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Cottage grove minnesota

I have an area to grow next year and I need some advise on the best way to store and apply water. I am on a limited budget so drilling a well is not an option:) Any advise would really help me big time. I grew a few small ones this year not really knowing anything but I have since read a bunch and got some decent seeds. I want to grow bad and am very determined to make this work. Thanks very much

10/9/2011 10:18:24 PM

Cedar City, Ut

figure a way to capture rain water in large quantities.

10/9/2011 10:28:46 PM

Colorado

water tank on a elevated stand,use soaker hoses.haul water to fill the tank

10/9/2011 10:36:38 PM

Georgetown, Ontario

Water tank on a trailer or back of pickup truck.....fill it up where you have water and take it to the patch. You can water by hand just by the gravity from the height of the trailer or truck with a hose attatched to the bottom of the tank. It will empty pretty quick

10/10/2011 6:58:51 AM

Buffalo, New York

yup, haul it on your truck to patch location.

10/10/2011 8:08:58 AM

Chicago Illinois

grow cactus

10/10/2011 8:09:20 AM

Hinckley MN

The first thing you need to remember is that water is heavy. Water weighs about 7.5 lbs per gallon. 100 gallons weighs 750 lbs and many growers water between 50 and 100 gallons per plant per day. don't put 300 gallons of water in a 1/2 ton truck and then wonder why the tires blew or the axel bent.

second, used 275 gallon totes can be found fairly cheap or even free. 12 volt transfer pumps can be found at Northern tool and equipment.

I would make a 4ft high platform using 4x4s to elevate a 275gallon tote on the high end of your patch. then haul water to your elevated tank and use a 12volt transfer pump to lift the water to the tank and let gravity and soaker hoses distribute the water from there.

10/10/2011 9:24:58 AM

Corbin, KY

I agree with Farmer Ben, Most pickup trucks will haul 275 gallons of water. I use 275 gallon totes and haul water gravity feed to T tapes. Works real well. The T Tape can be bought from dripworks.com

10/10/2011 10:41:28 AM

Minnesota

Keep as many full rain barrels at your patch as you can (install a spicket connect a hose or drip line), check craigslist.com might be some for free. The second half of the season is when you will really start using water.

10/10/2011 10:54:52 AM

Cottage grove minnesota

thanks for the advise I think the tank system is what I am going to have to use. I may have even found a place where I can pick up a couple for free. How should I set up soaker hoses? along the vines or more spread out? how much hose can a gravity soaker system use? I am new to this only a few small pumpkins grown this year so any advise is appreciated very much. I am trying to prepare for next year my goal is to get one pumpkinto a weigh off. Starting some soil prep this week.

10/10/2011 11:19:00 PM

Puyallup, WA

The distance between the soaker hoses depends on how level your ground is. If level, then 18" apart seems about right.
How sandy your soil is could also be a determining factor.

10/11/2011 10:05:40 PM

Bristol,RI,USA.

try the cheap soaker tape use for a season and scrap at the end of season only takes 12lb of preasure to run and 20" apart is fine it is hard to run ferts though a socker hoses

10/12/2011 1:49:18 PM