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Hello,
What is the best spacing between emmiters? 4", 8", 12"???
and
What is the best distance between the runners on the main line? 1', 1 1/2', 2'????

4/3/2014 5:44:19 PM

East Jordan, MI

it all depends on your soil and drainage.

Because you supply can only put out so many gallons at a time, if you get the wider spaced drip tape there are less emitters, therefore there is more water available per emitter in the same length tape. This generally causes the water to spread farther.

if your soil is sandy and drains well you will need to put the tapes closer to each other because it will spread out less. For us, we do 20 inches apart with 12 inch spaced emitters and get good coverage 6 inches down.


If you can, set up a test set of a 6 ft header with one drip tape at the edge, the next at 18 inches, the next at 2 ft, the next at 3 ft, the next at 4 ft, the next at 4.5 ft, and the last at 6 ft and make them all 3-4 ft long or so (you don't have to waste the tapes, cut them to length and then fold it in half a few times and slip a 2 inch piece of drip tape over the fold, this will stop the water from progressing down the line, and they make goof plugs to plug the holes in the header that you don't want).

Start with the edge, 2,4 and 6 ft ones on and the others off and water for 30-40 mins for two days. Check the moisture both near the tapes and halfway in between.


If it is not moist enough use the edge, 18, 36, 54 and 72 for a couple of days and check again (I would move to a new spot).

If you still aren't happy you could add a new one 1 ft from the edge and another at 5 ft and turn on the ones that are one ft apart.

Somewhere in there you should find a good moisture level for you soil type.

You can also leave them on for varying times to fine tune things.

Good Luck

4/3/2014 7:25:41 PM