Last trip we tried to get the irrigation pipe installed so a type of drip irrigation could be used to make water use more efficient and increase the potential of the garden size. We will string poly hose and at each plant put a screw all the way through the hose–this makes a hole which can be closed by tightening the screw and opened by loosening it. A very low tech way of irrigating in an economical way. Our problem is that PVC fittings are difficult to get here and we were short some fittings which I brought this trip–of course they we not everything we needed so we had to do some African improvisation:
El Hadji Souley, Alhassane and Moussa trying to repair a broken pipe with a home made coupling, some inner tube and silicone caulk. Then they could install the first riser with hose bibs:
Making a coupling by using the charcoal from the fire for tea.
Using silicon caulk from our solar program instead of telfon tape to seal the threads on the valves.
And Voila–nine risers installed and ready to string hose and plant. We can’t do this until the rains come and the wells have enough water in them (in June/July) This year Niger has had more rain than California.
Note the tea fire which did double duty molding couplings and heating tea.
Gardening always a challenge ! Love seeing the guys fixing things Nigerien style just like we do on the ranch
here in California . Niger MORE rain than us in California…..ugh …moisture here in So Cal at our cow pasture in Ojai only goes about three inches down, then dry.
Greetings to all at Tamesna 🙂 🙂
Linda Lamb