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A drip irrigation system is a method of delivering water directly to the roots of plants, reducing water waste and ensuring efficient watering. To install a drip irrigation system, follow these steps:
1. Plan your system: Determine the layout of your garden and calculate the water requirements of your plants.
2. Gather materials: Purchase the necessary components, including tubing, emitters, connectors, and a timer.
3. Prepare the area: Clear any obstacles and level the ground where the system will be installed.
4. Lay out the tubing: Lay the main tubing along the desired irrigation lines, making sure it reaches all areas of your garden.
5. Install emitters: Attach emitters to the tubing at the base of each plant, ensuring they are spaced correctly for optimal watering.
6. Connect the system: Use connectors to join the tubing and emitters, creating a continuous flow of water.
7. Set up a timer: Install a timer to automate the watering process and ensure consistent watering.
8. Test the system: Turn on the water supply and check for leaks or issues. Adjust the flow rate if necessary.
9. Maintain the system: Regularly check for clogs, repair any damages, and adjust the system as needed.
By following these steps, you can easily install a drip irrigation system to efficiently water your plants and conserve water.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, you’re probably aware of the benefits of a drip irrigation system. However, the process of installing one may seem a bit daunting. With the variety of drip components available, it can appear complicated. But in reality, the installation is quite straightforward and much simpler than installing a sprinkler system. Unlike a sprinkler system, a drip irrigation system requires minimal digging, as the tubing and emitters are designed to remain above ground. This means you can avoid disrupting your landscaping with trenches.
The installation typically involves two stages. In the first stage, you establish a mainline that connects to the water source. This source can be a standard 3/4-inch outdoor hose bib or an anti-siphon valve commonly used for sprinkler systems. If you already have a sprinkler system and have an unused zone valve, it can serve as a great water source for your drip irrigation system. However, even if you only have a spigot on the side of your house, drip components are adaptable and can still be used effectively.
In the second stage of installation, you connect branch lines and emitters to the mainline to supply water to your plants. The most complex aspect of installing a drip system is likely selecting emitters that provide enough water without overwatering and ensuring that the water is delivered in a way that nourishes the roots. To achieve this, it’s important to know the water pressure and flow rate of your water source to prevent overloading the system. Installing a drip irrigation system is very DIY-friendly, and once it’s in place, it requires minimal maintenance. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that emitters can become clogged, so some upkeep is necessary.
Checking Water Pressure and Flow Rate
Once you have determined the water source for your drip system, whether it’s an outdoor faucet or an anti-siphon sprinkler valve, you should check the water pressure and flow rate. Drip systems typically operate at lower pressures than the regular house pressure, but they require a minimum of 20 to 25 psi. To measure the water pressure, attach a pressure gauge to the spigot or sprinkler valve, turn the water on fully, and take note of the reading. If the pressure is lower than 25 psi, which could be due to corroded pipes or the plumbing configuration of the building, you should choose an alternative water source.
The flow rate from the water source is a crucial parameter that determines the number of emitters that can operate simultaneously. To measure the flow rate, turn the water on fully and time how long it takes to fill a 1-gallon bucket. Divide the time by 60 to obtain the flow rate in gallons per second. The flow rate of emitters is measured in gallons per hour (gph), so to convert your reading to gph, multiply it by 3,600. The total output of all emitters operating simultaneously, in gph, should not exceed this number, otherwise, the system will not function properly.
Planning a Drip Irrigation System
When designing a drip irrigation system, it is important to consider the different watering needs of various plants. This often requires dividing the system into multiple zones, even if the total output of all the emitters does not exceed the flow rate of the water source. To achieve this, you can use a garden hose splitter or a multiport timer to create multiple outlets from a single water source. By doing so, you can determine the necessary components for each zone. Additionally, installing a splitter allows you to connect a garden hose to the same faucet that supplies the drip system, eliminating the need to disconnect one to use the other.
When determining the length of tubing needed for the mainline, it is advisable to position the emitters as close to the mainline as possible. Rather than running a single length of tubing through the garden, it is recommended to snake it back and forth. This helps limit the lengths of the 1/4-inch branch lines that supply the emitters. It is also important to incorporate flexibility into the system, as the water needs of plants change as they grow and mature. Using more mainline drip tubing allows for easier adjustments in the position of branch lines or individual emitters by simply plugging the holes with inexpensive goof plugs.
