Creating Beautiful Landscapes is Easy with Drip Watering Systems

Do you want beautiful landscaped gardens without the cost of expensive sprinkler systems? Do you want to save time, money and wasteful run off? Then you need a drip watering system! Let me tell you how easy it really is to install.

The problem

I had two small flower plots that I wanted to expand. I spent time each week standing in the yard holding a water hose and I hate that. How could I increase my beds without increasing the watering time? A drip system was the answer. Also, we live in a rural water district and conservation is a must. Water is expensive here so, a drip system it was.

The research

I checked the local farm stores, hardware stores and major chain stores in town. They all had their special stock and were not interchangeable. More importantly, the stock may or may not be around after season or even next year. I chose Rain Bird. They are a professional supplier and been around this area for as long as I could remember. They have professional sales people that know the products, extremely helpful and also valuable pamphlets and brochures to help design and install my own system. I was excited!

Design on paper and creating a plant list

In the beginning I expanded the two beds I already had installed. One was located by the gold fish ponds - partial sun and partial shade. The second bed was easier since it was amidst a small tree grove and filtered shade to full shade.

I measured each area, selected locations for plants and went to see my friend that owned the local plant nursery in town. She helped me select the necessary plants and choose a variety of shapes and textures. She also informed me of the watering needs of the individual plants, which is necessary to consider. At this time I started purchasing the plants as I had the time to plant them properly. Most of the plants are shade plants - ferns, hostas, coral bells, columbine, strawberry geraniums, azaleas and rhodendrons. The larger species planted at the back and the smaller toward the front. The sun plants around the ponds were grasses, rock crest, hibiscus and wejilia. We added some dogwood trees and a contorted philbert for interest.

Creating a material list

Once the plants were in the gardens, I made a material list for the drip system. The feeder line is ½ inch with ¼ inch drip tubing. Since the design is on paper (to scale) I could tell how many feet of ½ inch hose I needed as well as lay out the ¼ inch drip tubing and the number of emitters needed. I used one emitter for the smaller plants and up to 3 emitters for the larger plants and trees, which need more water. I use mulch over the entire system for maximum water savings. Here is a hint for you. I like to check the emitters from time to time to see that they are running properly. Over time they are covered by mulch or leaves and difficult to find. Each spring I insert a wooden skewer beside each emitter for easy location.

I can run up to 250 feet of ½ inch tubing on one system and up to 15 feet of ¼ inch tubing. One of my beds has 48 emitters alone. There are different connections available to you, depending on your local water pressure and your preference for automatic turn-on/turn-off of a system. The Rain Bird personnel were knowledgeable and helpful to me in this area.

Additional benefits

I choose to water each bed individually with a hose (usually two at a time). Through experience, I have learned to water less, more often. I use 2 gallon emitters that deliver 2 gallons of water each hour. In the dry season, I water one hour twice a week. I keep an ample supply of the emitters on hand. The squirrels must think they contain the water because they constantly run away with them! If I glue the emitters to the ¼ inch tube, they then chew it off. (I don't know why I continue to feed them!)

I can fertilize each plant by simply inserting a fertilize container between the hose and system connection. When insects or moles become a problem, I simply insert moth crystals into the fertilizer container. Moles and insects to not like moth crystals! This type of system is also adaptable to vegetable gardening.

Today I have a total of five beds. That is as much as I can take care of properly. Gardening is a continuing process. Plants must be divided, relocated, replaced from year to year. My drip irrigation system is an asset that I could not do without. The installation was easy to do by myself, at a very reasonable cost. I can change, rearrange, and add to the system as I choose. I love it! You will too!