I always make sure that my garden receives plenty of water. But that can sometimes be difficult if you travel for work or are going on vacation for a week or two. Quick background: Through high school I worked in an good sized orchard and greenhouse in Michigan. I did alot of different grunt tasks such as picking apples and vegetables, shearing, selling, and carrying christmas trees, making potting soil, planting, watering, transplanting and all kinds of little greenhouse jobs. I was young and didn't have much interest in what I was doing, but I did happen to learn a little.
So I wanted to no longer worry about my garden and how much water it received. I always liked the drip emitters that we used in the greenhouse for hanging baskets but didn't know much about them. After doing some research I came up with a simple inexpensive system and I absolutely love it. This is the second year in operation.
The system consist of the following:
1 Y-adapter with shut-offs
1 Melnor timer with integral valve
1 filter
1 30 PSI fixed pressure regulator
1 1/2" tee
35' of 1/2" tubing
24 drip emitters
2 end clamps
This can be purchased as starter kit for small gardens for around $100.
The Y adapter allows me to still have a connection point for watering with Miracle Grow and our flower garden. It also allows me to turn off the supply to the drip system with a quick quarter turn of the valve during rainy days. The timer is very easy to use, so you can quickly adjust the watering schedule as the climate changes through out the summer months. For example I might water for 45 minutes during dry spells but only 15 minutes when conditions are a bit more soggy. You can also set it up to water 2, 3, 4, or 6 times a day. These adjustments will also adapt the system to many different soil types. Nice loose soil might soak up the water quickly, while nasty clay may take longer. Resulting in a big puddle or little rivers as it runs off. The drip emitters can be ordered with a flow range of 1, 2 or 4 GPH. So you can easily water certains plants heavier than others over the same time period if you like. I purchased mine from Drip Works. http://dripworksusa.com/index.shtml And there are many others who sell similiar equipment and also have good resources for system design. For example, they will help you choose the right main line size to properly feed all of your emitters. Pressure also dictates the actual flow rate of the emitters.
In the near future I plan to add a fertilizer injection unit. That way all I have to do is keep the soil loose, pick weeds, and once every couple of weeks turn the inject unit on.
Here is the best part of the entire system, you only water the plants, not the entire area. You use less water and reduce the amount of weeds in the surrounding area. A properly set-up system will leave about an 8" circle around each plant.
Here are some pics of the system.
So I wanted to no longer worry about my garden and how much water it received. I always liked the drip emitters that we used in the greenhouse for hanging baskets but didn't know much about them. After doing some research I came up with a simple inexpensive system and I absolutely love it. This is the second year in operation.
The system consist of the following:
1 Y-adapter with shut-offs
1 Melnor timer with integral valve
1 filter
1 30 PSI fixed pressure regulator
1 1/2" tee
35' of 1/2" tubing
24 drip emitters
2 end clamps
This can be purchased as starter kit for small gardens for around $100.
The Y adapter allows me to still have a connection point for watering with Miracle Grow and our flower garden. It also allows me to turn off the supply to the drip system with a quick quarter turn of the valve during rainy days. The timer is very easy to use, so you can quickly adjust the watering schedule as the climate changes through out the summer months. For example I might water for 45 minutes during dry spells but only 15 minutes when conditions are a bit more soggy. You can also set it up to water 2, 3, 4, or 6 times a day. These adjustments will also adapt the system to many different soil types. Nice loose soil might soak up the water quickly, while nasty clay may take longer. Resulting in a big puddle or little rivers as it runs off. The drip emitters can be ordered with a flow range of 1, 2 or 4 GPH. So you can easily water certains plants heavier than others over the same time period if you like. I purchased mine from Drip Works. http://dripworksusa.com/index.shtml And there are many others who sell similiar equipment and also have good resources for system design. For example, they will help you choose the right main line size to properly feed all of your emitters. Pressure also dictates the actual flow rate of the emitters.
In the near future I plan to add a fertilizer injection unit. That way all I have to do is keep the soil loose, pick weeds, and once every couple of weeks turn the inject unit on.
Here is the best part of the entire system, you only water the plants, not the entire area. You use less water and reduce the amount of weeds in the surrounding area. A properly set-up system will leave about an 8" circle around each plant.
Here are some pics of the system.
