This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg

So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what?

One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg

And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg

I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up
all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg

At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines
to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck.

Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg

Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh
by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting?

Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting,
so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may
be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.

Danny:

I would open your Yellow pages phone directory to "Hydroponics" and you'll find the phone numbers of all the hydroponics shops in your area. Hydroponics uses small tubes like that to deliver nutrients to the water the plant roots are in, and I expect anyone into hydroponics will know where you can get drip irrigation supplies too.

Danny D. wrote:
This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg

So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what?

One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg

And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg

I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up
all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg

At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines
to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck.

Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg

Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh
by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting?

Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting,
so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may
be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.

I am assuming that you only have a modest garden and you are on domestic
water mains.

The normal way of doing polypipe small scale irrigation is to have one
fitting connecting the black poly to either a standard garden hose or an
outside hose cock. From there everything is done in poly with push (bayonet
fittings) unless larger than 25mm (1") when you use fittings with a nut.
You run to your garden bed in 3/4" (19mm) or 1/2" (12mm) depending on the
length of run and flow required. Generally you would run this down one side
of the bed or both if it is wide. You then push either sprayers or
drippers into that line.

The thin tubes (about 1/4", 6mm) you have are risers to allow the main line
to be buried underground or under mulch, they are not really nesessary
otherwise but can off course be used to take a dripper or sprayer away from
the main pipe if you like. If using sprayers on the end of risers you can
have a problem with keeping the jet at the right direction because the riser
will bend and move all over the place unless fixed to a solid object. If
you push your jets straight into the pipe you don't have that issue because
it is more rigid. Drippers waste less water than sprayers but you need more
of them as they don't have much spread. Especially in sandy soil the water
from drippers goes down not outwards. It is usual to have a filter at the
start of the system to reduce the incidence of blocked jets.

Some specifics about your setup:

- It is usual to terminate an end by folding it over and fastening it
somehow (eg with wire), fancy fittings are not required, don't worry.

- With no scale I cannot tell for sure if you have 1/2" or 3/4", did you
measure it?


- The junction between the white supply line and black poly is unusual,
where the white tube first steps down it has been glued (the blue stuff is
glue) I cannot tell about where the black goes into the green tube, if you
cannot twist it at all or if you see a blue line round it then it has
probably been glued too. The fact that it needed to be stepped down twice
says to me either the underground pipe is much wider than required or you
have 1/2" poly coming out instead of 3/4", or both.

- You seem to have this white tube buried in a number of places, is it all
connected? To what? I don't know the retail prices where you are but here
that kind of tube and the fittings for it are much more expensive than black
poly and its fittings. I would be heading in the direction of doing most of
what you need above ground in black poly. Except for garden forks and lawn
mowers it is quite durable. I suspect you will not need very many of the
box of fittings. Maybe you can get a refund.

- Sprayers or drippers will both be gentle enough for seedlings.

I cannot advise on the best refurbishment as I don't know how big your
garden is or where the white supply line runs in relation to it. I suggest
you stop buying stuff and sit down and plan what you want to do and then buy
what you need. The manufacturers and vendors of black poly and fittings
often have info and plans on the web. Here is one from a TV garden show:

http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fac...rrigation/2194

David

"Danny D." wrote in message
news
This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg

So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what?

One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg

And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg

I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up
all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg

At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines
to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck.

Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg

Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh
by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting?

Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting,
so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may
be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.

To add to David's already comprehensive post, here is another online
tutorial about polypipe irrigation;
http://www.irrigationdirect.com/tuto...-advice/id/12?

On 6/25/2013 1:55 AM, Danny D. wrote:
This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg

So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what?

One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg

And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg

I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up
all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg

At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines
to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck.

Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg

Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh
by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting?

Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting,
so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may
be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.


Was it chewed up by critters or just been shredded by rough treatment
and exposure to the elements? o_O

TDD

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 06:55:00 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg

So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what?

