DRIP IRRIGATION INSTALL
DRIP IRRIGATION SERIES

Use Вј-inch вЂњspaghettiвЂќ tubing to deliver water to plants that are not immediately adjacent to the larger supply line.There are special tools for making a hole in the tubing so the emitter can be popped into place, but the tip of a standard U-shaped irrigation stake is also effective for making a hole.

Push drip emitters into the tubing where it passes directly by the base of a plant.Uncoil the roll of tubing throughout the area to be irrigated by that valve, staking the tubing to ground as you go with U-shaped metal stakes.Drip systems use compression fittings, which are connected to the tubing using a wiggling motion while simultaneously pushing the tubing into the fitting. Push one end of a roll of drip tubing into the compression fitting side of the hose-to-compression adapter of the first valve (1/2-inch or 5/8-inch tubing is typically used).As a general rule of thumb, each valve can water about 1,000 square feet of vegetation, so plan the system accordingly. A vegetable garden might need water every day, while an orchard might need it once per week or less often. The plants that will be irrigated with the drip system should be divided up according to proximity and how frequently they need water. Thread a hose-to-compression adapter onto the outlet of each pressure reducer (this converts the threads of the pressure reducer to the type of fitting used by most drip systems.Thread a pressure reducer onto the outlet of each filter (a 30 pounds per square inch pressure reducer works for most drip applications).Thread a drip filter onto the outlet of each valve.Run the sprinkler wire to the timer and connect each wire to the corresponding terminal inside the timer.Attach 24-volt sprinkler wire to the solenoid on each valve (the cylindrical part at the top that opens and closes the valve electronically) using weatherproof wire nuts.

DRIP IRRIGATION INSTALL

Install a вЂњT-fittingвЂќ every 6 inches in the PVC pipe for each valve that will be used.

If the water source is a municipal supply, a backflow prevention device may be required by local codes at the junction with the drip system. Install a shut-off valve in the PVC line so the water supply to drip system can be turned off in the event that repairs are needed.

Connect to the water supply with Вѕ-inch PVC pipe.

Multiple valves are needed for larger gardens, however, in which case a separate multi-zone timer is mounted somewhere nearby. The most basic timers are battery powered or solar-powered and are designed to screw onto a hose faucet in this case, the timer and the valve are a single unit. While you focus on other tasks вЂ“ or go to your day job вЂ“ the system does the watering for you. You can connect a drip system directly to a hose faucet and turn it on and off manually as needed, but automated valves make life easier. Step 1 вЂ“ Install Timers, Valves and Hardware

Note: this project requires some plumbing and carpentry skills. Each valve supplies water to a different irrigation zone, feeding the plants water through a network of plastic tubes and drip вЂњemitters.вЂќ

DRIP IRRIGATION SERIES

Home scale drip systems allow vegetable beds, perennials, trees, shrubs and even potted plants to be irrigated by one system controlled by a common вЂњbrain,вЂќ a computerized timer that opens and closes a series of irrigation valves according to a programmed schedule. Drip systems are geared for precision and are highly adaptable, allowing gardeners to fine-tune how much water each and every plant receives. In contrast, drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to the soil, precisely where it is needed. Plus, constantly wetting the leaves contributes to foliar diseases in many crops. They spread water over large areas, regardless of whether there are roots throughout the area to absorb it. Sprinklers, which spray water into the air where it is easily evaporated or lost to the wind, are inherently inefficient.

Drip irrigation