11/18/2010
OK, lessons learned!
These nozzles are likely OK when a garden hose is connected. When a 500 GPH Pond Pump is used, it does not create enough pressure. The micro sprinklers, though splashy are the economical approach.
I upgraded my Tote Box to a 50 gallon container that spans roughly 42 inches long, by 21 inches wide, by 17 inches tall. I did buy a ratcheting PVC cutter to save some effort too. It does not cut perfectly square, but beats a pipe cutter or hacksaw in a heartbeat. I am still experimenting, trying to get the best configuration of the micro sprinklers. Might be time to get to setting up real plants soon!
Amateur Potato Breeder’s Manual is a great, must-read!
Warning: This is a wide tangent from my apartment garden project, but very educational.
This was an eye-opener concerning how potato seed production, and other seeding processes are really making the plants more susceptible to pests by creating one uniform genetic plant make-up. (If one is susceptible, they all will be. Raoul A. Robinson proposes University Breeding Clubs as a means to reverse this process in the private sector. He asserts that scientists and seed producers have bought into a well meaning, but flawed approach, that continues to necessitate more dependence on a fresh supply of seeds from breeding centers with each new planting.
For the highly technical overview of modern seed potato production, also see:
http://www.cefetbambui.edu.br/portal/files/FVCSB_3%28SI1%29133-139o-1.pdf
11/23/2010
So micro-sprinklers are the simplest basic irrigation method.
Avoiding punching holes in the container sides avoids many moisture issues.
