Orchard irrigation

[Corey Peterson]

I'm looking for some advice on an irrigation system for my back yard orchard. My trees are on 12' spacing (32 trees) staked with 3/4 electrical conduit. The plan as of right now is to run a wire to lash irrigation tubing to between tree stakes ( like the one Maya posted shown below). Do you guys think it's best to get the tubing with the emitters built in or is it better to add them? The tubing with the built in emitters I found come in spacing varying from 6" to 5' if I did go that route I'm assuming I'd either use 3' or 5' spacing? The add on emitters seemed to provide better flexibility but I'm not sure if they work as well? To further complicate my decision I also saw some systems that use an individual emitter tube for each tree (also pictured below) but that seemed like it could be a pia to set up / maintain.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Personally with trees at your spacing I would put in a main line attached to your wire. Then from that line run either a short section of soaker hose or drip tape in a loop around each tree. Emitters are only going to drip in one spot.

 

[Corey Peterson]

Personally with trees at your spacing I would put in a main line attached to your wire. Then from that line run either a short section of soaker hose or drip tape in a loop around each tree. Emitters are only going to drip in one spot.

Thanks for the advice

 

[buckvelvet]

Man I wish some of you folks lived closer I'd love to see some of your apple orchards in person!

 

[Corey Peterson]

Man I wish some of you folks lived closer I'd love to see some of your apple orchards in person!

Yeah its a bit of ride from Michigan to NH! I'll post some pictures once i get my irrigation system up and running. Watering 32 individual trees was pretty time consuming last year - it will be nice to just set a timer and let it run for a couple hours.

 

[buckvelvet]

Yeah its a bit of ride from Michigan to NH! I'll post some pictures once i get my irrigation system up and running. Watering 32 individual trees was pretty time consuming last year - it will be nice to just set a timer and let it run for a couple hours.

Yeah mines gonna be around a 100 when i'm done. Dear God in heaven, don't let their ever be a drought, I can't bucket that many trees. LOL!