Sorry about that. I had over a month with little to no internet access when my computer crashed totally.
With the winters we have we pick it up every fall. I do use the 15 mil tape so it is re-usable for many years.
We don't bury it. It's laid and wrapped a bit from side to side of the row. Keeps it from snaking around like you described. We get it as close to the transplants as possible and then when I come thru with the Allis G cultivator, I'm usually able to throw enough dirt on the tape to keep it in place. I do have to warn the workers many times to watch out for the tape with the hoes when they weed between the plants.
I've found that putting a 1 in filter in line right at the beginning of the section. As close to what you are watering. There is an in-line filter (Y) that has screens and a hose stopcock on the end. You let that fitting "leak" just a tiny bit and it flushes the filter and keeps it from clogging up too fast. I only need a 150 filter as we don't have anything really fine and the 200 clogs up way too fast and doesn't seem to let enough water thru at the low pressures.
I also make my sections large enough that we don't need a pressure regulator. If you can't get a firm drip line at the end of the system you take out a line or 2. With the slip fittings, I don't use any hose clamps in most places. With only 10-12 lbs pressure they don't come apart. In fact that's partly how you can tell if you have too much pressure -- they will come apart with about 15 - 20 lbs +-.
Carol
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