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Hose Donation Helps Limpsfield Community Orchard Save Its Trees

The Limpsfield Community Orchard, a not-for-profit community interest company run by volunteers, contacted us for advice.

The orchard, founded in 2010 has 35 trees, most planted well over 10 years ago. From time to time, some of the trees suffered from a water shortage and became distressed. A new water supply for the orchard would prove costly, however, the neighbouring golf course offered water from their supply.

But even with this supply, the trees were some 200 metres away, with the furthest trees an additional 85 metres from the boundary. The pressure of the water supply was 1.5 bars to the nearest connection, so the orchard volunteers wanted to know how they could obtain the right rate of flow to be able to successfully get water to every tree in the orchard.

This is where we came in to help. Based on the water supply’s 1.5 bars of pressure, the distance to the orchard, and the length of hose needed, we were able to provide approximate flow rates in order for this project to work.

We supplied the orchard with six of our Aquaflex® hoses. Four of the hoses were 50 metres long, with a 25mm diameter, and the remaining two were 25 metres, also with a 25mm diameter. With the calculations we made, a 25mm diameter hose should allow for a flow rate of 11-12 litres a minute, which would be the best bet for supplying water to every tree in the orchard.

Aquaflex® was the product of choice as it is an all-terrain irrigation hose that delivers exceptional durability and flexibility. Its anti-kink properties make it ideal for water supply and delivery applications.

We also provided additional pairs of 30m and 50m of our Eden Yellow hose from our garden range, Eden Garden Care, for general watering use. Alongside, we also provided fittings for all the hoses, to connect them together and to the water supply.

Due to Limpsfield Community Orchard being a not-for-profit, we were happy to provide the support, hoses, and fittings free of charge.

After receiving the products, the orchard volunteers laid out the needed pipework, to connect to the water supply, and buried it through the woodland. With the help of our hoses, a flow of up to 15 litres a minute was achieved, which was able to successfully reach the trees suffering from a lack of water. These trees should now be able to recover and thrive for years to come!

Peter Jarvis, a committee member of Limpsfield Community Orchard, had this to say:

“I have been on the orchard committee since its formation. Over the years, some trees have flourished, and a few had to be replaced. We were advised that some of our trees showed signs of distress due to lack of water, so I began a search for a supply. The cost of a mains connection was prohibitive, but after many months I reached an understanding with the neighbouring golf club whereby we could lay a pipe from their nearest green, a distance approaching 200 metres. But would the pressure be sufficient?

I emailed a number of companies in the hose and irrigation business, seeking advice as to pressure, and size of pipe, with the prospect of placing an order. Steve Walton of Copely was the only person to have the courtesy to reply. He gave us much valuable information. Even better, he offered to supply the hose and fittings free of charge which, as we are a group relying on donations, was extremely welcome.

I am pleased to say that Steve’s calculations were spot on, and we can now relax in the knowledge that should the need arise, our trees will receive the water they need. I would thoroughly recommend Copely as a helpful and professional company to do business with.”

If you would like some assistance with your next watering project, or if you are seeking the right hose for your application and are unsure where to start, feel free to contact us. Our friendly team will be able to offer support throughout the process.

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