I finally had a drip system installed for my 200+ fig trees. What a job that was! But now I can finally go on trips and not worry about them...much.



 

Congrats, Sue!  My son and I installed a system last year.  It's the best!

Going to split the system this year.  Couldn't get the bigger trees dialed in with the smaller ones.

I guess that's the beauty of the system.  Once everything is laid down, making changes is no big deal.

Looks awesome Sue. I'm green with envy even though everything is still white here
Good luck with it and thanks for the Chico's

Good for you, Sue!

I've been wanting to do that for a long time. Even got all the stuff, but just haven't set it up yet. That would make watering so much easier. Maybe when I stop moving pots around and the ghetto is more stable, it will be time.

This is definitely on my to do list for this summer!

I agree, drip irrigation systems on timers is the way to go, not only for potted trees but for in-ground figs as well. I installed my system two years ago, expanded it again last spring, and it worked so well. Had mini drippers to all my pots, some micro-sprayers as well. Even moisture levels through the summer I'm sure helped over all vigor of our trees, increased fig production.

Wow, that's a lovely setup you have there. Last year, I learned how tough it was to keep potted figs watered in SoCal, especially with all the heat we had. Best of luck!

Thanks everyone. It's a big relief to have that done. I've had a few minor 'repairs' to make including one main-line blowout but it's getting there. I'm still playing with the amount of water to give. At this point 1/2 gal every other day per tree (1-GPH emitters run for 30 min every other day). I will up it as the summer temps rise if I see any wilting. So far in this 85+ temp they look good.

Good going, Sue!  Well worth the time and effort.

I think they should have gone in the ground first! :)

When I get a couple extra thousand so I can get a tractor in to rip the hillside and terrace it they will go in the ground. Until then it remains a dream. This old, out of shape body isn't up to doing it a shovel at a time.

Sue, your problem is your lack of ambition.   Step 1 World domination.  Step 2 order your subjects to plant your figs.  See?   Easy.

Very nice, if I find time this spring I am going to set one up as well.

Just an FYI to anyone else needing to set up drip for potted figs. If your pots are in a line, evenly spaced, you can get what's called "Orchard tubing" - 1/2" tubing with emitters inside the pipe every 9", 12" or 18". You just lay the tube over the top of your pots, and each fig gets an emitter.  Cost is usually around $22/100 feet. Saves you from having to punch all those emitters.

If you're a home depot kinda person, the product would be "DIG 1/2 in. x 100 ft.1 GPH Pressure Compensating Drip Line"

I had overhead sprayers on my figs last year. I'm converting to drip this year. Nicely done.

Sue, Congrats! That was a big job! I would like to do the same for my potted trees as well. Any suggestion on the components, watering frequency, watering amounts, etc? I am in Lon Angeles so the setup would be similar to yours. Thanks in advance !

I saw Sue's set up yesterday for real, and it's impressive!  She did a great job.  Our figs eventually all go in ground.  Sadly I can't walk someone to the side of my house and say "Here are the figs."  I would have to take you on a long meandering walk down steep paths around huge boulders for you to see ours. 

She is planing to cover the entire bunch with chicken wire.  Some of her figs are amazing.  Some huge figs on her trees, but the sad thing is, she has never tasted one.  The critters get them first.  Bummer.  I hope that changes for her soon!

Suzi

Greenfig,

One thing I would definitely change is how the rows were done. If you look at the last image it's a rat's nest down the first 2 rows. Trying to access the figs in the middle of these rows will be difficult. I risk pulling the tubes off the main line with my feet, damaging connections, etc. Next time, not that there will be, I would run the mainline between the pots in each row leaving a walkway as in the last row. I'm trying to figure out a modification for this now...sigh, live and learn.

Another thing I'm not yet sure about is the guy helping me design this had me use 1-gal drip emitters at the mainline running the 1/4" tubing to the pot. Now I'm stuck with 1-gal emitters and will have to adjust the amount of water delivery with time. This may be OK but larger pots may need more water and I have no way of delivering that automatically. I could have put 1 or 2-gal emitters at the tips of the 1/4" tubing if I just used a non-restrictive connector at the mainline. I guess I could always exchange the emitter at the mainline but they were such a PITA to put in I shutter at having to do it again especially in the middle of that rat trap. :-)

As to watering I am experimenting with that now. At this point each pot gets 1/2 gal every other day. So far they look happy. With the last week being in the 80's and 90's this may work for the upcoming summer heat. If not I'll increase the time the water drips.

Smatthew, where were you when I started this? :-) Your solution sounds so much easier than what I did!

Sue, Thank you! Please keep us posted on your progress and adjustments. I may do mine this week, the summer is approaching really fast.

Great job Sue, you inspire me!    Your model plus early hot weather has my 1 and 2 year old figs wanting water every other day.  Enough of this dragging the garden hose around, I’m going with drip system too!   The basic infrastructure is existing so, just a matter of new poly pipe laterals and tap to pot and new emitters.   Spent an hour with the drip expert at Grangetto’s Farm and Garden Supply and as you suggested, I’m going with the micro tubing (1/8”) to emitters.  My 2 year pots are spaced a good 6-8 ft. and 1 year about 3 ft. apart so, will run one lateral per row.  I’m also going to bury the laterals just below ground for better access and so I’m not tripping over them all the time ( past experience..... LOL ).

Thanks again for the photos, I will post a few of my setup when complete.

Like you, praying for rain.