Drip Drip Drip

I’ve got more 1/4″ drip tubing on the way but worked with what I have to add a single line each for the two new beds I just added and seeded with bush beans, cucumbers, mini watermelon and squash. The unfinished high tunnel has stayed moist due to all the rain we’ve had and the moisture creeping in sideways but it’s starting to dry out.

I have shut off valves anywhere the 1/4″ drip tubing connects to the main line as standard practice. I’ve got them shut off for the established plants in one row but turned on for the newly sowed seed that need constant moisture, especially big ole bean seeds.

I set the controller to pulse for 600.0 seconds (10 minutes) at 8am, noon, 4pm and 8pm. Now I don’t have to worry about my seeds drying up. I work 10 hours days and mid 90s for highs are on the way here in a few days.

Update; changed to 8:00a, 10:30a, 1:00p, 3:00p, 6:30p

UPDATE: 6/24/25

Drip temp test.

Two inches down at a drip, 98 degrees. Two inches down, a foot away, still 98 degrees so that little drip has no effect. Stuck a plastic jar lid under the same drip, still 98 degrees. Water in the tank is 80 so obviously and unsurprisingly, dark colored drip line in the sun heats up the water in it. My little 10 minute sessions aren’t enough to bring tank temperature water to the drippers. I could open up the main line and run the pump until 80 degree water comes out. Might still take a while to get to the end of a 1/4″ – 20′ dripper line.

In the shade of a tomato plant – 2 inches down, 86 degrees.

Tallest grassy area in an aisle, 86 degrees.

Under a pile of weeds sitting in the shade, 81 degrees. I have no pile of weeds sitting in the sun right now so I couldn’t check that.

Full sun exposed soil 5 inches down, 80 degrees.

So yeah, I don’t just need to mulch the drip line. I need to mulch the whole area. That’ll get things from 98 down to 86 or so and that’s a big difference.

Two of my three germination/temp charts don’t even bother to give germination times for temps 95 and over for beans and cukes. Watermelon at 100 degrees, fine. Cukes, not so much.

I know I’ll be sticking some temp sensors in the ground at some point now. 90 degree air temp and 98 degree soil temp in sun at 2 inches down. That 1-2 inch soil temp will give a clue as to when I can direct sow. I had no mucky soil issues under the tunnel a month earlier than I sowed the bean/melon seeds. (could still be old seeds)

I know it has seeds but I really liked the hay mulch as opposed to compost. In bare feet, the compost was burn your feet hot. Straw is light colored but adds no nutrients. I’ve got a dozen square bales taking up room in the tunnel. I think I might be tiling the tunnel with square bale cards this evening. I’ve got enough area to make my own seedless hay aka grass clippings. Need a riding mower with bagger. Clean up leaves in fall and have the amendment and get grass clippings in spring/summer for mulch. Sounds like a plan – for next year.