How to Install Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is a technique which uses narrow streams of water to cool or moisten the soil without washing away topsoil.

Drip irrigation is a method of watering plants with drips from a system that is installed on the ground. It’s typically used in gardens and lawns, but can also be used on trees and shrubs.

Sprinkler irrigation vs. drip irrigation

Many of you may be wondering why a drip irrigation system is preferable to a sprinkler irrigation system. We would rather have more decks/patios, vegetable beds, sitting places, and walkways in our backyard than normal grass. I often tell people that I’d rather have something blossoming or smelling pleasant in my yard than plain grass.

Drip irrigation is more effective for garden beds and potted plants than a sprinkler system, and it is also far less expensive to install and operate. We also enjoy how, compared to a sprinkler system, the drip irrigation system saves water by sending water straight to the plant roots rather than spraying the foliage and wasting more water.

A sprinkler irrigation system may be the greatest option for you if you want the loveliest grass in the area. Sprinkler irrigation systems are linked into your outdoor plumbing and include subterranean pipes that pop-up sprinkler heads attach to across your grass and garden beds.

Because sprinklers can retract to the same height as the ground, they are ideal for watering lawns. The cost of installing sprinkler systems is substantially greater owing to the underground pipe installation costs. The sprinkler head may need to be adjusted, and we have an article that explains how to do so!

Installing the Best Drip Irrigation System

I continued reading about Rainbird after completing a quick search to see which manufacturers others suggested. It keeps popping up as a trustworthy brand.

They’re well-known for their conventional irrigation goods, so it’s only natural that they’d get into drip irrigation as well. Another consideration was whether the brand I picked would be simple to locate locally in the event that I needed to replace anything the same day. Rain Bird drip irrigation supplies are available at our local Home Depot, which was a win-win situation for me. Lowe’s does not sell the brand, although it does sell the Mister Landscaper brand.

If you’re starting from scratch, Rain Bird offers many beginning kits with a variety of fittings. I went with the Rain Bird Landscape and Garden Micro Spray Watering Kit and the Patio Plant Kit since they both included with almost everything I needed to get my system up and running.

Because my garden beds are spread out over a greater area, I added additional 100 feet of 1/2 inch tubing and 1/4 inch tubing. There are two types of drip irrigation tubing to be aware of. Emitter tubing, which already contains holes every 6 to 12 inches throughout its length, and regular tubing with no holes. When you’re initially setting up your system, make sure you obtain tubing that doesn’t have any holes in it.

Last but not least, I added a Rain Bird Electronic Hose Timer to my beginning kit to automate everything so I didn’t have to personally switch the system on or off while I wasn’t at home.

How-to-Install-Drip-Irrigation

Putting together a drip system

The components I used to install the drip irrigation system are listed below.

Rainbird Landscape & Garden Micro Spray Watering kit
Watering Kit for Patio Plants by Rainbird
Hose Timer by Rainbird
Rainbird 1/2 inch tubing, 100 foot
Rainbird 1/4 inch tubing, 100 foot
Emitters of Rainbirds
PVC Ratchet Cutter
Hose Connector with 4 Ways

I propose unrolling the 12 tubing and laying it in the sun for approximately 10 minutes to start the installation. It will become softer and more malleable as a result, making it simpler to position it where you need it. Once the tubing has softened, start laying it near the faucet you wish to use and roll out the rest to cover the area.

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A pressure regulator and connection for 12 tubing are included in the bundle. You’ll need a split tee connection if you require tubing to travel in two distinct directions.

Connect the hose timer first, then the pressure regulator, and finally the 12 tube connection to the faucet. Finally, insert the 12 tubing into the connection and secure it with a twist.

You may now begin anchoring the 12 tubing in your flower beds to secure it in place. You may purchase 50ft, 100ft, or 500ft of 12 tubing and join them if you need a greater length. Several 12 tubing connections, including two-way, three-way, and four-way, are included in the set.

If you need to cut the tubing, a ratcheting pvc cutter seems to be much superior than ordinary scissors. One thing to bear in mind is that each faucet zone should not exceed 200 linear feet of 12 tubing. My faucet has a brass four-way splitter that enables me to have two separate drip irrigation lines with two automatic timers.

I was able to have more than 200 linear feet for my garden bed and potted plants surrounding my deck since I divided my lines from my faucet. If you stay on one zone for more than 200 feet, you’ll lose too much pressure. This also allows me to utilize one line for a conventional hose if necessary.

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You may use the 12 end closure to finish off the length of 12 tubing you require. You may now begin planting your 14 tubes in your flowers, trees, or bushes.

A tool is included in the box to pierce the 12 tubing and install the various emitters. There are several distinct types of emitters, each of which emits a different quantity of water. Their helpful installation document explains how much water various plants need each week.

Choosing the emitter to utilize for each bloom is the most difficult element of the installation. A total of 25 feet of 14 tubing is included in the package. Because the trees and bushes didn’t appear to be receiving enough water during the first two weeks, I decided to acquire these emitters for them.

They do a far better job of supplying the citrus plants with more water.

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I needed more, so I purchased another 50 feet of 14 tubing. After you’ve inserted the 14 tubes and emitters into your plants, make sure everything is operating properly.

The automatic timer has a water now button that will run for 10 minutes, letting you to check each emitter after installation. After you’ve double-checked that everything is operating properly, cover the 12 tubes with mulch.

I had some tubing over a gravel road that I intended to conceal in my case. I just pushed a couple of inches of gravel aside, anchored the 12 tubing, and then covered it with gravel. The tube is no longer visible unless you look carefully.

The inexpensive cost of the components and the fact that you can install it yourself make the drip irrigation system appealing. It took around two hours to complete the installation, including traveling back to the store to purchase extra tubing and emitters.

How much does it cost to establish an irrigation system?

With two different timers, the total cost of all components to cover over 250 feet of irrigation for my backyard and deck area was less than $200. It took me less than two hours to install everything for my 250-foot space, including travelling to Home Depot.

I now have piece of mind knowing that my plants will be watered whether or not I am there, and it was another successful DIY project checked off my to-do list! Good luck with your new drip irrigation system installation! Make sure to read our post on 37 landscaping ideas you may use for your next job.

Drip irrigation is a type of drip irrigation. It uses micro-sprinklers to distribute water, usually over plants in your garden. The process is simple and can be done by yourself. Reference: how to install drip irrigation emitters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you set up a drip irrigation system?

A: Drip irrigation systems usually use a simple pump to push water from the downspout or floodgate to the farthest reaches of your yard. The next step is adding emitters that release smaller amounts of water in one spot, saving you money and time on watering by hand. Some drip systems even allow for remote monitoring via smartphone app so you can check if any leaks are occurring through an integrated webcam.

What is the easiest way to set up drip irrigation?

A: There are many different ways to set up drip irrigation. However, the most common way is as follows:
Dig a hole where you want your system to go and then use one of these three methods
Pipe connectors or tubing with male ends can be used in conjunction with PVC fittings (if not using an existing pipe) Rubber couplings
Inserting plastic tubing into the ground at a 45 degree angle from its end then wrapping it around stakes placed in each corner

Do I need a pump for drip irrigation?

A: If you are using the kind of drip irrigation that connects to a hose and diverts water off into your garden, then no, you dont need a pump. But if youre using soaker hoses or other types of drippers/nozzles (which do not divert water onto another surface), yes, it would be useful for them to have their own built-in pumps.