I'm becomming interested in auto feeding at a raised garden that I have to travel to. What size tank are we talking for those two beds?

I'm not comfortable to leave a hose on a timer when I'm not there full time. A tank as you described would be a solution in a drought year. How often would they need to be filled, say with a hose spigot about 50 feet from the garden.

Thanks for any help!

- Lisa

Hiya Lisa, I'm not planning an irrigation system myself, so I'm definitely not the person for specifics. However, when growers refer to a two-tank system, I think you'll still need pressurized clear water as a third line to make the meters work. Or maybe not, someone will chime in probably.

My understanding is calcium has a caking problem when mixed in solution. In a two-tank system, one is ferts/magnesium the other calcium.

Hi Lisa. You would need an inline pump, or a shallow well pump to get pressure if you use tanks. I use shallow well jet pumps with a pressure tank. I know others who simply use a continuous duty jet pump that is inline, no pressure tank, but instead a pressure regulator that is inline.

There are some small inline pumps that work well, and put out about 5 gpm, I think they are Flo tech, and have tiny pressure tanks connected to the pumps.

I imagine a 50-100 gallon tank would be more than efficient for a couple small raised beds, you may have to fill it once a week depending on the crop, weather, and other variables.

This may have some promise. I actually have a 1/2 hp shallow well pump and small tank sitting useless in my garage. I bought the system for my cabin but a supply line was broken so I later had a proper pump installed that now supplies a geothermal system. I spent the first year without plumbing, going to the gas station or fast food for ladies room and using neighbors hose for plants. The new system was the best investment I ever made.

I'll investigate the garage when the arctic freeze is over,

- Lisa