When we first planted our garden, I was spending a minimum of an hour watering each night. To make matters worse, our hose didn’t stretch far enough, and so I was watering by hand with a watering can. When you’re a busy mom with young kids, time is extremely valuable! We were managing, but knew that the garden would require double waterings during the summer, and we also had a week-long trip planned for July—right in the middle of busy season! My husband designed a durable, automatic drip line irrigation system. Now, we can leave the garden without worrying about it drying up, and I have over an hour of extra time to work on other projects each day! Keep reading to find out the parts you will need and the steps to take to install your own drip line irrigation system for your garden.
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What is a Drip Line Irrigation System
A drip line is a gentle, water-saving system that delivers moisture right to the roots of the plants in your garden. A drip line uses a combination of flexible tubes and tiny watering emitters that release water slowly and evenly. This setup minimizes waste and prevents overwatering or underwatering, giving your veggies the perfect amount of moisture they need to thrive. Plus, it saves you time and effort by automating the watering process. This saves you time each day, which is helpful if you are a busy homesteader or have a lot on your plate in addition to your garden.
A typical dripline system consists of a network of flexible tubes or hoses with evenly spaced emitters or drippers. These emitters release water at a controlled rate, usually measured in gallons per hour (GPH) or liters per hour (LPH). The dripline is laid out strategically along the garden beds or rows, ensuring that the water reaches the plants’ root zones.
Reasons to Install a Drip Line Irrigation System
The main advantages of using a dripline system in a garden are:
Water Conservation
Dripline systems reduce water waste by delivering water directly to the plants’ roots, minimizing evaporation and runoff.
Precision Irrigation
The slow and targeted application of water promotes healthier plant growth by preventing overwatering or underwatering. Also, it helps reduce weed growth by keeping the areas between plants drier.
Time and Labor-Saving
Once properly installed, dripline systems automate the watering process, freeing up time for other garden tasks. They can also be set up with timers or sensors for further convenience and efficiency.
Versatility
Dripline systems can be adapted to various garden layouts and plant types. They work well for vegetable gardens, flower beds, shrubs, and even container plants.
Different Options for Drip Line Irrigation Systems
You can choose from several different types of drip irrigation systems. There are pros and cons to all of these options!
Drip Tape
Pros: Inexpensive and easy
Cons: Requires yearly re-installation. Not as durable.
Soaker Hose
Pros: Easy to install
Cons: Can be expensive for larger gardens. Limited watering options.
1/2” Tubing with Drip Emitters or 1/4” Tubing to Individual Plants
Pros: Very durable. Countless watering setup options.
Cons: More expensive. Takes time to install manually.
What We Used for our DIY Drip Line
We decided to use a 1/2” tubing system with drip emitters. The reason we chose this model is because we wanted something durable that would not have to be replaced each season. We also have a garden with 10 linear rows and this system worked well for that model.
When determining which method to use, consider the pros and cons in relation to your garden needs and overall budget.
Our Garden Design and Dimensions
The garden has 2 columns separated by a 2 foot center aisle. Each side has one raised bed (4’x10’), 9 in-ground no-till beds (10’ x 30”), and rows in between (10’ x 18”).
The instructions below are what we used for our garden which consists of two raised beds and 18 no-till beds. Additionally, you may have to measure and adjust accordingly for your garden needs.
Starting a garden from scratch? Read THIS POST about how we transformed a portion of our lawn into a no-till garden.
Parts Needed for DIY Drip Line Irrigation System
Here are the links for everything you will need to create your own drip line irrigation system at home!
Installation for Drip Irrigation System
Hose Splitter + Timer
Start by twisting the hose splitter and timer onto the hose spigot. During the summer, we set our timer to run every 12 hours for 35 minutes. You can attach a regular hose to the other side of the splitter and use the manual setting to use it when you need it.
Filter
Screw the filter on to the splitter. This ensures that debris doesn’t get in to the watering system.
Pressure Regulator
Next, screw the pressure regulator on to the filter. This makes sure that the watering system doesn’t extend too much pressure into the system.
Back Flow Preventer
Afterwards, attach the back flow preventer. This helps ensure that water keeps moving forward and doesn’t flow back into the hose.
1/2″ Tubing
Attach the tubing to the back flow preventer. Run it to your garden, burying it under mulch or the ground to prevent it being a tripping hazard. The exact setup and dimensions will depend on your garden.
Run the tubing as close to the plants as possible. If you can’t get it close enough, poke a hole using the hole puncher and run 1/4″ tubing to the individual plants. You can use a connector like THIS to attach the tubing. We used 2 rows of 1/2″ tubing for each of our 10′ x 18″ beds. We also opted for emitters.
T-Connectors and Elbow Connectors
As pictured below, cut pieces of the 1/2″ tubing to the needs of your garden. Use elbow connectors on the last garden row so it doesn’t run off into your yard. Use T-connectors to create separate rows as pictured below. Secure the drip line with garden weed fabric staples as pictured below.
Hose Cut Off Clamps
At the end of each garden row, use a hose cut-off clamp to ensure that the water doesn’t leak.
Hole Puncher
This is very similar to a handheld paper hole puncher, but it is strong enough to use on tubing. Carson spaced the holes about every 1 foot. On the second drip line in each row, he also spaced them every foot, but where they fell in between the drippers on the other line as pictured below.
1 Gal. Per Hour Drippers
Carson put these into the holes that he punched in the 1/2” tubing. If you punch the holes and don’t install drippers, you’ll have a lot of water coming out at the beginning of the garden and barely any at the end due to the pressure. These ensure that only a certain amount comes out each hour.
Shut-Off Valves
We used these to extend our drip irrigation system to our mini-orchard. This is only necessary if you want to split your system to water in multiple places that are far from each other.
Helpful Tips for Drip Irrigation Installation
It can be helpful to use a regular hose or watering can to water seeds or transplants initially until they germinate or stabilize.
You may have to adjust how much water your plants need throughout the season. Experiment with different settings to see what works best for your plants. Furthermore, during the summer, we water in the morning and evening for 35 minutes. During the hottest weeks, we add an additional watering session in the afternoon.
A more affordable option would be to use drip tape in the rows instead of continuing the 1/2” tubing down each row. You don’t have to punch holes or use drippers. The downside is that you will most likely have to replace the drip tape each season.
Other Ideas + Inspiration for DIY Drip Line Systems
My husband designed our drip-line system using a combination of instructions that he found online. It has worked really well in keeping our garden alive, even in 100+ degree heat! We recommend researching different methods to determine what is best for your garden. Here are some helpful places to start.
Let me know what questions you have about drip line irrigation systems below in the comments!
Other Gardening Posts You Might Find Helpful
One of the main reasons we installed a drip line was to be able to leave our homestead during the summer months. Read THIS POST to find out tips for how to prepare your homestead for vacation—even during busy season.
If you are just beginning to plot out your garden, read THIS POST for specific measurements and how we planned out our no-till garden.
Do you have your garden and drip line planned out but are unsure where to order your seeds? Read THIS POST to find out one of my favorite places to order non-GMO and organic and heirloom seeds for my garden!
Links for Drip Irrigation System
Here are the links for everything you will need to create your own drip line irrigation system at home!
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