Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Need help with watering grass seeds!

We got straw mixed with grass seeds put down on dam a few days ago, but haven't got a drop of rain since. Nor is any predicted in the immediate future. Need to water, but my dirt guy is busy with another project.

We have lots of water already -- 1 acre surface down to 7 feet deep in spots -- so all that is necessary is a 10 - 12 hp trash pump (power needed to get it over the 29 foot dam) and some sort of irrigation system along with 100 feet of 4 inch hose.

Does anybody know someone who could do this in the Marshall - Hallsville -- Longview area? Must get done soon or seed will die, and must get grass to stop erosion. Obviously we don't mind paying.

Thanks!

Frank, a few yr's back, I was attempting to water new seeds using standard water sprinklers and water from a well. But it was never enough water to get the seeds sprouted. Then I purchased a sprinkler from Big Sprinkler . com. Based out of Okla. The package I bought was a Honda pump, 100 feet of hose and a sprinkler that has handled up to 60 gpm. I am using mine now due to the lack of rain, or u could barrow mine. I have never regretted buying this sprinkler system and the Honda pump u can use on your forage pond if needed to transfer water.

Tracy

Tracy, thanks for posting the info on Big Sprinkler.

I just bought 3 330 gallon totes that were triple cleaned at the original factory for $100. I'm thinking a portable drip system maybe? Fill it once a day and forget it. I'll try it next spring, and see if it works.

The seed will not die unless you sprout it have ass. I mean if it starts to sprout and you stop watering it will die. Expect only 70% germination anyway.

It is shocking how many gallons you do need to get even 1/4" of rain.

I dealt with the same thing when I built my dam and I just purchased a 6hp trash pump from amazon and bought the suction hose locally. Then got several water hoses and several sprinklers on tripods.
I am in Shreveport and you are welcome to borrow the sprinklers and tripods. You are also welcome to borrow the pump, but the last time I used it I had some trouble getting it primed, so I think that it probably needs to be rebuilt.

A cheap 2" trash pump with a 5-7hp engine will easily push water over 29'....closer to a 100'+ head lift. A small trash pump with window screen over the intake will move a LOT of water at a decent pressure for sprinkler heads.

I bought a 1" pump with a Honda motor from Northern Tool and used 1" pvc to run 3 impact sprinkler heads. I had the heads about 30' apart. I'd gas it up and let it run for about 45 minutes. It pumped a lot of water but my grass didn't make it.

Thanks for all the good advice and kind offers of help! Gonna check out the trash pumps and Big Sprinkler for sure. We have enough water, despite the dry summer, but need to put it in the right place.

Dirt guy able to come out Friday so immediate need should be okay. Long term, though, I must get a good trash pump for watering and for moving water into forage pond next year.

PS Sent in plastic bottle of pond water to TAMU for analysis today. Bob Lusk says if it looks okay we can probably go ahead with first stocking of FHM, RES, and CNBG. Exciting times!

The drip system is my next major project. We lost most all of the pecan trees we planted because of lack of water. Will replant the trees and go for a diy pvc drip system. The big sprinkler is already being kept busy most all the time. I am thinking of purchasing another big sprinkler, The big sprinkler is amazing when it comes to the water it puts out. And well built.

Tracy

Tracy, what I like about the commercial stuff, is that it usually has a much bigger nozzle throat. If pumping from a pond, grit and weeds can really clog smaller box store type sprinklers.

Tracy, what size pump did you buy? My dirt guy recommends 13 hp with 4 inch hose, but that sucker is HEAVY and tough to move around. I need something that can throw maybe 100 gpm about 100 feet, but it must first pump the water up a 100 foot dam slope (30 vertical feet). Some folks say I only need 6 hp, but I'm a little nervous that wouldn't fill the bill.

Also, what model sprinkler head do you use?

I have 700 foot long dam with about 100 foot slope at its deepest.

100gpm is 6,000 gph. A 3" trash pump can move around 14,000 gph.

Keep researching and get what will work for you. If the pump is too large it will be a real PITA to move around and you won't use it as much as an easier to move pump, unless you can put it in one place and not have to move it until you are done with it. Remember, a pump is designed to pump, not suck, so it needs to be close to the water.

Once grass seed is wet, it has to stay damp until it germinates and even a few days past that. Every time grass seed dries out pre germination, you lose 50% of it. Multiple light waterings per day is better than one deluge per day. If you can cover the grass seed with straw, etc, and then water it, it won't dry out as fast.

Frank, I am not sure of the size off the top of my head, I purchased it 3 yrs ago, so I will have to look and get back with u. But they sold it as a package (and they still have the same package offer) with the Honda pump, sprinkler and 100' of 2" line along with a filtered suction hose. I can tell u it handled my water well @ 62gpm 3,600 gph 86,400 gpd and would have handled more. The sprinkler will cover 1/2 to 2/3rds of an acre and comes on a frame with wheels that is very easy to move around. The pump is fairly easy to move around, especially since you have a son to do the moving of the pump.
Before I bought this set up, I tried several types of sprinklers on tripods and in line with as many as 3 sprinkler heads and like someone else said here, it just did not work, their grass died but I will tell u this, that will not happen with this sprinkler. Note here, this is not a real cheap system but I wasted a lot of time and money trying other pumps and sprinklers and seeds.

I went to the site and the 1250 H irrigation system is what I have.



Tracy

Thanks, Scott & Tracy. Very valuable input! I guess I'll need to get a small shed out there to house the pump & sprinkler system, too easy for someone to vandalize or steal otherwise.

Weather forecast still dry, dry, and more dry. Sigh...

Below is a link to the pump that I used. It's a 7 HP 3". I was running four to six commercial sprinkler heads at once and running it for 18 to 20 hours a day for six or eight weeks. I had put out four truck loads of sod and was trying to keep it alive, which I did.
It is all on the side of a hill, using 150' of 3" discharge hose and probably several hundred feet of water hose and it worked well.
But I was able to put the pump down close to the water and it may have struggled to suck it from 25' to 30'. When it was new it might have, but I don't think it would now, but I have abused it pretty bad. I've spread 30 tons of lime with it, sucking lots of 1-2" rocks through the pump in the process.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BM6...arch_detailpage

Scott, the grass seed is covered with straw. Don't know if the pump can be programmed to come on multiple times without humans around, though.

One more, thanks for the input. Guess I'll need 9hp motor at a minimum, perhaps a bit more though I dread moving 150 lbs!