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South Bloomfield, Ohio

Just wondering how many of you use the large bulk rolls of drip tape in your patches and whether any of you have come up with easy ways to handle them. As it is now, I have to carry the heavy roll, set it down, unwind the tape from the roll, walk the tape to unwind the twists, walk back to the plant, and fish it through the plant.

I was thinking of a cart similar to a wheeled garden hose reel that could be easily moved and the tape removed from the roll without having to remove the twists. I could not find on the Dripworks site any such device. Does such a thing exist or am I gonna have to get off my lazy duff and build it?

12/10/2011 11:24:05 AM

Western NY

I put a rake handle through the hole in the middle of the roll, then the rake gets balanced across the sides of the wagon hooked to my lawnmower.

Seal the end of the line, give it to an energetic 5 year old to run it to the other end of the garden. Snip with scissors, seal the end of the next run, and by then he's back.

There shouldn't be any twists in the line this way.

I haven't figured out an easy way to get it out of the patch, though.I ended up just pulling it out by hand and wadding it up.

12/10/2011 11:51:13 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Thanks Andy. I was just at Lowe's to pick up some other supplies and perused their selection of garden hose reels, but could not find anything which offered easy adaptability or space for the large spool of drip tape. I was thinking about a four-wheeled cart with pneumatic tires and attaching a simple elevated support for the drip tape roll.

12/10/2011 1:55:04 PM

Putnam Ct.

I did pretty much the same as Andy.

12/10/2011 4:24:45 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Ok....here's a woman's perspective on this! Several weeks before I set up the drip tape in the garden, I take the big spool in the house....put a broom handle through the hole, with each end balanced on a kitchen chair. I measure out from the spool, the length I want the tapes, & mark that spot on the floor. Then I cut as many tapes as I will need. Next.... find a good movie, sit comfortably, and attach the end caps and the shut-off valves. No stooping and breaking your back like when you do it in the garden! Then I fold each tape and rubber band it. So a big part of the work is done early. Then they go in a pile until I'm ready to take them to the garden. All I have to do then, is pop the shut-off valve end into the main lines. I leave them folded...then unfold as the plant grows. Unfold each one when that secondary is still small, so you aren't having to thread it through the leaves. Pretty easy!!

12/10/2011 8:27:05 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Sounds like a very efficient way of doing it Glenna if you have a fixed plant shape and size. I tend to run tape as the plant grows according to what length I decide each secondary should be as the pumpkin grows. I let the three secondaries before the pumpkin grow to various lengths on each plant. It sounds like you might be running your drip tape parallel to the secondaries in a Christmas tree pattern.

12/10/2011 8:36:11 PM

Muddy Waters

I hung the roll on swing set with a pipe,then walkout the lengths I need, drop a brick on the ground to mark the spot.There is usually a bunch the same length.cut with scissors

12/10/2011 8:52:46 PM