Bob's bucket irrigation - What's happening in the field?

What's happening in the field?

At the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station

Bob’s bucket irrigation

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Bob Schultheis, Engineering Specialist at the University Extension office in Marshfield, came up with a clever idea. His bucket irrigation method is to drill a 5/64″  hole near the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and then fill with water to irrigate. The water will be delivered at a rate of 2 gallons per hours – plenty of time to soak into the soil rather than run off the top. If you use a 1/8″ hole, the rate will be 5 gallons per hour. Joe Wright, our vehicle mechanic, drilled 5/64″ holes in some 5 gallon buckets and found screws to plug the hole so I could bring the water up to the planting site without losing any in transit.

A 5/64” hole drilled on the side near the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket will irrigate a plant at the rate of 2 gallons per hour. The screw plug will let you transport the bucket to your planting site without spillage.
A 5/64” hole drilled on the side near the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket will irrigate a plant at the rate of 2 gallons per hour. The screw plug will let you transport the bucket to your planting site without spillage.

For the record, I planted three beautyberries in the cut flower project (Profusion (west), Issai (center) and Early Amethyst (east)); two hops in the circle herb bed in the Ozark Home Landscape (Cascade (west) and Nugget (north east)); and 6 Frau Dagmar Hastropp roses in the large rain garden.