One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg


They make a figure "8" plastic piece to use on the end. Poly does in
one hole, bent and passed back through the top loop. This is great
for draining a line to prevent freezing.

http://www.sprinklertalk.com/Sprinkler_School/images/img_crimp_hose.jpg

And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg


That is an insert for the 3/4 PVC. The poly is pushed in. It can be
pulled out, but can be a little difficult. Twist and pull. Twist and
pull. (remember those straw Chinese finger locks as a kid - you put
fingers in each end and would not pull out :-)

A compression fitting. There is a bevel sleeve (?) inside that grabs
the poly - compression insert

http://www.gardendrip.org/images/access_images/12MalePVC700PolyTubingInsert.jpg

Compression elbow, compression coupling, compression Tee

http://www.dripking.com/views/images/uploads/_9fdc64c5.jpg

http://www.dripirrigation.com/system/partphotos/492/tdsphoto/LF002L.jpg?1291332194

http://www.irrigationdirect.com/media/oldImages/Drip-Compression-Tee-620-Tubing-T620-Installed-for-Rain-Drip.jpg

I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up
all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg

At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines
to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck.


You have to pull and twist to get the poly out of the insert. A little
hard to do, but the poly will come.

Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg


Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh
by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting?

Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting,
so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may
be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 09:37:11 +0200, nestork
wrote:


Danny:

I would open your Yellow pages phone directory to "Hydroponics" and
you'll find the phone numbers of all the hydroponics shops in your area.
Hydroponics uses small tubes like that to deliver nutrients to the
water the plant roots are in, and I expect anyone into hydroponics will
know where you can get drip irrigation supplies too.

http://www.starnursery.com/irrigation.html

On Tuesday, June 25, 2013 1:55:00 AM UTC-5, Danny D. wrote:
This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up: http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what? One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards: http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck. Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting? Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting, so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.

If your tomato plants are just now sprouting, you have a bigger problem than water, it's timing. Unless you live in the Florida Everglade tomato growing area, tomatoes by now should be in full blossom, not just sprouting. You might also go to the Google groups "rec.gardening" web site,

Oren wrote:
On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 06:55:00 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg

So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what?

One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg


They make a figure "8" plastic piece to use on the end. Poly does in
one hole, bent and passed back through the top loop. This is great
for draining a line to prevent freezing.

http://www.sprinklertalk.com/Sprinkler_School/images/img_crimp_hose.jpg

And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg


That is an insert for the 3/4 PVC. The poly is pushed in. It can be
pulled out, but can be a little difficult. Twist and pull. Twist and
pull. (remember those straw Chinese finger locks as a kid - you put
fingers in each end and would not pull out :-)

A compression fitting. There is a bevel sleeve (?) inside that grabs
the poly - compression insert

http://www.gardendrip.org/images/access_images/12MalePVC700PolyTubingInsert.jpg

Compression elbow, compression coupling, compression Tee

http://www.dripking.com/views/images/uploads/_9fdc64c5.jpg

http://www.dripirrigation.com/system/partphotos/492/tdsphoto/LF002L.jpg?1291332194

http://www.irrigationdirect.com/media/oldImages/Drip-Compression-Tee-620-Tubing-T620-Installed-for-Rain-Drip.jpg

I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up
all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg

At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines
to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck.


You have to pull and twist to get the poly out of the insert. A little
hard to do, but the poly will come.

Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg


Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh
by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting?

Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting,
so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may
be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.

I use that same 1/2 & 1/4 tubing drip irrigation for my garden and flower
beds. Maybe I'm just too simple at it, but if something gets tore up, I
just cut that part of the tubing out, and insert a new piece of tubing using
the right connectors.
I have a lot of my garden in big planters and even some hanging planters,
and all of them have 1/4 inch dripper lines going to each planter that has
an adjustable sprinkler head. It's all connected to a timer and everything
gets watered automatically.

--
Natural Girl //(**)\\

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 11:24:28 -0700, wrote:

If your tomato plants are just now sprouting,
you have a bigger problem than water, it's timing.

Here's a picture of the little buggers the wife planted in the
Silicon Valley, oh, about a week or so ago (from store-bought seeds):

http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410399.jpg

We've never done plants before - so - this is a new (and tiny)
garden of about 10 feet long by about 4 feet wide:

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410407.jpg

She's hand watering for now - but I figured I'd get the sprinkler
system to work for her as a bonus...

