Planning a new veg garden in NC-water sys. ideas?

[Liese]

Hello All, Will be starting my first to this place veg garden. The thread about watering systems has led me to think it would be a ggod idea to plan with that in mind rather than put in a system later. The situation at this point a blank slate, 60' north to south and can be 80' east/west. My plans are to grow enough for 2 vegetarians and hope that co-workers will purchase excess. Then year 2 be up to doing a small CSA of 5 families. I have been studying Coleman's book but would like to grow in beds intensively ala Jeavons. So could I have suggestions as to bed layout that will mean the least amount of black pipe/fittings, manifold system ideas and timer suggestions-very needed, last year forgot when I filled the ducks' pool until 3 hours later arghh! Our water capacity isn't large but the pressure is fine. Thanks, Liese

[BeckyW]

I'm posting a reply so this gets kicked back up to the top of the page and you get some suggestions.
Not familiar with NC growing conditions so I'm not much help.
What are you looking to grow? (Suggestion: grow what your family likes to eat!)
BW

[Bearfootfarm]

If it were me Id sit down with a pad and pencil and start sketching out different designs. Go sit outside to do it so you can look at the site and think it through.

That way youll immediatley see ways that will work and ways that wont. I sometimes draw out a pasture 10 different ways before I hit on what will work best for a site.

If youre not going to bury it below the frost line, try to make sure you put drain spigots at the lowest points so you wont have problems with winter freezing.

Try this site for more ideas:
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/water/

[Liese]

Thank you Becky for bumping this message up and Bearfoot-you always come up with great links-that site is going to keep me busy for awhile, thanks very much.

I have never had an irrigation system in a veg garden before, mostly I wanted to avoid redoing, if that's possible! Found some info on the Noble Foundation site but it's helpful but basic. As to whether to bury or not bury - I had thought it was a must in order to keep the lines from UV degradation, as well as, helping the water in the lines stay cooler. At this point I want to do 40" wide raised beds- running N-S about 25'. The land slopes slightly to the SW corner so it sounds like I'll need to connect the slightly higher beds at the ends to drain down to that corner. Liese