Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Ask questions about growing bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
mountainbamboonut
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:53 am
Location info: 0
Location: Sandpoint ID zone 6a 2,200ft elevation

Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by mountainbamboonut »

I will be setting up an irrigation system for approx. 20 acres of which approx. 2-4 acres I will be designating for growing my (mostly phyllo) bamboos. I will be watering the 2-4 acres of bamboo plantings from large storage tanks fed from my well. I was wondering if anyone on here had insight into the best way of watering such large areas. I was thinking of running a 2-4" PVC main pipe from the storage tank off of which it will branch to various planting areas. However I am not sure the best way to saturate larger areas of timber bamboo groves etc. My concern is not being able to adequately water the areas given the size of my groves eventually. I feel like some sort of flexible tubing/hosing coming off my larger main line with large sprinkler heads is needed so that it is moveable. I know several of you have run larger bamboo nurseries or worked on them. I would love your insight on what system you have found worked best. IE PVC or ABS, diameter of pipe, poly tubing etc.
Last edited by mountainbamboonut on Sun Jun 12, 2016 5:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Tarzanus
Posts: 1457
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:05 am
Location info: 0
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Re: Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by Tarzanus »

You may not need sprinkler systems at all, you can plan a grid of piping with perforated pipes (similar or same as those used for drainage pipes) and when you fill the system with water, water flows out evenly over the large area. By using any kind of PVC piping, you won't be able to use water pump, which would be necessary for sprinklers, ABS on the other hand will do great if you want to place pump into your water reservoir. You can use thinner perforated (you can buy the pipes that are used in construction to place power cables around the building) pipes and use them above ground, so if you ever need to relocate them, you just slide them to their new location.


If it's a large farm, you'll need a lot of water and a good water pressure eventually. I'd recommend laying the ABS pipe through the field even if you don't need it. If at some point you decide you do need it, you'll have to dig over or around the field -much better if you do it before you have everything covered with large bamboo.

PS: I re-read your post and I see the acreage. I would recommend ABS system. You will need a lot of water for 4 acres. :)
mountainbamboonut
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:53 am
Location info: 0
Location: Sandpoint ID zone 6a 2,200ft elevation

Re: Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by mountainbamboonut »

That is a good suggestion about perforated pipes that are movable. The amount of water needed is not a problem, it is how to effectively transport that water to the groves. What do you mean PVC won't work with a water pump or sprinklers? PVC is often used with sprinkler head type attachments and run off a 1.5 horsepower well pump or any other pump. I do like your perforated pipes idea if it were some kind of flexible tubing that could be moved our woven through stands of bamboo.

To avoid rhizomes and culms devouring an irrigation system I am going to lay a grid first with a large main and then branch off to various areas with a vertical pipe coming several feet out of the ground and capped off or with a series of valve banks. Then I can run anything I want from the valve banks, even like perforated pipes you suggested.
Tarzanus
Posts: 1457
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:05 am
Location info: 0
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Re: Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by Tarzanus »

Not sure about what kind of PVC pipes you have in the states, here, we mainly use them to get the water away into septic tank or sewerage system. For the tap water or any kind of water under pressure, we use aluminium-plastic pipes inside the building or HDPE pipes outside. Those are black and made out of durable hard plastic.

I've had these in mind, these are flexible and light enough to move. Don't know how they are called in the States.
Image

You have to make sure that they can survive UV (not all does) exposure. There is an outdoor version with additional layer of softer plastic on the inside. These are usually better.

Keep us updated when it comes to that. :)
mountainbamboonut
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:53 am
Location info: 0
Location: Sandpoint ID zone 6a 2,200ft elevation

Re: Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by mountainbamboonut »

Tarz, along those lines I was initially thinking of a black PVC flex pond pipe with perforated sections, but with large groves I don't think it would be effective because it would only water in the shape of the hose. I think it has to be an overhead watering system like large farm sprinklers that can cover a lot of surface area. Will keep you posted as I develop the project. I think bamboo is particularly challenging to irrigate due to its spreading nature and mounds of leaf litter/mulch. It has not been a problem for me at smaller stands of bamboo but my next place will be an attempt at large groves of timber and a lot of varieties so I will have to come up with a really good system for getting them evenly soaked. I will keep workshopping it. Getting the water piped to the various planting areas is easy with a large diameter main and then branching off to various planting areas. The real challenge is how to get the water to the groves evenly from there (ie. sprinkler, soaker, flood irrigating etc. Easy to do with small in ground bamboos but large walk-through groves, I've yet to come up with a good idea. Appreciate your thoughts though!
Tarzanus
Posts: 1457
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:05 am
Location info: 0
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Re: Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by Tarzanus »

Bamboo is also highly adaptive and will go towards the source of water and even transfer that water around the grove through the ever-expanding network of rhizomes. Leaf litter protects the soil and bamboo against desiccation and the roots go quite deep to get to the source of water. I think covering the whole 4 acres with grid of sprinklers is kind of overkill. I admit I have zero experience with large fields of bamboo tho. I'm looking forward hearing about your info. :)
T9D
Posts: 196
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 6:09 pm
Location info: 0
Location: Oregon - 8b zone

Re: Bamboo Farm Irrigation

Post by T9D »

At the bamboo gardens here they just use a sprinkler head that sits high up about 4 or more feet. That will cover a very large circle as it spins around. You could also get a high powered water pump and a bigger sprinkler head and make it even taller (but not tall enough for the leaves to block it). You'll be able to get an even bigger area with that set up. I doubt you'd even need all that many for a few acres.
Post Reply