If you are a handyman and you love to minimize and take care of resources while guaranteeing the growth and care of your plants, this post is for you!
This irrigation system is a sustainable option from both the economic and ecological point of view, since it avoids the waste of water, in addition to assuming an important saving of time and dedication. Therefore, we are sure that you are interested in knowing how to install a drip irrigation, so we are going to break it in detail, let's start!
The use of this irrigation system is very practical and comfortable and, in addition, it can be expanded according to the needs of your cultivation. You can start with an area to test and assess the result and extend subsequently depending on the needs or availability. It is not excessively expensive to install and is considerable savings of both time and water, which is definitely worth it in the long run.
Sometimes irrigation systems vary more or less. Obviously we will not need the same installation for fruit plantation as for ornamental or interior plants. Let's talk about drip irrigation a little more in depth.
The installation of a drip irrigation system is not a simple task that can be done improvised. It is necessary to study in depth the characteristics of the land and the vegetation that you want to water. But if you read a little and understand the subject, following the right steps and guidelines, almost anyone can install a simple and more economical system.
Advantages of installing a drip irrigation system
Installing a drip irrigation system in a crop, presents multiple advantages, among which the reduction of time to dedicate them and an important savings in consumption and water spending. If, in addition, an automatic system is chosen, it can be programmed for both day to day and to be able to careless for holiday periods or prolonged absences, preventing plants from dying.
Where to start planning the installation of a drip irrigation system?
There are common characteristics of all irrigation systems, regardless of where they are going to install. As in everything in life, the essential thing is not to start the house for the roof. If it is planned and designed well how to install a drip irrigation, a beautiful time will have been won and saved a few head heating, apart from money.
The main elements are the network of pipes that are going to be installed around all the plants subject to the irrigation system and the dripping of each of them, which are the ones that will release the drop water by drop.
If the objective is to install an automatic irrigation system, to these two basic elements you have to add a programmer (We recommend you The best in the market) that is installed directly in the water intake tap. It is usually very simple to place, since it screws directly in the tap and it is not necessary to use additional tools or accessories. The tap must be left permanently open, since the programmer is the one that regulates the flow of water.
The main irrigation pipe is connected to the tap exit where the programmer has been placed and extends through the areas where the drip irrigation system is installed. At this point, specific pipes are needed for drip irrigation, in addition to elbows, and the occasional concrete accessory to configure the system according to the needs.
Types of drippers
There are different Types of drippers, mainly in relation to the way to channel the flow of water. Thus, we have fixed flow drips that, as its name indicates, emanate water continuously (the quantity depends on the size and flow that has been installed).
There are also adjustable drippers, which may be the most widespread and comfortable option, since they can be regulated differently along the irrigation system route. This makes them the perfect option for land extensions with different types of plants, since several water flow levels can be established or even maintain some closed if the plant where they are installed needs less water than others in the area or is in a different growth stage.
On the other hand, we have the self -compensating drippers, which offer a more or less constant flow, although water pressure may vary along the pipe of the pipe. It is a practical and useful option for large areas of land, where it is necessary to ensure that the drippers farthest from the pipes supply the same amount of water as those that are located at the beginning, especially in cases of pressure problems.
And finally we have non -self -compensating drippers, which are the ones that are installed most frequently in large extensions, although their only advantage over the rest is in terms of price, since they are usually much cheaper than the rest. But in terms of benefits, let's say they stay in the tail car of their category. As in everything in life, sometimes it is necessary to invest a little more time and money to obtain more benefits in the long run.
How to install the drippers
They can currently be found in the market kits of drip systems that are very simple to install and use. They usually include everything necessary for a complete installation and there are different brands and models with characteristics that adapt to almost all needs.
If you choose to buy the different elements separately, the most frequent way of placing a dropper to install an irrigation system, is to make the corresponding hole in the pipe with a baggy or similar and place them under pressure. In addition to being a simple starting process and that does not require large investments or tools, it is very easy to replace them in case of breakdown or obstruction, a factor to consider.
Other ways to place drippers to install drip irrigation are:
- Online: For this, you have to cut the pipe and put the dropper inside it.
- Integrated: They are pipes that already have incorporated the drippers every x centimeters. They greatly facilitate the installation process of the irrigation system, but in case of breakdown, the replacement or repair of a concrete dropper is much more complex.
- Piqueta dropper: They are formed by a spicy, on which the dropper itself is placed. The spicy is stuck on the ground and the water falls through it until it reaches the earth.
Install a drip irrigation outdoor
The first thing is to design the irrigation system taking into account the extension and characteristics of the land, as well as the seedlings you have.
As for the installation itself, thanks to space, you can use a manual system or with a timer and with the different types of drippers that we have already talked about. In any case, it is very important to plan the whole process well to save as much time and money. A very useful and practical idea is to draw a kind of map of the area, in which to highlight the water intake from which the irrigation system and the disposition of the different plants that the plot has.
From there, you can draw a kind of path of the pipes, which will have to be finer the closer to the plants they are and thicker when it is main pipes or that distribute the water to larger areas.
Install a drip irrigation in Indoor
Depending on the size of the plantation and space itself, different types of drip can be installed. The most basic and homemade, perfect for small spaces and with few plants, is using a plastic bottle:
- The bottle has to be well closed with a plug and it makes one or more small holes with a needle.
- Then it is directly placed face down on the land of the plant and this will be watering periodically drop by drop.
Another similar option is to hang the bottle on the plant so that the water falls from above. It is an economical and easy to do, even as a craft with children, and is very practical to get out of the passage to keep the plants in good condition during a vacation.
If what is intended is to install a more professional and elaborate drip irrigation system, the process is similar to the one we have discussed previously. However, and as logical, it is necessary to take into account the installation space, with more importance if it can be exterior, since it is very possible that there are physical obstacles and impediments, such as walls or columns, which hinder the process.
Having interior crops does not have to mean on a small scale or little amount of plants. There is also the possibility of wanting to install an automatic irrigation system in a greenhouse or similar installation, whose size may be overflowing.
As we have previously commented when it comes to installation, it is even more important if there is good planning and design of both space and the system itself, since, when there are walls and columns, the installation can be increased or, at least, complicate with almost total security.
Conclusions
The key to installing a drip irrigation is organization and planning, that is clear.
If you are intrepidly and adventurous spirit and decide to do it for yourself. Analyze the terrain well, taking into account the pressure of the water, the unevenness, the geological characteristics of the same, etc. What at first may seem a loss of time, it is really an investment that you will thank in the long run.
And, of course, study and know well the plants you want to include in the irrigation system. It is not the same to grow ornamental plants as fruit trees. Each one needs its times, its frequency and quantity of irrigation, etc.
We hope that this guide on installing a drip irrigation has been useful to you and has clarified some of the main and essential concepts when installing an automatic irrigation system. See you soon!