It is important to consider the effect of elevation on water pressure in the system. For every 2.3-foot rise in elevation from the water source to the emitter, there is a loss of 1 pound of pressure. Conversely, for each equivalent drop in elevation, there is a gain of 1 pound of pressure. This means that plants at higher elevations may not receive sufficient water, while those at lower elevations may be overwatered. To mitigate this issue, pressure-compensating emitters can be used. However, it is crucial to ensure that the emitters being used are pressure-compensating, as not all conventional emitters have this feature.
Things You’ll Need
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Backflow preventer
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Pressure regulator
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Filter
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Tubing adapter
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Battery-powered timer
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Mainline drip tubing
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Mainline elbow fittings
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Mainline tee fittings
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Mainline straight couplings
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Clamps (optional)
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End caps or closure rings
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Stakes
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Tubing clamps
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1/4-inch tubing
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1/4-inch couplings
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1/4-inch elbows
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1/4-inch tees
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Drip emitters
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Utility knife
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Mini sledgehammer
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Clamp pinching tool (optional)
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Hole punching tool
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Lighter
Image Credit:
temmuzcan/iStock/GettyImages
How to Install a Drip Irrigation System
Step 1: Prepare the Water Source
When transitioning from a 3/4-inch spigot to drip tubing, there are four necessary components. Begin by attaching a backflow preventer, followed by a pressure regulator, filter, and tubing adapter in that order. The backflow preventer is essential to prevent contamination of the water supply and is typically required by most communities. However, if you are connecting to an antisiphon sprinkler valve, you can omit the backflow preventer, as the antisiphon mechanism serves the same purpose. Most sprinkler valves already include an antisiphon mechanism, which is the pancake-shaped valve with the outlet for the sprinkler supply connected to the main shut-off valve.
Tubing connectors are offered for pipes of various sizes, such as 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch, and 3/4 inch. It is important to choose the appropriate size for the tubing you intend to use. Generally, if the drip mainline is longer, it is recommended to use a larger-diameter pipe to maintain a consistent water pressure.
While not necessary, it is highly recommended to use a timer as it automates the entire watering process. If you are using a sprinkler valve, it may already be connected to a control panel. However, if you are using a faucet, you can install a battery-powered timer. The timer should be installed before the backflow preventer.
Step 2: Installing the Main Drip Line
Measure the length of the polyethylene drip line needed to reach the farthest side of the area to be watered from the water source. Cut this length from a roll of tubing using a utility knife. If you want to change the direction of the line, you can use an elbow fitting. If you want to create a branching network, you can use a tee fitting. If you need to continue in a straight line, use a coupling to add more tubing. Avoid extending the drip line across a lawn, walkway, or driveway. Instead, route it along the sides of walkways, retaining walls, or buildings.
Fittings are often color-coded based on the tubing diameter: black (3/4 inch), blue (5/8 inch), and green (1/2 inch). To connect the tubing, push it at least 1 inch into the fitting opening. Fittings with barbed ends that go inside the tubing are also common and require clamps tightened with a special pinching tool. These fittings are not color-coded.
End the main drip line with end caps that have push-on compression openings or barbed connectors. Alternatively, you can use end-closure rings to hold the end of the kinked tubing closed.
Step 3: Securing the Main Drip Line
Secure the drip line to the ground by pounding in stakes at regular intervals using a mini sledgehammer. If attaching to wooden surfaces like walls, fencing, or siding, use tubing clamps to secure the drip line.
Step 4: Installing Emitters and Connectors for Branch Lines
Use a hole-punching tool to create a hole in the main drip line where you want to install an emitter or a length of 1/4-inch tubing. This is useful for reaching plants that are too far away for an emitter to reach from the mainline. Insert one end of an emitter or a barbed 1/4-inch coupler, elbow, or tee and push until the fitting snaps into place. If the tubing is cold and difficult to work with, you can use a lighter to soften it.
Step 5: Creating Branch Lines
Connect a length of 1/4-inch tubing to each connector installed in the mainline and extend it to the plant that needs watering. Install an emitter by pushing the barbed end into the end of the tubing. Again, using warmth can make this process easier. By using tees and elbows, you can create a network of 1/4-inch tubing to water multiple plants in close proximity or to water a large plant with multiple emitters. After being exposed to the sun for a day, the tubing will settle flat on the ground. Until then, you may want to use stakes to hold it in place.
