Kitchen Garden Forum

Allan, in another thread, you mentioned that you were using this Tropf system, what do you think of it?

The ceramic probes that it uses to control the water flow to a drip system seem like a good idea. Do they really work as well as the blurb says? How big an area can one probe control? Do they work off mains pressure or is some sort of header tank system needed?
I have a few large cold frames that I use for melons and cucumbers in the summer, not always very successfully, and I think that its my erratic watering that's the cause of the trouble so I'm thinking of getting some sort of reliable (non-overhead) watering system.

Has anyone else tried this system?

John

PS I've only ever seen it in the Two Wests catalogue - are there any other suppliers, just to compare prices?

A lot of questions there. You can see the instructions on the Tropf Blumat website, Two Wests also cover it in theoir catalogue. It runs at low pressure, either from a header tank or via a pressure reducer that fits onto a screwed tap.
I am still on initial testing with two drips but I could have about 4 drips off one probe. The adjustment screw on the probe is quite sensitive, there are arrows at about 30 degree intervals, about 3 steps goes between continuous flow and shutoff. You can have a lot of probes on one system. The great advantage that I see in it is with multi-purpose compost it either gets saturated or if it dries out it takes a lot of watering to re-wet it so I was getting containers moist on top but completely dry below, the system should be able to keep it at any desired level once wetted.
Please read the references, I cannot remember what details are given about capability and the instructions I have were copied from the websites.
Allan

Thanks for your info, Allan.

John