What irrigation for raised planter boxes?

[warrenk]

Hi all,

I’ve built a couple of raised planters using https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/How-To/How-to-build-a-raised-garden-bed/ba-p/29674 as a guide and I had a question about irrigation options.

There’s existing irrigation in the garden bed that uses a 4mm flex tube and some risers and I’ve run the flex tube up the planters but I’m not sure what sort of sprinklers I would attach as my planters are only about 350mm wide so I don’t need a large radius of coverage.

This is what the planters look like. The smaller bed I was thinking to try growing some herbs and the larger one either some succulents or native plants.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[warrenk]

One other question that’s slightly related. I was looking looking at using some pre-oiled merbau to finish of the top of the planters (something like https://www.bunnings.com.au/70-x-19mm-2-7m-pre-oiled-merbau-solid-screening_p0517075) and I was wondering if there would be any issues with that being near food and the oil ran. I read the safety sheet and it says it’s non-hazardous but I don’t know how that would relate to leaching into the soils.

[JacobZ]

Hi @warrenk,

Thank you for your questions about installing irrigation in your raised planters.

As the garden beds are small, and the place you need to get the water to is the roots, not the leaves, I don't see any great benefit in using sprinklers. I think the best option for irrigation in your garden beds is to drippers. These K-Rain 4mm Adjustable Drippers would be perfect for your garden bed as they can be used to deliver water directly to the roots of the plant. Remember as well that water will spread outwards in the soil, so some thoughtfully placed drippers will cover a very wide area without the potential wastage you have with sprinklers.

While the oil used on merbau is not graded as "food-safe", this is not to say it is not safe, it is just not expected to be used for food in the same way a benchtop or cutting board would. There's no need for concern about using this oiled merbau around edible plants and I think it sounds like a great idea.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[warrenk]

Thank you very much @JacobZ for the irrigation suggestion and the information about the merbau oil. I’ll give them both a shot and see how it goes! Thank you.