Irrigation and sprinkler system

Juliarugula

So, some of you may or may not remembering me complaining last year that one of my sprinkler zone valves went out and I had to wait until the end of the season to get it fixed since the valve box was somewhere under my dahlia garden.

Well, after everything was dug in the fall, the irrigation guys came out, located the box, and fixed the valve. It worked exactly twice and then stopped working again, just in time for this season’s dahlia to be in the way of getting it fixed.

So, now that I know where the valves are, I think I’m going to figure out how to fix it myself this fall (along with making the box more accessible). While I’m at it, I’m wondering if I should consider setting my drip system to run on the automated sprinkler system. I know I have zones that aren’t used, and based on locations of everything, I’m guessing I’ll have access to the wiring for those zones in the box. So it seems like I could redo the manifold with another valve for one of those unused zones? Anyhow, I’m pretty good at figuring stuff like that out -not asking for advice on the mechanics.

I’m just wondering if there’s a reason I haven’t thought of that it wouldn’t be a good idea to connect my drip system to the lawn irrigation system (assuming I am able)? Does anybody else have a setup like that? (Currently my drip hooks up to a hose bib). Seems like if I had the drip all on one zone I could just set it to run independently of any other zones, so I wouldn’t be tied to a lawn irrigation schedule or anything…

SteveM

Juliarugula If your timer has the flexibility to do the programming, I can't think of any problems adding a drip zone. There might be a limit on the max time possible per zone (I have used some timers that max out at 99 minutes run time) so check that if you want to run your drip longer.

If you are running off a hose bib I assume you are dropping the pressure with a regulator or are opening the valve just enough to keep the pressure in range? You will need to do the same with the drip zone but that should be easily doable.

MissyWeitzel

Juliarugula I know for sure I could set my drip system as a "zone" on our existing in ground sprinkling system. We just had a bunch of work done on our sprinkling system after half the front yard was tore up for a new septic tank and drain field. ☹️ Anyway, the sprinkler guy said it would be easy to do. Next spring I'm going to have them make me a dedicated water line out back and I'll run that as a zone.
Actually now that we're talking about sprinklers, my new dahlia bed along the retaining wall is watered with the rest of the lawn via in ground sprinkling. I have spider mites and powdery mildew like crazy in my patch that is watered via drip, but this other bed that gets overhead watering has fewer issues so far. Maybe I should put in ground sprinkling back where I had it taken out when I make my big dahlia patch. Haha

Juliarugula

MissyWeitzel Maybe I should put in ground sprinkling back where I had it taken out when I make my big dahlia patch.

I thought about that - there are sprinklers from the existing system in that area that I have capped off. I’m not sure how to do it without the dahlias near the sprinkler heads getting a serious beating and also blocking the water stream for other areas of the yard. I’d have to put them up on pretty serious risers to make that work. Or plant very carefully according to height…

calico20hill

Yes, when mildew strikes overhead watering does help. It washes the mildew spores off the leaves. Fortunately I have had only one year with mildew problems here and I am pretty sure it came in on some expensive cuttings I bought. (Now I isolate imported cuttings far from my greenhouse!)