Micro Hose for Irrigation/Hanging Baskets - Cheapest??

[rayj]

Does anyone know where the cheapest outlet (likely online) is to buy about 50 or 60 meters of 4mm Micro Hose to enable me to form an irrigation system for about 12 hanging baskets??
The other question for the experts is, assuming the water pressure in the area is sufficiently high will the 4mm hose be sufficient for a 60 metre run feeding the 12 hangers??
Your advices would be appreciated!!

[Two_Sheds]

Dunno, but I make my baskets up lined with plastic (old compost bags), with water-retaining gel in the compost (or shredded sponge), with a plant pot planted in it too, to water into.

[rayj]

There must be someone out there who knows something about Water/Irrigation Systems??

[NOG]

I got mine for £5 from £streacher it had a normal 1/2 hose attachment then micro hose with drippers and joints and end caps.

I put mine attached to a water butt and watered the greenhouse of Cuecumbers and tomatoes for a week when we went on holiday.

[rana]

You should be able to buy a system for up to a tenner or so plus a bit more for some extra pipe. Water pressure should be no problem, in fact depending on the number of drippers you may want to reduce the pressure. With too much pressure the adjustable caps on the drippers can be completely forced off, allowing water to flow freely.

Balancing the drippers so that each delivers the same quantity of water can be a real pain and in hard water areas limescale will collect on the outlets and the flow rate will change resulting in the need for regular adjustment. To iliminate these problems, where practical I have changed from drippers to higher flow rate water soakers on a timer. They are far less fiddly and much more reliable.

[rayj]

Lovely - thank you very much for your advice. Thought I was going to have to introduce a 60 metre length of 13mm supply tube instead of the 4mm micro tube. Will take a chance and just use 4mm micro and if "push comes to shove" replace it with the larger tube at a later date if the water doesn't push round the whole of the system.
Thanks again!!

[NOG]

You will have no problem wth 4mm but with hanging baslets how are you going to presureise the system?

Mine is gravity feed....are you going to use mains pressure?

[rayj]

NOG - even I have heard of Issac Newton!!
The water would definitely be pressurised as it would be attached to the mains. However having spoken to Hozelock Customer Services today they feel I would require the Supply Hose/Tube to be of the 13mm diameter (obviously branching into 4mm micro hose to the hangers) to ensure all baskets received sufficient water. Next job is to source competitively priced kit!!

[PAULW]

I had a RAINBIRD system bought from one of those bankrupt stock shops, with it came a fitting that one end goes into a hoselock type push fitting the other end you insert the small bore pipe this fitting reduces the water pressure so the drippers are not blown off, ALDI had a watering system in their stores a couple of weeks ago may be worth a look

[NOG]

NOG - even I have heard of Issac Newton!!
The water would definitely be pressurised as it would be attached to the mains. However having spoken to Hozelock Customer Services today they feel I would require the Supply Hose/Tube to be of the 13mm diameter (obviously branching into 4mm micro hose to the hangers) to ensure all baskets received sufficient water. Next job is to source competitively priced kit!!

Don't forget thet Gravity is only a theory...its never been proved.

I was wondering if you were going to connect it to a water butt and pump it or use mains.

Wyvale are selling off all their Hoselock micro stuff in both the stores near me, for 50p-£1.

[rayj]

I will pop into my local Wyevale in the next couple of days - they seem to stock all Gardena products now. Or as I do occasional deliveries to Wyevale outlets all over the country I will try and check that out if I can find the time. Thank you!!

[rayj]

Called in to two Wyevale's just off the M4 corridor today and neither had any Hozelock components on display nor on their own on a "Reduced Display". Will be calling in a few more outlets on Saturday and will be keeping my "eyes peeled".

[rayj]

NOG - I was over in Kent at the weekend and out of the 5 Wyevale outlets I visited only the one in Ramsgate had any Hozelock kit left (all reduced). However nothing that would be of any use to me, only washers and odds and sods. A lady at the Gillingham centre told me they discontinued Hozelock last year and sold off any "leftovers" then. I have managed to purchase a Maxi AutoKit off Ebay for £15 (RRP £54.00) and have sourced where I can buy the other 50m of Hozelock 13mm supply hose and any other components I may need from Acorn Express Garden Tools in Yorkshire . They offer big reductions and free postage on Orders of over £25. Their site address for anyone who may want to give them a try is Garden Tools, Outdoor Furniture, Accessories, West Yorkshire UK Garden Tools Equipment Furniture Yorkshire UK
Thanks for everyones help!!

[NOG]

Most of the stuff in Keston is oddbits for the irrigation systems.

[rayj]

Completed the job I was doing at a friends pub with a 185 foot run of 13mm Hozelock Supply Tube, about 15 Drippers and a Timer for just under £80.00 cost of materials. Have to admit I think it is a great system. Before attempting the task I was tempted to use 4mm Microhose for the lot, but as it was such a long run (185 feet) felt it was better to use the 13mm Supply Hose to make it a more professional job.
Hozelock kit comes "highly recommended" by me if you can source it, at the right price!!