But I'm not sure what's the *appropriate* sprinkler mechanism:
a. A sprinkler pop-up head?
b. A ladder of drip irrigation hoses?
c. A soaker hose?

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 13:45:53 -0500, Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl wrote:

if something gets tore up, I just cut that part of the tubing out,
and insert a new piece of tubing using the right connectors.

Well, this 3/4" and 1/4" irrigation plastic is all torn up (I'm not sure why):
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410428.jpg

So, I'd like to start fresh (especially as it's easier to build than
to repair), particularly since I have never worked with the stuff
before.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

They make a figure "8" plastic piece to use on the end. Poly does in
one hole, bent and passed back through the top loop. This is great
for draining a line to prevent freezing.

Hi Oren,
Thank you very much for that drawing as I see that whomever it was who
originally set up the tubing actually made what appears to be a crude
version of a "poor man's figure 8" endloop using electrical tape:

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410465.jpg

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

That is an insert for the 3/4 PVC. The poly is pushed in. It can be
pulled out, but can be a little difficult. Twist and pull. Twist and
pull.

You weren't kidding it was hard to pull out (the Chinese finger lock
description is apropos). I had to pull hard, with pliers:

http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410474.jpg

Of course, I forgot to think ahead; so, um .... I now have a brand
new 80psi leak in my plumbing!

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410476.jpg

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

You have to pull and twist to get the poly out of the insert. A little
hard to do, but the poly will come.

Hi Oren,
Can I shove it back in?

At least temporarily?

To stop the leak?

Or is it a one-time-only compression fitting?

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410486.jpg

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 05:32:56 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

Was it chewed up by critters or just been shredded by rough treatment
and exposure to the elements?

I'm not sure what chewed it up.

The whole thing predates me. I've been using it to create compost
from kitchen scraps, until my wife got the bright idea of actually
using the resulting mulch to grow tomatoes.

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410495.jpg

The funny thing was, no water came out of the thing (it only dripped
a bit at the early connections) so I had figured it wasn't working.

How wrong I was!
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410500.jpg

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

I am assuming that you only have a modest garden and you
are on domestic water mains.

The garden doesn't even qualify as modest.

It's about 10 feet long, by about 4 feet wide.

And, it's connected to well water, at a pressure of about
80 psi.

Even the tomato plants don't qualify as modest (yet):
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410510.jpg

"Danny D." wrote in message news
On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

You have to pull and twist to get the poly out of the insert. A little
hard to do, but the poly will come.

Hi Oren,
Can I shove it back in?

At least temporarily?

To stop the leak?

Or is it a one-time-only compression fitting?

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410486.jpg


interruption
Hi Danny, thanks for posting the great photos! Are you taking the photos and sending from your phone?
/interruption

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:22:20 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

You have to pull and twist to get the poly out of the insert. A little
hard to do, but the poly will come.

Hi Oren,
Can I shove it back in?

At least temporarily?

To stop the leak?

Or is it a one-time-only compression fitting?

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410486.jpg

I've reused the insert fittings. It will need new poly pipe or it
will most likely leak.

On 6/25/2013 5:26 PM, Danny D. wrote:
On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 05:32:56 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

Was it chewed up by critters or just been shredded by rough treatment
and exposure to the elements?

I'm not sure what chewed it up.

The whole thing predates me. I've been using it to create compost
from kitchen scraps, until my wife got the bright idea of actually
using the resulting mulch to grow tomatoes.

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410495.jpg

The funny thing was, no water came out of the thing (it only dripped
a bit at the early connections) so I had figured it wasn't working.

How wrong I was!
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410500.jpg


I wonder if it could have been damage done by a drain bamaged individual
wielding a wild weed eater or a lawless lawnmower? ^_^

TDD

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:16:13 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

They make a figure "8" plastic piece to use on the end. Poly does in
one hole, bent and passed back through the top loop. This is great
for draining a line to prevent freezing.

Hi Oren,
Thank you very much for that drawing as I see that whomever it was who
originally set up the tubing actually made what appears to be a crude
version of a "poor man's figure 8" endloop using electrical tape:

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410465.jpg

Both methods will work. If a pipe breaks, tape will work until a
repair is made.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

- With no scale I cannot tell for sure if you have 1/2" or 3/4",
did you measure it?

