Over-head drip irrigation?

TomatoDon · June 29, 2019

Since the rain, over-head sprinklers, and other ways the plants take water comes from above the plant, I am curious if anyone has tried drip irrigation from above the tomato plants.

Since I use a lot of concrete-re-enforcing wire cages for tomatoes, I can't run the drip line on the ground next to the plant because when I set the cage over it, the cage can crimp off the drip line, and limit, or even stop, the flow of water. The next best thing is setting the line at the outer edge of the cage, which is 12 inches from the plant, requiring more water and running time.

For those reasons, and because every year a tiller or mower accidentally cuts an irrigation line, I picked up one drip line so I could run the tiller close to the cage and simple set it on top of the cages, over-head. The cages are close enough together that the line basically doesn't droop.

I wasn't planning on leaving it there, but I turned on the water to see how it would work and was surprised at how well it did. For the first time, I could actually see every emitter dripping water onto big, mature plants. Secondly, most of the drip was trickling down to, or near, the base of the plant, which seems a lot more efficient than they way it was away from the plant when it was on the ground. And for the first time, I was able to accomplish watering and fertilizing by folier uptake, since the water is running directly onto the plant and dripping down through it. I also realized how much easier the line or emitters would be to fix, if they ever needed fixing. And, being overhead I shouldn't have any trouble with mice or anything else nibbling on it.

So far, this seems to work better than laying the drip line on the ground. I'm going to move some more lines to the top of the cages to get a better and broader sampling of how well it does, or doesn't, work. I am curious if any one else had tried this, and what the results were.

Thank you in advance for any replies and input.
Don

SQWIBB · June 29, 2019

The only problem I see is that the water coming from the emitters will run down the emitters line to the lowest point then drip from there.
I have this problem in a few areas in my garden where the emitter line is not on the ground.
I cool up my emitter lines in the fall.
In the spring when I add all the plants and cages is when I feed the emitter lines through the cages, around the plants.

dshreter · June 29, 2019

One consideration would be the soil getting watered best very close to the stem. Having moisture concentrated a little further away I’ve heard can help to encourage root growth as the plant is seeking out sources of water. If it gets all of the needed water near the stem, you may end up with a smaller root system, which probably isn’t ideal. I think this also highly depends on how effectively the soil wicks water, as some drain quickly, and others will tend to wick and even out the moisture across the soil mass.

TomatoDon · June 30, 2019

Thanks for the input, SQWIBB. My drip line is the brown tubing with in-line emitters that Rainbird sells and it is fairly rigid, and be cages are only 24" inches apart, so there practically isn't any sagging. Also, this year, my rows are 200 feet long and I have 15 of them, so it's not practical to try and thread that much drip line through the cages.

And thank you also, dshreter. The drip percolates down through the foliage and I'm sure it reaches basically the diameter of the outer limits of the foliage. I prepared the soil by running a sub-soiler up and down the rows, pulverizing the soil about 12" deep and 12" wide. Any water that moves underground will stay mostly in that channel, running from plant to plant.

Thanks again for the input, and hope to hear more from our members here at T'ville.
Don

Nematode · June 30, 2019

Water on foliage may aggravate fungal problems.

Tomzhawaii · June 30, 2019

Ì use the same rainbird drippers. They are so-so and need adjusting. So I just let them drip down the stakes or fencing. The sprayers are no better.

AKmark · June 30, 2019

Run your line between the rows and break off the line with spaghetti tubing. I love the 3.2gph emitters on a spray stake. Netafim products. You can do all kinds of crazy stuff with the products.

sjamesNorway · June 30, 2019

I think you would get a lot more evaporation than with dripping directly to the soil. Efficient use of water is one of the main benefits of drip-irrigation.

Steve

Worth1 · June 30, 2019

I take it this is the same type of drip line I have with the pre-made drip holes in the 1/2 inch drip line.
It was mentioned that the water would run down the line to a low spot and drip off there and not the intended place.
To resolve this tie a cord around the line where you want it to drip.
The water will hit the cord run down the cord and drip there.

When I pour something from a can like a soda I put a dent in the can with my thumb so it wont dribble back down the side of the can.

TomatoDon · June 30, 2019

I like that string idea, Worth!

AKmark · July 1, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I take it this is the same type of drip line I have with the pre-made drip holes in the 1/2 inch drip line.
It was mentioned that the water would run down the line to a low spot and drip off there and not the intended place.
To resolve this tie a cord around the line where you want it to drip.
The water will hit the cord run down the cord and drip there.

When I pour something from a can like a soda I put a dent in the can with my thumb so it wont dribble back down the side of the can.

The stuff I am talking about is soft walled, you can easily hand punch it and plug the emitters where you want them. Polyethylene tubing.

maziuaf · July 1, 2019

As you know, tomato plant has ability to develop adventitious roots from its stem, as spotted points are always there on whole stem, and if we bury the stem from anywhere in soil, it will develop root system there.

So, here i have developed a second line drip irrigation system along the stem by using media (soil:sand: OM) and used plastic cup to hold it with stem,
it generated full root system on stem as indicated in pictures.
Total nutrient requirement remained same with distribution and it had great impact on multi-culster fruit with even growth and uniformity.
First drip system on the ground and second 5 feet above the ground.
Preferably should be used with varieties/hybrid having 15 and 15+ fruits / cluster for uniform fruit size and quality.
Try it.

