to be so much faffing about setting up, calibrating etc. and as I grow in pots or flower buckets, I just use gravel trays and fill with enough water so I only have to go twice a week to the allotment to check and top them up That with debris netting shading form the Sun you know that thing we had last year in Summer and they were fine
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                  • #10
                    I too use gravel trays under my growing buckets in the garden.

                    I grow cucumbers and tomatoes in Morrison's buckets in the greenhouse. The base of each bucket is mainly cut away, leaving a supporting ring of plastic and then newspaper is laid to make a firm base. A 1" strip of capilliary matting goes from the bottom of the planted bucket into the water bucket. Eventually the paper gets damp and the roots get through

                    Each planted bucket has it's own Watering bucket (Morrison again). I put something sturdy inside the water bucket, as tall as I can get it. On the outside I make a small drain hole just slightly lower than the edge of the planted bucket so that it isn't sitting in water. Fill the water bucket until it flows out of the hole.

                    I been using this system for a long time now and can go on holiday for a couple of weeks and they still look good when I get back, even have cucumbers sometimes

                    Sounds a faff but once it's set up you have them until the buckets give up the ghost. I re-use them every year like this
                    Last edited by Sanjo; 04-06-2016, 10:28 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Another vote for a combination of the above.

                      Water butt to electronic, battery operated timer to a hose pipe with holes drilled in it at strategic intervals. Plants are in pots on two gravel trays and timer is set for 15mins every 3 days at the moment. Gravel trays both have capillary matting in which helps spread the water under the pots.

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