Hi David,

I'm sorry. I should have provided more detail.

I just measured the plumbing.

1. The white PVC appears to be 1" in OD so I'd say it's 3/4" pipe.
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410565.jpg

2. The black plastic appears to be 3/4" in OD.
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410552.jpg

3. The "runners?" appear to be 1/4" or even less in OD.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410571.jpg

Of course, now it's all gone, so, I'm actually at a *starting point*
of this!

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410583.jpg

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:19:56 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:09:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

That is an insert for the 3/4 PVC. The poly is pushed in. It can be
pulled out, but can be a little difficult. Twist and pull. Twist and
pull.

You weren't kidding it was hard to pull out (the Chinese finger lock
description is apropos). I had to pull hard, with pliers:

http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410474.jpg

Of course, I forgot to think ahead; so, um .... I now have a brand
new 80psi leak in my plumbing!

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410476.jpg

Put a short piece (12" of so) of old poly in the insert and use the
tape or "figure 8" until you get ready for new poly. Remove it for
the new poly. That will stop the flooding for now.

Honestly, I've never seen one of the compression fittings leak.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

I cannot advise on the best refurbishment as I don't know how big your
garden is or where the white supply line runs in relation to it.

The garden has two duplicate rectangles of about 10 feet by 4 feet,
both of which now have scattered tomato seed planted about a week ago.

It never rains here in California, at least until December or January,
and the garden gets a good mix of sun and shade during the day, as it's
overshadowed by some trees on the east but not on the south and west.

Each of the two plots has a single 3/4" elbow feeding it, one of which
already has a NPT-to-GardenHose Thread male end on it. The other plot
now has an open compression fitting to 3/4" poly hose (which needs to
be plugged or replaced).

Both elbows are on the same irrigation zone, and there is a whoppingly
huge 80psi of water pressure to deal with.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

I suggest you stop buying stuff and sit down and plan what
you want to do and then buy what you need.

This sounds reasonable.

Part of the problem is that the wife took over my kitchen-compost spot,
so now, she "owns" this garden (and she has forbidden me to enter
it because she feels I end up ruining everything I touch).

At the moment, I've flooded her tomatoes, and, I've tried to save
all the tiny 6-inch oaks which, in the end, infuriated her because
that meant I ended up digging up more of her young tomatoes.

I've never done "drip" irrigation, so, I'm not sure what's the
*right* way to irrigate her tomatoes (and present it as a surprise
to her, all done and working).

I *think* my options a
a. Garden hose soaker
b. Poly irrigation
c. A sprinkler pop-up head

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:26:25 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 05:32:56 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

Was it chewed up by critters or just been shredded by rough treatment
and exposure to the elements?

I'm not sure what chewed it up.

The whole thing predates me. I've been using it to create compost
from kitchen scraps, until my wife got the bright idea of actually
using the resulting mulch to grow tomatoes.

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410495.jpg

The drip lines used need to be covered with some mulch or buried a few
inches. In the desert here; the tend to crack and leak sooner while
on the soil surface.

The funny thing was, no water came out of the thing (it only dripped
a bit at the early connections) so I had figured it wasn't working.

How wrong I was!
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410500.jpg

LOL - turn the valve off at the valve box; unless you need water
elsewhere. You and all the past water leaks make me giggle.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 17:35:22 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

I wonder if it could have been damage done by a drain bamaged individual
wielding a wild weed eater or a lawless lawnmower?

Most likely, it was some big fat guy who was composting
kitchen scraps with pick and shovel and rake ... who didn't
realize what was buried under the soil prior to his arrival.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

The fact that it needed to be stepped down twice
says to me either the underground pipe is much wider than required or you
have 1/2" poly coming out instead of 3/4", or both.

I *think* I have 3/4" PVC feeding the poly:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410565.jpg

What would you suggest I connect to this elbow?
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410592.jpg

I was *thinking* of cutting off the elbow, and connecting a "T",
and then from the T, screwing on *two* garden hose male threads
(I figure if one is good, two must be better).

