connect a hose to an IBC tote

[Buxus]

I have about 100 trees I plan to plant in remote spots on my property. I have grown them for two seasons in my nursery and they are about 3-4 feet tall. My experience has been that by planting in September the plants need minimal irrigation, but not zero irrigation. I usually just turn a hose on low volume and run it for about 15-30 minutes at the base of each.

In order to use a hose for these I'd have to run over 1000 feet of hose to some of them. I am thinking of using IBC totes on my forks and just setting one on the ground next to each grove of plants and let the water gravity-feed each plant from a hose connected to the IBC tote.

I have never seen an IBC tote up close. Is there an easy way to connect a garden hose? Do I need to epoxy a hose bib into the opening? Any ideas welcome.

 

[TractorGuy]

Never used any myself but the totes I've seen are usually fitted with a ball valve. You should be able to find a reducer/adapter to fit and use as you want. Here is a site listing some IBC Tote valves.

 

[chim]

If the tote doesn't have an existing place to connect, get a bulkhead fitting in the size you want and connect your own valve.

Just drill a hole and use a stiff wire to feed the inside part of the fitting into place, then screw the outside nut on. There's a gasket for the inside, so you should be able to keep the inside piece from spinning.

Amazon.com: Lifegard Aquatics 3/4-Inch Double Threaded Bulkhead: Pet Supplies

 

[greeno]

They usually have a valve and NPT male connection (2”). A couple of adapters from Homer and a hose bib you’re good to go. Just made one myself for refilling my buckthorn sprayer.

 

[Mendonsy]

I use IBC totes for irrigation on my gardens. Most of the IBC totes have a valve with a 2" quick connect fitting. Some have a valve with a 2" NPT thread. You can get adapters to connect them a garden hose on FleaBay or Amazon.

 

[jackpine savage]

We plant a lot of trees for shelterbelts. I started out setting two totes on a hay rack and then dragging hoses around to the trees. All the totes I've seen have a valve or a provision for one.

My current set up uses a 3/4" electric solenoid valve. I have a small loader with forks and I wired up a momentary push button switch. So now I can drive up to the tree, hit the switch for about 15 seconds, and drive on.

 

[Fallon]

I have a handful of PVC fittings glued together to reduce size. I assume its 2" NPT, but havent bothered remembering since I built it a few years ago. Ends in a brass hose spiggot.

 

[countrybumpkin]

My current set up uses a 3/4" electric solenoid valve. I have a small loader with forks and I wired up a momentary push button switch. So now I can drive up to the tree, hit the switch for about 15 seconds, and drive on.

I do this too, but with out the valve, I’ll have to add that to mine. I use 5 and 2-1/2 gallon buckets setting next to the plants with a small hole in the bottom, just fill the bucket and move on , the small hole let’s the water run out very slow so it soaks in and not run off.

 

[bigtiller]

I'm with countryb on this. Gravity fed takes a lot of your time and most of the water will run off. Put a 3/16 hole in the side of a 5 gallon bucket and up a few inches from the bottom. The water that remains in the bucket will make it more likely to stay put when the wind blows. Or put a big rock in the bucket to accomplish the same thing.

I tried your plan for watering 235 new potted trees for my windbreak years ago. It might be good for you but it wasn't good for me.

I ended up finding some free mulch to put around the trees and did the watering with a 330 gallon water tank, 12 volt bilge pump that I dropped in it with a short garden hose and a toggle switch to shut it off when moving to the next tree.

 

[Deere Dude]

I run around with a 300 gallon tank on a 2 wheel trailer and use a 1-1/2 sump pump hose for my mulched trees. I carry a dozen 5-6 gallon buckets with a 3/8" hole in the bottom edge. The hose is big enough to fill the buckets fairly quick. Still, it is a lot of moving buckets from tree to tree but if I just left a bucket at a tree the hole would plug up to easy and i would be unplugging it all the time. Interesting thread and am looking to make my system even easier.