Drip irrigation for small orchard

petemoss starts with ...
Looking at trying to save water and also cut down the time we spend watering the orchard. Have used the brown drip lines in vege garden, great for that. We will need the PC (Pressure compensated) drip line, as the trees in the orchard are on a slight slope.

There are 4 rows of 7 trees, max distance at 31 metres. Tossing up whether to do the hoop/loop idea around each tree, or simply run straight lines. With a straight line, it will be 4 x 31 metres. The hoop idea will be a big job to put in, and doesn't allow for expansion, and the hoop/loops will get in the way when there is any maintenance on the trees (weeding,etc).

Would be interested in your thoughts. What have you done ? Hoop or straight ?

Julie W says...
pete, I did loops on my citrus, which were fully grown trees. I started with straight lines on young trees I planted, and now some need more water, so I'm thinking of adding loops.

I don't have as many trees as you, and use mini sprinklers to give more coverage. Also, I read that some trees (can only remember avocados) need humidity under the tree.

I have to remove all the sprinklers when whippersnipping time comes around, but the lines are OK

petemoss says...
peter30001 - here is the loop idea

http://www.ecolandscaping.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/large-tree-drip.420.jpg

Looking at the image above, I can see how it allows for expansion. Just start with small inner circle, then add more outer ones. There seems to be no provision to clear the lines through. There would need to be a small tap on each loop to do that. Would require a T piece and the valve, about $3 - small expense really.

Julie W - Thanks re loops and that. Yes, as you say, maintenance in and around loops could make things difficult. Unless there are no weeds to start with, like that pic above. Do you think the trees would have received as much water if you kept it in lines, and not loops.

echinopora - I had a look at that article. Seems a good idea, although I wonder how much water is used, as opposed to drip irrigation. We have been using those 4 l/hr drippers in the vege garden, as well as the brown drip line. Find that those drippers clog up, so it is a fair bit of maintenance with them.

echinopora says...
are you running a filter infront of the drip line and a flush valve? haven't had any trouble with the drippers other than the odd flush and I do unscrew the drippers when I change the canes. Maybe 30min of maintenance 2x a year. I do run soluble fert thought the system. We get a pretty reliable 1800mm of rain so its more of a fertilization than an irrigation system. I like the idea of getting the fertilizer down below any weed roots.

Rob