Soil and watering

[johnlee1933]

Another trick I read about but never tried is useful if night dew/frost can be expected. Suspend a black plastic sheet a foot or so off the ground and put a small weight in the center. Dew will collect on the sheet. Early each morning gently shake the plastic and the dew will run to the low spot both top and bottom. You can put a container to catch the bottom drips and scoop up the puddle on top. A logical extension of this would be to suspend long strips of plastic sheet angled so the collected dew dripped directly on your plants. Admittedly this idea has problems -- flimsy, subject to strong wind, partially shading your plants, etc but might work.

John

 

[ne3go]

Rayshields: Thanks for the link! This looks like a much cheaper solution, don't know if can hold 10.000 galons or more if its burried underground (the only way to collect much rain water is if the tank is underground)

I would imagine that scaling it up would be rather expensive initially.

That's right! Every distillation solution in big scale is expensive.

istanbulin: I'm a fanatic cigarette smoker, but mostly like cigars! So some big-leaf varieties are essential!

johnlee1933: This trick will not work here, because of the furius winds! I had made a small greenhouse once and one morning i found it in neighbour's garden!

 

[johnlee1933]

Rayshields: Thanks for the link! This looks like a much cheaper solution, don't know if can hold 10.000 galons or more if its burried underground (the only way to collect much rain water is if the tank is underground)

johnlee1933:

I don't think the flexible tank can be buried but your comments suggest to me that wind is the problem. You might consider putting it in a lined hole like a swimming pool in the ground without cover (or a self supporting roof) so that it could expand and shrink freely. Following this line of thought -- Why not but an inexpensive above ground swimming pool, put it in a prepared hole in the ground and build a roof over it? A quick calculation says a 16' X 4' deep pool would hold ~18,000 gallons (Please check my calculations). Here in the US an above ground pool liner is less than $100 for a 16' pool. If you could make a smooth enough hole that might work. If not, here in the US above ground pools are around $1500/2000. You wouldn't be buying a filter so it might be less. Oh yes, the filter pump, if you got one, sans filter, might be used to get the water to where you want it.

Hope this helps, John

 

[ne3go]

My house is on the lowest place of a small hill. To fill a 20.000 gallon tank, i must collect the water coming down the hill during the rain days. Or to build a very large flat surface above the tank, because it's not raining tοo much. I've made a sketch to see.

The expenses for digging, buying a plastic tank or a pool, covering on top, puting a water pump,filters, pipes etc., are lower than building a concrete tank, but considerable (i believe not less than 5000$). And don't know if this construction lasts for many years to worth the expenses and the trouble.

 

[johnlee1933]

I guess I don't understand completely. How do you plan to use the water? Irrigation/sanitary/drinking? Would it be possible to use a covered above ground pool? Is it a public street? Do you know the average rainfall? Will that figure times your collection area/street produce 20,000 gallons or the gallons you need. With these answers we, collectivly, may be able to help. -- John

 

[ne3go]

Every house in the island has a small built tank under the house, collecting water from the clean flat roof.This water used for house cleaning, bath etc. It's clean water, some people drink it, i don't. We drink bottled water. My built-in tank is about 7.000 gallons. Not enough for everyday use, so the summer we use city-water which has a lot of salt.

Collecting water from downhill roads is a common technique here. It's the only way to get enough water. Don't know the average rainfall, but you can fill a big tank (20.000-30.000 gallons) from the street during winter. The street in my house is almost private, has only other 2 houses in the hill.

This is the technique: When it starts to rain, you're waiting for a few minutes for rain to clear the street, then you open the tank.The water still has some dirt from the street.So first, it goes in a small "cleaning" tank over the main tank. In there, heavier particles are sunk as sediments and then goes into the main tank through a filter for smaller particles.Then you add a chloride pastille or quicklime for sterilisation.The water now is clean from microbs,bacteria etc. and can be used for home (not drinking).

I want to use the water mainly for irrigation, and if the water is clear enough for house usage in summer.

 

[johnlee1933]

Good explanation. Great sketch. Thanks. I believe I now have a grasp of the situation. First, don't use chlorides to sterilize the water. It has bad affects on your tobacco's burning characteristics. (You can use the FTT search box for more detail.) Since this is a permanent installation I understand you not wanting to use an above ground pool (eyesore). I believe using a pool liner in a covered below ground installation is a viable solution. Since the ware and tear of humans swimming is absent I think you could expect a 5 to 10 year life. If you choose to use it for the house I would only use it for sanitary purposes-- John

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Wow as proof of concept these ideas have merit, but wow talk about an expensive pita, I'd just buy whole leaf. Get some 50lb quotes, stack it deep and enjoy.

 

[ne3go]

SmokesAhoy these plans aren't just for watering tobacco. It's for the house and a big garden with all kind of vegetables.
I would love to buy whole leaf, unfortunatelly in Greece importing any tobacco products from outside is strictly forbidden! I'm afraid that a custom's inspection to my order, will get me into troubles!

 

[SmokesAhoy]

We certainly have opposite problems, my main issue growing is excessive rainfall, wish I could send some your way. I didn't know the legal issues you have either, I guess it makes perfect sense to do what you're doing, I'd be trying to defy the odds and grow in that situation too. Best of luck man.

 

[ne3go]

Tobacco is a very adoptive plant, so hope it will make it through drought or rainy situations! Good luck to you too.