[bicmudpuppy]

I install a lot of drip and recomend it for all the reasons all ready listed. I usually install a base system of tubing w/ emitters. I get the best results using RB tubing with the emitters on 18" centers and .6gpm per emitter. I like the .6 vs the .9 for obvious reasons. We are trying to water slow and the slower the better. If your beds were very sandy, then I would recomend the .9gpm and 12" centers. For areas needing extra watering, I have fallen in love with the irritrol/toro 1/4" blue stripe w/ emitters. This is 1/4" tube with .5gpm emitters every 6". Install a barbed coupling into the main drip tube, connect the 1/4" and then tie the end. This allows a large increase in the water for perenial and annual plantings while leaving shrub areas standard. The 1/4" tubing is also easy to move or just flip out of the way when re-installing the annuals.

On the subject of drip and annuals, one other recomendation. Water at the tail end of the days heat. This provides a cool rush of water to the root zone as the plants stress peaks. This allows the plants to cool themselves w/ ET just prior to the PM rest cycle. Your blooming annuals and perenials will love you for it.

 

[bicmudpuppy]

bicmuddpuppy have yuu tried Shrubblers Dial-A-Flow?

If you can put a standard bubbler at each plant, I like the adjustable bubblers. Again, brand doesn't make that much difference to me as long as the product is reputable and the price is right. I'm not sure that I am familiar with "dial a flow" as a product/brand. As far as using bubblers instead of drip......Flow rates are higher and spacing that close together is a LOT of bubblers..i.e. emmitters on 18" centers.
And one of the points earlier in this thread mentioned watering times for landscape vs turf. IF you can tap a rotor zone with a small nozzzle set (.5" precip / hour or less) then drip tubing to trees and shrubs is a viable option. I use poly laterals, and I've tapped 1" poly for trees with 1/4" tubing and install up to 2gph emmiters

 

[bicmudpuppy]

No thease are SHRUBBLERS not BUBBLERS there is a big difference look at the adjustble ones that have and arrow on top take the top off and compare it to a Dial-a-flow (by Irritrol)The cheaper imitations are different inside,making them alot less effective. I AM talking about drip not hardline with bubbler heads.

OK, sounds like I'm missing a product and if the product you like is an irritrol one then I know why. IMHO, irritrol is at the top of the market for R&D of quality modern design products. The problem is a complete lack of support in this market. I only have two suppliers in the area that even carry the irritrol brand. One of them, I would prefer not to do buisness with at all, and the other I have to beg to keep what I use on the shelf. I did have another option last year, but it was much the same way, beg to keep what I want in stock, but they went under this spring. I'll check the catalog and maybe order a package of them. Are they 1/4" distribution? or 1/2"?

I like the 1/4 w/ emmiters for high water hard to reach areas some bozo with a LA degree has put in. Like a 6" wide lip around the top of a waterfall full of tender annuals or perenials. Nice sharp corners and so tight an area that 1/2" can not be hidden easily, but well drained because of the elevation with high water users. If it was easy, anyone could do it............

Sounds like the water I cuss here is better than what you've got. I've had no problems with the 1/4" emmitters clogging

 

[bicmudpuppy]

Wow a lot of replies. Thanks guys.

Ok so I have determined that my contoller is maxed out zone wise so I am thinking of branching off from one of the zones to do the drip. The 2 beds will be mostly shrubs so I am thinking drip is the way to go. I want to keep it simple and robust enough to handle any traffic that may wander though the bed. Since drip irrigation puts out such little amounts of water will I have a hard time running it off of a zone designated for watering my lawn? I imagine I will still need to put another box in the ground for the drip filter assembly. What do you think?

-Scott

If the controller is maxed out, how bout a battery operated valve for the drip? RB and irritrol/toro both make a good solenoid converter individual IBOC