PS: I'm partial to garden hose connections because I can remove
them easily when I get my kitchen-scrap compost location back
in the winter.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:29:47 -0700, Guv Bob wrote:

thanks for posting the great photos!

Thanks for noticing. It's usually only Oren who appreciates
the softer, more artistic side of my OCD personality

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 23:02:10 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

At the moment, I've flooded her tomatoes, and, I've tried to save
all the tiny 6-inch oaks which, in the end, infuriated her because
that meant I ended up digging up more of her young tomatoes.

Here are the oaks which will be replanted somewhe

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410683.jpg

I've never re-planted an oak before, but what I plan on doing is
picking a spot on the hillside where the roots and crown won't
be bothersome - and seeing if they can grow on their own.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:44:12 -0700, Oren wrote:

Put a short piece (12" of so) of old poly in the insert and use the
tape or "figure 8" until you get ready for new poly. Remove it for
the new poly. That will stop the flooding for now.

Hi Oren,

Ah, that's a good idea (I already have the raw materials for that!).

As for a more permanent fix, what do you think about me putting
one of these 3/4" slip-to-MHT (male hose thread?) fittings directly
onto the white-and-green part sticking out of the existing PVC elbow?

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410696.jpg

That seems to be a looser fit than a normal PVC pipe dry fit; but
with lots of "glue", I think it might work.

Is it possible to pry out that green endcap & just place the slip
fitting over the remaining white part? (Or do I need to cut off
the entire elbow and start again with the slip:slip coupling)?

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 23:13:36 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:29:47 -0700, Guv Bob wrote:

thanks for posting the great photos!

Thanks for noticing. It's usually only Oren who appreciates
the softer, more artistic side of my OCD personality

I'm still tinkering with the freeware you suggested. Maybe you missed
it when I posted about removing rust from cast iron.

....
DIY photo made using freeware suggested by Danny D.

http://oi33.tinypic.com/rmnwo5.jpg

On 6/25/2013 4:10 PM, Danny D. wrote:
On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

The fact that it needed to be stepped down twice
says to me either the underground pipe is much wider than required or you
have 1/2" poly coming out instead of 3/4", or both.

I *think* I have 3/4" PVC feeding the poly:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410565.jpg

What would you suggest I connect to this elbow?
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410592.jpg

I was *thinking* of cutting off the elbow, and connecting a "T",
and then from the T, screwing on *two* garden hose male threads
(I figure if one is good, two must be better).

PS: I'm partial to garden hose connections because I can remove
them easily when I get my kitchen-scrap compost location back
in the winter.


i'd suggest using poly, which is very cheap and easily changed.

have you strewn the seeds, or planted in rows? you're eventually going
to have to thin them out.

if it were me, i would have planted in rows, then thinned even further.
run a length of poly down the edge of each row. tap that with 1/4"
tubing, with a dripper at the end of each of those near each plant stem.

come winter, unplug the end of the poly from this fitting, roll up, and
store out of the sun. the tubing will last longer if it's not in direct
sun, but i have some that has been out in the phoenix sun for about 5
years without degradation (except for when the javelina want to chew on it).

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 23:09:00 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 17:35:22 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

I wonder if it could have been damage done by a drain bamaged individual
wielding a wild weed eater or a lawless lawnmower?

Most likely, it was some big fat guy who was composting
kitchen scraps with pick and shovel and rake ... who didn't
realize what was buried under the soil prior to his arrival.

That same guy wears a size 11.5 W shoe

A guy trying to help me once split a 3/4" PVC irrigation line with a
shovel. Not me but I had to fix it.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:35:09 -0700, Oren wrote:

It will need new poly pipe

I will put all new "stuff" on there, as that's the only way
I'll know how it is put together anyway.

What I *think* I'll do is replicate what "was" on the other
elbow (of the other nearby tomato plot), which is a MHT garden-hose
fitting (which had a soaker hose on it until the wife
ripped it off in the mistaken believe that I put it there and
that it was a thread, somehow, to the baby tomato plants):

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410718.jpg

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:43:53 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

3. The "runners?" appear to be 1/4" or even less in OD.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410571.jpg

I follow the notion to use fewer 1/4" tubes in the 1/2" poly. The
more holes you pierce in the 1/2" adds to potential leaks. It cuts
water flow a bit, but the tube drip heads can be adjusted to
compensate. Or run it longer on the timer.