JRinPA · July 8, 2019

For my area, I have to think the driest foliage is the best.

Are your CRW cages left intact all year? If so, why not just snip off two of the bottom rungs at 180 degrees, and orient the cages so the drip line lays in that 6" of gap. Drip line tunnel. Do it on plant out/cage out next year and it would take maybe 15 secs per cage for 4 snips with a bolt cutter.

June 29, 2019	#1
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,521	Over-head drip irrigation? Since the rain, over-head sprinklers, and other ways the plants take water comes from above the plant, I am curious if anyone has tried drip irrigation from above the tomato plants. Since I use a lot of concrete-re-enforcing wire cages for tomatoes, I can't run the drip line on the ground next to the plant because when I set the cage over it, the cage can crimp off the drip line, and limit, or even stop, the flow of water. The next best thing is setting the line at the outer edge of the cage, which is 12 inches from the plant, requiring more water and running time. For those reasons, and because every year a tiller or mower accidentally cuts an irrigation line, I picked up one drip line so I could run the tiller close to the cage and simple set it on top of the cages, over-head. The cages are close enough together that the line basically doesn't droop. I wasn't planning on leaving it there, but I turned on the water to see how it would work and was surprised at how well it did. For the first time, I could actually see every emitter dripping water onto big, mature plants. Secondly, most of the drip was trickling down to, or near, the base of the plant, which seems a lot more efficient than they way it was away from the plant when it was on the ground. And for the first time, I was able to accomplish watering and fertilizing by folier uptake, since the water is running directly onto the plant and dripping down through it. I also realized how much easier the line or emitters would be to fix, if they ever needed fixing. And, being overhead I shouldn't have any trouble with mice or anything else nibbling on it. So far, this seems to work better than laying the drip line on the ground. I'm going to move some more lines to the top of the cages to get a better and broader sampling of how well it does, or doesn't, work. I am curious if any one else had tried this, and what the results were. Thank you in advance for any replies and input. Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

June 30, 2019	#4
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,521	Thanks for the input, SQWIBB. My drip line is the brown tubing with in-line emitters that Rainbird sells and it is fairly rigid, and be cages are only 24" inches apart, so there practically isn't any sagging. Also, this year, my rows are 200 feet long and I have 15 of them, so it's not practical to try and thread that much drip line through the cages. And thank you also, dshreter. The drip percolates down through the foliage and I'm sure it reaches basically the diameter of the outer limits of the foliage. I prepared the soil by running a sub-soiler up and down the rows, pulverizing the soil about 12" deep and 12" wide. Any water that moves underground will stay mostly in that channel, running from plant to plant. Thanks again for the input, and hope to hear more from our members here at T'ville. Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

June 30, 2019	#10
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,521	I like that string idea, Worth! __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

June 29, 2019	#2
SQWIBB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Philly 7A Posts: 739	The only problem I see is that the water coming from the emitters will run down the emitters line to the lowest point then drip from there. I have this problem in a few areas in my garden where the emitter line is not on the ground. I cool up my emitter lines in the fall. In the spring when I add all the plants and cages is when I feed the emitter lines through the cages, around the plants.

June 29, 2019	#3
dshreter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2019 Location: Seattle Posts: 58	One consideration would be the soil getting watered best very close to the stem. Having moisture concentrated a little further away I’ve heard can help to encourage root growth as the plant is seeking out sources of water. If it gets all of the needed water near the stem, you may end up with a smaller root system, which probably isn’t ideal. I think this also highly depends on how effectively the soil wicks water, as some drain quickly, and others will tend to wick and even out the moisture across the soil mass.

June 30, 2019	#5
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	Water on foliage may aggravate fungal problems.

June 30, 2019	#6
Tomzhawaii Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Honolulu ,Hawaii Posts: 262	Ì use the same rainbird drippers. They are so-so and need adjusting. So I just let them drip down the stakes or fencing. The sprayers are no better.

June 30, 2019	#7
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Run your line between the rows and break off the line with spaghetti tubing. I love the 3.2gph emitters on a spray stake. Netafim products. You can do all kinds of crazy stuff with the products.

June 30, 2019	#8
sjamesNorway Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Norway Posts: 1,049	I think you would get a lot more evaporation than with dripping directly to the soil. Efficient use of water is one of the main benefits of drip-irrigation. Steve

June 30, 2019	#9
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I take it this is the same type of drip line I have with the pre-made drip holes in the 1/2 inch drip line. It was mentioned that the water would run down the line to a low spot and drip off there and not the intended place. To resolve this tie a cord around the line where you want it to drip. The water will hit the cord run down the cord and drip there. When I pour something from a can like a soda I put a dent in the can with my thumb so it wont dribble back down the side of the can.

July 8, 2019	#13
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 963	For my area, I have to think the driest foliage is the best. Are your CRW cages left intact all year? If so, why not just snip off two of the bottom rungs at 180 degrees, and orient the cages so the drip line lays in that 6" of gap. Drip line tunnel. Do it on plant out/cage out next year and it would take maybe 15 secs per cage for 4 snips with a bolt cutter.