How to install drip irrigation for indoor and outdoor crops

If you are a handyman and you love to minimize and take care of resources while ensuring the growth and care of your plants, this post is for you!

 This irrigation system is a sustainable option both from an economic and ecological point of view, since it avoids water waste, in addition to representing a significant saving in time and dedication. Therefore, we are sure that you are interested in knowing how to install drip irrigation, so we are going to explain it to you in detail. Let's get started!

The use of this irrigation system is very practical and comfortable and, in addition, it can be expanded according to the needs of your crop. You can start with an area to test and evaluate the result and expand later according to needs or availability. It is not excessively expensive to install and represents considerable savings in both time and water, so it is definitely worth it in the long run.

Sometimes irrigation systems vary more or less. Obviously we will not need the same installation for a fruit plantation as for ornamental or indoor plants. Let's talk about drip irrigation a little more in depth.

Installing a drip irrigation system is not a simple task nor can it be done improvisedly. It is necessary to study in depth the characteristics of the terrain and the vegetation that you want to irrigate. But if you read a little and understand the subject, following the appropriate steps and guidelines, almost anyone can install a simple system more economically.

Advantages of installing a drip irrigation system

Installing a drip irrigation system in a crop has multiple advantages, among which are the reduction of the time that must be dedicated to it daily and significant savings in water consumption and expenditure. If, in addition, you opt for an automatic system, it can be programmed both for daily use and to be able to not worry during vacation periods or prolonged absences, preventing plants from dying .

Where to start planning the installation of a drip irrigation system?

There are some common characteristics of all irrigation systems, regardless of where they are going to be installed. As in everything in life, the essential thing is not to start the house with the roof. If you plan and design well how to install drip irrigation, you will have gained precious time and saved a few headaches, as well as money.

The main elements are the network of pipes that will be installed around all the plants subject to the irrigation system and the drippers for each of them, which are the ones that will release the water drop by drop.

If the objective is to install an automatic irrigation system, a programmer must be added to these two basic elements ( we recommend  the best on the market ) that is installed directly on the water intake faucet. It is usually very easy to install, as it screws directly onto the faucet and it is not necessary to use additional tools or accessories. The tap must be left open permanently, since the programmer is what regulates the water flow.

The main irrigation pipe is connected to the outlet of the tap where the programmer has been placed and extends through the areas where the drip irrigation system is to be installed. At this point, specific pipes for drip irrigation are needed, as well as elbows, tees and some other specific accessories to be able to configure the system according to needs.

Types of drippers

There are different types of drippers , mainly in relation to the way of channeling the flow of water. Thus, we have fixed flow drippers that, as their name indicates, continuously emit water (the amount depends on the size and the flow that has been installed).

There are also adjustable drippers, which are perhaps the most widespread and comfortable option, since they can be adjusted differently throughout the irrigation system. This makes them the perfect option for areas of land with different types of plants, since you can set various levels of water flow or even keep some closed if the plant in which they are installed needs less water than others. of the area or is in a different growth stage.

On the other hand, we have self-compensating drippers, which offer a more or less constant flow rate, although the water pressure may vary along the route of the pipe. It is a practical and useful option for large areas of land, where it is necessary to ensure that the drippers furthest from the pipe supply the same amount of water as those located at the beginning, especially in cases of pressure problems.

And finally we have non-self-compensating drippers, which are the ones that are most frequently installed in large areas, although their only advantage over the rest is in terms of price, since they tend to be much cheaper than the rest. But in terms of performance, let's say that they remain in the rear of their category. As with everything in life, sometimes you need to invest a little more time and money to get more benefits in the long run.

How to install drippers

Currently you can find drip system kits on the market that are very easy to install and use. They usually include everything necessary for a complete installation and there are different brands and models with features that adapt to almost all needs.

If you choose to buy the different elements separately, the most common way to place a dripper to install an irrigation system is to make the corresponding hole in the pipe with a hole punch or similar and place them under pressure. In addition to being a simple start-up process that does not require large investments or tools, it is very easy to replace them in case of breakdown or obstruction, a factor to take into account.

Other ways to place drippers to install drip irrigation are:

• Online: To do this, you have to cut the pipe and put the dripper inside it.
• Integrated: These are pipes that already have drippers incorporated every X centimeters. They greatly facilitate the installation process of the irrigation system, but in the event of a breakdown, the replacement or repair of a specific dripper is much more complex.
• Spike drippers: They are made up of a spike, on which the dripper itself is placed. The spike is stuck in the ground and the water falls through it until it reaches the ground.

Install an Outdoor drip irrigation

The first thing is to design the irrigation system taking into account the size and characteristics of the land, as well as the plants you have.

As for the installation itself, thanks to the space, you can use a manual system or 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 entire process well to save both time and money. A very useful and practical idea is to draw a kind of map of the area, highlighting mainly the water intake from which the irrigation system will start and the arrangement of the different plants on the plot.

From there, you can trace a kind of route for the pipes, which will have to be thinner the closer they are to the plants and thicker when they are main pipes or those that distribute water to larger areas.

Install drip irrigation indoors

Depending on the size of the plantation and the space itself, different types of drips can be installed. The most basic and homemade, perfect for small spaces with few plants, is using a plastic bottle:

• The bottle must be tightly closed with a cap and one or more small holes made with a needle.
• Then it is placed directly face down on the plant's soil and it will be watered periodically drop by drop.

Another similar option is to hang the bottle over the plant so that the water falls from above. It is an economical and easy idea to do, even as a craft with children, and it is very practical to get out of trouble to keep the plants in good condition during a vacation.

If what you intend is to install a more professional and elaborate drip irrigation system, the process is similar to the one we have discussed previously. However, and logically, it is necessary to take into account the installation space, even more important than outdoors, since it is very possible that there are physical obstacles and impediments, such as walls or columns, that make the process difficult.

Having indoor crops does not have to mean small scale or a small number of plants. There is also the possibility of wanting to install an automatic irrigation system in a greenhouse or similar facility, the size of which can become overflowing.

As we have mentioned previously, when carrying out the installation, it is even more important if possible to have good planning and design of both the space and the system itself, since, as there are walls and columns, the installation can become more expensive or, at less, become complicated with almost complete certainty.

Conclusions

The key to installing drip irrigation is organization and planning, that's clear.

If you have an intrepid mind and adventurous spirit and decide to do it yourself. Analyze the terrain well, taking into account the water pressure, the unevenness, its geological characteristics, etc. What may seem like a waste of time at first is actually an investment that you will appreciate in the long run.

And, of course, study and know well the plants you want to include in the irrigation system. Growing ornamental plants is not the same as growing fruit trees. Each one needs its own times, frequency and amount of watering, etc.

We hope that this guide on installing 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!