Will hops roots destroy plastic drain pipe?

[jz_suds]

Hi,

I have 3 garden boxes I built out of cedar. 4 feet long by 2 feet wide by about 4 feet tall.

My plan is to create an irrigation system. I have 4 inch plastic drain pipe (the kind with little holes throughout it) surrrounded by a fabric sock to keep sediment out. They will be at the very bottom of each garden box running the long way. At one end I have a pvc pipe inserted into a hole in the drain pipe as a fill valve for water. At the other end just above level with the drain pipe I have a small hose going from the drain pipe through the wooden box as an overflow. This will eventually be a fully automated irrigation system after I set up the underground pvc and programmable watering hose attachment.

My question is..... Will the root system of the hops eventually destroy my plastic drain pipe? Should I scratch that idea and create the whole thing out of PVC with holes drilled in it? I'm new to hop growing, so I'm not sure if they will dig straight through my drain pipe and eventually make it useless in regards to its design.

(photo shows boxes without a bottom yet....the will have a wooden bottom, and the overflow tube is not installed yet either)


Thanks Much!

 

[microbusbrewery]

I'm not sure I quite understand the irrigation system. Are you irrigating by filling the drain pipe with water? If so, I think you might be over thinking it a bit. Assuming that is the plan, 4 feet down seems a bit deep to me too. I had my hops in a temporary location for a few years and when I went to dig them up I'd guesstimate the roots went down about two feet max.

Have you considered a drip irrigation system? I use soaker hose on mine that's tied into my spriinkler system.