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2008 - Volume #32, Issue #1, Page #11

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"Ooze Tube" Waters Young Trees Right

Keep trees, shrubs and even tomatoes watered just right with the new Ooze Tube. It's a drip irrigation system that carries its own water. One 15-gal. bag can water a young tree for two weeks without a refill.
"Plants are killed by overwatering as well as underwatering," says Darrel Downey, inventor of the Ooze Tube. "With the Ooze Tube, the plant gets a constant supply without overwatering."
Downey cites the city of Tampa, Fla. as an example of Ooze Tube success. They cut newly planted tree loss from 25 to 3 percent and saved $120,000 in labor spent watering. That was all with an investment of less than $6,000 in Ooze Tubes. Instead of trying to water regularly by hand and over or underwatering, the workers simply refilled the Ooze Tubes as they flattened.
When an Ooze Tube is installed, it is arranged in a C-shape around a tree, filled with water and a drip emitter is inserted into the belly of the tube.
As the water level drops in the bag, so do the water pressure and the flow of water out of the drip emitter. This means the plant is gradually weaned from supplementary water as the root system seeks its own source of water. Each time the bag is refilled, the plant is encouraged to extend its root system between fills.
Ooze Tubes are available in 15, 25, 35 and 45-gal. sizes. Each comes with four drip emitters and drip tubing. Emitters are easily attached. Simply poke a hole in the belly of the Ooze Tube with a nail and insert an emitter. The plastic is self-sealing. Plastic tubing can be attached to the emitter to deliver water to individual plants.
Ooze Tubes for tomatoes and other plants are also available. "I just add a little Miracle-Gro each time I fill it, and it's amazing how my tomatoes grow. You need half as many plants for the same yield."
One 40-gal. tube will stretch out 8 ft. and water four plants for 10 days between fills. The consistent watering prevents blossom end rot and cracking on tomatoes. The kit comes with 18 ft. of drip tubing.
Downey recommends using chlorinated water to kill any harmful bacteria or viruses. The Ooze Tubes themselves are easily patched using duct tape. The plastic is UV resistant and estimated to last up to four years.
Prices for the Ooze Tubes vary between retailers, with the A.M. Leonard website selling the 15-gal. size for $10.99 and the 40-gal. tomato kit for $19.95.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Engineered Watering Solutions, 71 Confederate Ave., Jasper, Georgia 30143 (toll free 800 951-8123; www.engineeredwatering.com).

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"Ooze Tube" Waters Young Trees Right MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 32-1-11 Keep trees, shrubs and even tomatoes watered just right with the new Ooze Tube. It's a drip irrigation system that carries its own water. One 15-gal. bag can water a young tree for two weeks without a refill. "Plants are killed by overwatering as well as underwatering," says Darrel Downey, inventor of the Ooze Tube. "With the Ooze Tube, the plant gets a constant supply without overwatering." Downey cites the city of Tampa, Fla. as an example of Ooze Tube success. They cut newly planted tree loss from 25 to 3 percent and saved $120,000 in labor spent watering. That was all with an investment of less than $6,000 in Ooze Tubes. Instead of trying to water regularly by hand and over or underwatering, the workers simply refilled the Ooze Tubes as they flattened. When an Ooze Tube is installed, it is arranged in a C-shape around a tree, filled with water and a drip emitter is inserted into the belly of the tube. As the water level drops in the bag, so do the water pressure and the flow of water out of the drip emitter. This means the plant is gradually weaned from supplementary water as the root system seeks its own source of water. Each time the bag is refilled, the plant is encouraged to extend its root system between fills. Ooze Tubes are available in 15, 25, 35 and 45-gal. sizes. Each comes with four drip emitters and drip tubing. Emitters are easily attached. Simply poke a hole in the belly of the Ooze Tube with a nail and insert an emitter. The plastic is self-sealing. Plastic tubing can be attached to the emitter to deliver water to individual plants. Ooze Tubes for tomatoes and other plants are also available. "I just add a little Miracle-Gro each time I fill it, and it's amazing how my tomatoes grow. You need half as many plants for the same yield." One 40-gal. tube will stretch out 8 ft. and water four plants for 10 days between fills. The consistent watering prevents blossom end rot and cracking on tomatoes. The kit comes with 18 ft. of drip tubing. Downey recommends using chlorinated water to kill any harmful bacteria or viruses. The Ooze Tubes themselves are easily patched using duct tape. The plastic is UV resistant and estimated to last up to four years. Prices for the Ooze Tubes vary between retailers, with the A.M. Leonard website selling the 15-gal. size for $10.99 and the 40-gal. tomato kit for $19.95. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Engineered Watering Solutions, 71 Confederate Ave., Jasper, Georgia 30143 (toll free 800 951-8123; www.engineeredwatering.com).

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