laying drip tape

[Jack]

hello everyone
I been searching the web, looking to see if anyone has used their cub to lay double rows of drip tape. or even a single line for that matter, I seen the video of the guys using the cub to lay the plastic mulch, I plan on using that method for the plastic. If you have a technique of laying the drip tape, please share.

thanks Jack

[Jim Becker]

Have you tried searching this site for "drip tape" and "plastic mulch"? Either of those will keep you busy reading for a while. (I realize this will include a bunch of your own posts.)

[Jack]

Have you tried searching this site for "drip tape" and "plastic mulch"? Either of those will keep you busy reading for a while. (I realize this will include a bunch of your own posts.)

I was considering buying a mulch layer. but decided against it. I want to use the cub for laying the plastic mulch, and I was hoping someone else put trip tape down with a cub. my plans right now is walking the drip tape out and then covering it with the plastic mulch.

[SamsFarm]

Look at how a cable plow (like used in underground utilities, Case, Ditch Witch, etc) operates!

You could attach a chute to a cultivator shank and plow it in with the same principle!

Or just move to NE Ohio where it rains every other day!

[outdoors4evr]

Most I have seen have the drip tape installed prior to the plastic. If working on a lot of drip tape, then I'd suggest installing it with a "pipe layer". These are used for plastic pipe or for wire installation for an "invisible dog fence".

If the ground is already turned, then just drop it in a furrow.

[Jack]

Most I have seen have the drip tape installed prior to the plastic. If working on a lot of drip tape, then I'd suggest installing it with a "pipe layer". These are used for plastic pipe or for wire installation for an "invisible dog fence".

If the ground is already turned, then just drop it in a furrow.

I have quite a bit of drip tape to install, I think I will set the rolls of drip tape on a stand, then walk it down the raised rows, then use the cub to cover the rows with the plastic mulch.

thank you for the replies
Jack

[Bill Hudson]

Jack, are you fabricating a mulch layer for your Cub? If so, it seems to me to be a matter of building a place to mount one or two spools of drip tape in addition to the roll of mulch. A neighbor raises acres of vegetables and uses one device to lay the mulch and tape in one pass. I'm sure his unit is a commercial one.

Bill

[Jack]

Jack, are you fabricating a mulch layer for your Cub? If so, it seems to me to be a matter of building a place to mount one or two spools of drip tape in addition to the roll of mulch. A neighbor raises acres of vegetables and uses one device to lay the mulch and tape in one pass. I'm sure his unit is a commercial one.

Bill

hi Bill, I was going to buy a commercial mulch layer with the drip tape attachment, but it's costly so I seen the video of the guys using the cub to install the plastic mulch , using the cultivator arms and hiller disc on the rear. so I figured I would save myself $2500 plus freight.

[Jim Becker]

I guess usefulness of any suggestions may change, depending on specifics, like bed width, how deep you want the tap etc. But here are some thoughts that may be useful.

To put the tape down, I'd probably start with a standard on a cultivator and attach a tube to the back side to guide the tape in behind it. For the tube, how about a 90 degree plastic underground electrical conduit? Size it to whatever seems like a good fit for the tape. A bracket to hold a spool of tape should be easy enough to come up with. You probably want some way to provide a little rotation resistance for the spool. If you want to do 2 lines at once, you can duplicate the whole thing and mount them side-by-side. Of course, that would require having two spools of tape, when you may not otherwise need to buy a second roll. You can also put a single unit together and mount it offset to one side of the tractor. Lay one tape, then turn around and go back in the same tracks to put down a second line.

[Mht]

I also use drip tape in my garden. I built a small cart out of pipe, flat stock and some old wheels off a push mower. I cut plywood circles to support the cardboard sides of the drip tape rolls and used a piece of threaded rod as an axle for the spool to turn on. The cart rolls easily along the ends of my rows and it easy to pull several hundred feet of drip tape off of it. Sorry for the poor pictures I took of it. Lots of clutter in my shed and poor lighting but you should be able to get the idea. I’ll be happy to get some better pictures if you would like me to

[Jack]

thank you Jim and Mht for the good information, and the pictures
Jack

[Mht]

Here are some more pictures with a little better light

[Jack]

thank you

[SamsFarm]

How many years service do you get from your drip tape?

[Jack]

How many years service do you get from your drip tape?

last year was my first year using drip tape. I'm going to use new drip tape this season, with 6" spacing.
(aqua - trax FC )