The term “drip irrigation” refers to simple soaker hoses winding through a garden bed as well as the bewildering lineup of drippers, sprayers, bubblers and emitters available in advanced systems.
The apparent complexity of drip irrigation is probably what keeps most people from trying it.
However, installing drip irrigation can be as easy as laying a hose on the ground — or as elaborate as planning an overseas vacation. It depends on how much time you have and what you want to accomplish.
Watering this way can save money and, most important, can prevent water from being wasted. Drip irrigation can reduce water loss by up to 60 percent when compared with hand-watering or sprinkler systems.
In drip irrigation, water seeps into the ground from tiny punctures in a hose, through emitters built into a hose or through emitters connected to a hose by lengths of other hose. The water drips into the soil slowly and evenly, so that the roots of plants receive the water directly. Water isn’t blown astray by the wind, as with sprinkler systems. You don’t waste water on the weeds.
Drip systems don’t work well for turf grass or for vast expanses of ground cover. However, they can be used in combination with a turf sprinkler or underground sprinkler system.
Save yourself from making mistakes by drawing on paper how you intend to lay out the hoses. Also, measure the area where you will lay the hoses; you must make sure you have enough hose to reach all plants in a bed.
Even the simplest system — or one that is installed in phases while you continue to partially rely on less efficient methods — will save water. That should save you money while helping cities and water districts plan for water demand.
Installing a system
I tested the ease of installing a simple dripper line. The Agrifim Simple Drip kit is basically a hose with emitters built in every 12 inches. (Toro, Rain Bird, DiG, dripworksusa.com have similar products.)
Kits come in many sizes. The Simple Drip kit held 200 feet of hose, more than enough for my existing 120-foot garden bed.
If you have an area larger than 200 feet, you will need another kit, plus another faucet or water valve to hook it to.
It took 1.5 hours to hook up the system. I had to fight my way through overgrown shrubs to lay down and stake out the hoses. Also, I overlooked some plants and had to recut the hose to lay the dripper line to reach them. Several days later, I changed the hose pattern a bit to reach other plants; it took only 10 minutes.
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Comparison of drip types
Soaker hose
Pros: Easiest to install. Cheap. Can be covered with mulch. Flexible hose can be easily wound among plants in bed.
Cons: Hose doesn’t last as long as other types. Has to be brought indoors in winter or it deteriorates. Can’t handle long runs of hose efficiently. Doesn’t water uniformly; plants near water source get more moisture than plants at far end of hose. If severed, difficult to mend. Can’t adjust amount of water individual plants get. Can’t be attached to an underground lawn sprinkler system.
Dripper lines
(emitters built into hoses)
Pros: Easy to install. Plastic hose lasts a long time. Easy to fix breaks. Clog-resistant. Can be wound among plants in bed. Excellent for shrubs, vegetable gardens. Can be covered with mulch. Considered permanent; can be left out all seasons. Many all-in-one kits available. Can easily add hose when needed.
Cons: Emitters are preset, usually 12 or 18 inches apart, so most can’t be customized easily. More difficult to water plants that are not closely spaced. Can’t adjust amount of water individual plants get. Can be severed by digging in garden.
User-installed emitters
Pros: Easy to install basic systems. Permanent. Easy to fix breaks. Most flexibility for watering individual plants or beds. Can give each plant just the amount of water it needs. Best for sparsely planted areas or for plants with different watering needs. Can cover with mulch. Clog-resistant. Can tie into existing lawn sprinkler system. Can easily extend hoses. Many all-in-one kits available.
Cons: Not as easy to install as dripper lines or soaker hoses. Figuring out flow rates, which emitters to use and how to arrange the hoses is time-consuming. Though it can be tied into an existing lawn sprinkler system, you’ll need a separate valve installed for best operation. Can be severed by an errant shovel while digging in garden. Individual emitters can clog easily.
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Watering tips
– Don’t jam the hoses into fittings. Work them in by wiggling and rocking the emitter.
– Flush the system periodically, with the end cap off.
– Put plants that need a similar amount of watering in zones together.