The 1/4" can be "teed off" the main drip line with barbed fittings.
Easier to fix than a 1/2" pipe with 10 holes in it.

I put in my front yard (desert) a manifold. Tubes run from it.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HoeIZg0eL.jpg

Each line can be adjusted for water flow.

Given your small space I bet the manifold (4 port) would be best.

I forget if the manifold is threaded into an old sprinkler head tee.
You get the idea.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 17:39:07 -0700, Oren wrote:

I put in my front yard (desert) a manifold. Tubes run from it.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HoeIZg0eL.jpg

BTW. If you cut that PVC elbow / insert fitting off at the pipe (save
as much pipe as you can) then use an 8 port manifold; would give you
8 drip lines in the small space. Make the runs as long as you like.

Look in a real local garden / nursery center and how it fits the pipe.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 23:36:46 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:44:12 -0700, Oren wrote:

Put a short piece (12" of so) of old poly in the insert and use the
tape or "figure 8" until you get ready for new poly. Remove it for
the new poly. That will stop the flooding for now.

Hi Oren,

Ah, that's a good idea (I already have the raw materials for that!).

As for a more permanent fix, what do you think about me putting
one of these 3/4" slip-to-MHT (male hose thread?) fittings directly
onto the white-and-green part sticking out of the existing PVC elbow?

http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410696.jpg

That seems to be a looser fit than a normal PVC pipe dry fit; but
with lots of "glue", I think it might work.

Is it possible to pry out that green endcap & just place the slip
fitting over the remaining white part? (Or do I need to cut off
the entire elbow and start again with the slip:slip coupling)?

See my post on a drip line manifold (2).

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 23:02:10 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:18:43 +1000, David Hare-Scott wrote:

I suggest you stop buying stuff and sit down and plan what
you want to do and then buy what you need.


Just wait until we get into "trade sizes" for O-rings. It gets better
or worse, I forget.

This sounds reasonable.

Part of the problem is that the wife took over my kitchen-compost spot,
so now, she "owns" this garden (and she has forbidden me to enter
it because she feels I end up ruining everything I touch).

At the moment, I've flooded her tomatoes, and, I've tried to save
all the tiny 6-inch oaks which, in the end, infuriated her because
that meant I ended up digging up more of her young tomatoes.

I've never done "drip" irrigation, so, I'm not sure what's the
*right* way to irrigate her tomatoes (and present it as a surprise
to her, all done and working).

I *think* my options a
a. Garden hose soaker
b. Poly irrigation
c. A sprinkler pop-up head

Did I ever mention to you that you need a "permission slip"?

Get off of her lawn

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013 23:28:41 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Here are the oaks which will be replanted somewhe

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13410683.jpg

I've never re-planted an oak before, but what I plan on doing is
picking a spot on the hillside where the roots and crown won't
be bothersome - and seeing if they can grow on their own.

Water them in good at planting ( soak well ). Send the kids out now
and then with a bucket of water to soak the oaks (rattlesnakes on the
hill / ravine - remember).

Do not drown them in early stages.

On Tuesday, June 25, 2013 1:55:00 AM UTC-5, Danny D. wrote:
This drip irrigation setup for a tomato garden is all chewed up: http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403753.jpg So I figured I'd replace it with something better. But what? One end is merely bent over and nailed to these boards: http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403755.jpg And, the other end has this cryptic glued? connection: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403754.jpg I've never worked on drip irrigation before, so I picked up all sorts of 3/4" connections at the box stores: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403764.jpg At Home Depot, the guy told me that it's normal for the drip lines to simply push in, but this end seems to be really really stuck. Another elbow nearby has a NPT-to-Hose fitting on the end: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13403769.jpg Would you suggest I simply cut the elbow off and start fresh by putting a garden-hose connection on a T fitting? Note: The plants are tomatoes, which are just now sprouting, so it has to be a gentle irrigation. I think a soaker hose may be too heavy - but I'm not sure what my options are.