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DIY drip irrigation systems

A DIY drip irrigation system is a set of hoses and connectors that have been cut and sized to fit your unique garden layout. The materials for a simple irrigation system are generally available at the local hardware store and do not need to be purchased from a specific drip irrigation kit.

Most DIY drip irrigation systems use 1/4″, 1/2″, or 3/4″ diameter black plastic irrigation piping with “emitter” holes at 6″ or 12″ intervals to let water seep out slowly, as well as a soaker hose drip system that can be buried beneath the surface and connected to a plastic bottle for additional water storage. With an automatic watering system, this user-friendly system is a great way to conserve resources in your garden.

Using drill to tighten drip irrigation fittings

Reliable irrigation for drought-prone gardens

It can be difficult to get permanent plants like trees, shrubs, and perennial plants established when they are newly planted. The annual vegetable garden and annual flowers are also very thirsty and require regular watering. The best way to keep things alive and thriving is by automating some of your watering with drip irrigation using PVC pipe and a plastic bottle to water potted plants around the yard.

Gardeners are often away in the summer and not always able to find someone to water our plants; automating your watering system helps reduce that worry. I know I feel like a bad plant mom when I can’t get out there for a few days to water. I knew I wanted something that was extremely water-efficient yet cost-effective in terms of materials. I also wanted it to blend in with the garden so as not to take away from the plants themselves.

Diy irrigation watering timers

The cost of residential irrigation systems

Last year my parents received a landscaping quote that included an irrigation system similar to what we would need at our house. Note that these are both normal residential single-family homes. The irrigation portion of the quote came to a total of $6800! We definitely don’t have a spare $6800 hanging around, so we decided to tackle the job ourselves. How hard could it be?

Turns out…not that hard. DIY irrigation systems aren’t nearly as tricky as I thought. We made a few mistakes at the store trying to pick things out, and I’m sure a professional would have done the installation to a higher level of quality, but overall I was very pleased with the finished system. Our system cost us $500 for an automated system covering all our flower gardens, perennial beds, and annual vegetable garden. I’m pretty darn happy with it.

The emitter and solid hose (blank) irrigation tubing were easy to find at the local hardware store. I’ve used both the black generic irrigation tubing and the name-brand brown Rain Bird irrigation tubing. Both work well. Just be sure to purchase connections that match the tubing you’ve purchased, as the fit can vary between brands. I find it’s easiest to test the connections with the tubing in the store before buying to make sure everything works smoothly at home.

Drip irrigation connection | home for the harvest gardening blog

Reasons for choosing drip line

We chose drip line over other types of irrigation (such as in-ground sprinklers) for a few reasons:

  1. Lawn sprinklers are not allowed in our town during the months when plants really need a bit of extra water.
  2. Drip irrigation systems are very water-efficient. Very little water is lost to evaporation, unlike overhead sprinkler systems.
  3. Drip irrigation systems put the water right at the base of the plant rather than watering the leaves. This minimizes moisture-related problems on plant leaves.
  4. The materials for a drip irrigation system were easy to find locally at our local hardware store, and a local irrigation supplier. We had to return a few connections (we bought too many), so local availability was a bonus.
  5. The materials were cost-effective. For our configuration, we could lay 500 feet of drip emitter line from 3 outdoor outlets across 6 gardens for $500 CAD.
  6. The heavy-duty line will last a long time, yet it was relatively easy to work with using tools we already had. I know that it will last because we have the same tubing in one of our old gardens. It was installed 15 years ago and is still working.
  7. The components for installing drip irrigation are interchangeable, making a custom line arrangement simple.
  8. Installing drip irrigation is an easy, cost-effective way to get water to your plants without wasting precious resources. With drip irrigation, you can easily control how much water you give your garden and protect against over-watering or evaporation losses. The hoses of the system are brown or black, making them blend in with the soil and giving you peace of mind during the transition period until you choose to mulch. Drip irrigation truly provides maximum efficiency for your garden! I do plan to mulch over the hoses eventually, but I’d like to ensure the plants are established before I do that. Having everything blend during this transition period is a nice touch.

How to install a drip irrigation system

Here are the basic equipment, supplies, and steps for installing your own drip irrigation.

Equipment required

  • Paper and pencil
  • Measuring tape
  • Cordless drill
  • Garden scissors
  • Outdoor water tap

Supplies needed

You can either purchase your supplies one by one or find a kit that is well-suited to the area you’d like to irrigate. Here are the most common individual supplies if you’d rather buy everything separately:

  • Drip irrigation tubing, including
    • Emitter hose with pre-installed holes (punching is no fun)
    • Solid hose (blank) irrigation tubing
    • Microtubing drip hose
  • Irrigation connection joints (T-connectors, elbow joints, and straight connectors)
  • Faucet connection kit or threaded hose connector (to fit onto the end of 1/2 inch hose tubing)
  • Automated watering timer
  • Metal landscape staples
Poly drip line hose rolls

Steps: Planning a DIY irrigation system

  1. Sketch out the area using paper and pencil. Draw a rough perimeter of the garden, the water spigot, and any other important features (fences, walkways).
  2. Sketch in imaginary drip lines where you envision your lines going. Make sure to pass the line close to existing plants or areas in which you plan to install new plants. Draw a drip emitter line (line with holes in it) wherever you have plants that require water. Draw a solid/blank hose line to connect the drip emitter line from the garden to the water tap. You don’t want a drip line with holes in it coming immediately out of the water spigot as it will create a muddy mess by your water outlet.
  3. Measure the garden area and add the measurements to your drip irrigation drawing. If desired, measure the specific lengths of another drip irrigation system and use tape to wrap around the garden as an intermediary. Alternatively, loop the tape around the garden and take a measurement of it, leaving extra space for winding the actual emitter line around plants later. Update your sketch to include any changes for a complete drip irrigation system.
  4. Calculate the total length of the required emitter line and solid line that you’ll need for your irrigation system design. Plan to buy 5-10% more lines than you’ll need (of each type).
  5. When it comes to drip irrigation, it is important to Calculate the type and number of connectors and collars required for your desired configuration. If it isn’t obvious what you’ll need, go back to your drawing. Make sure you’ve sketched out exactly where the emitter line will go, and then where the solid line will go. How many emitter lines come out of the solid line? Ask yourself what each connection will have to look like. Each time you connect a line to a connector, you’ll need a collar to hold the line onto the connection. For instance, a T-shaped connector has 3 lines going into it and would therefore require 3 metal collars (see photo above). It can be a bit tricky to imagine. If you can’t picture it, just buy a few of each type (T, Elbow, Straight), and then return what you don’t use.
  6. If you’ve ever wanted to lay landscaping fabric or add more topsoil to the garden, now is the time. Trying to add fabric or soil under the lines is a challenge (I know from experience…). If this is on your mind, do it now (before you install your drip irrigation system lines on top of your garden bed).
Bluetooth irrigation controller

Steps: Installing a DIY drip irrigation system

  1. Purchase your supplies. Keep the receipt in case there is an extra T-connector or two hanging around when you’re done (again, I know from experience).
  2. Uncoil the tubing lines along a smooth, dry surface such as your lawn to allow the coiled line to settle and relax into a straighter line
  3. Set up the watering timers for your desired time. Check your bylaws for the hours in which watering is allowed. Early morning, such as 3-5 AM, is generally a good pick.
  4. Attach the watering timer(s) to the water outlet(s). Make sure the tap is set to off before/during/after attaching it.
  5. Lay out the solid/blank line from the water outlet to the garden.
  6. Lay out the emitter line around or beside the garden. Envision how the line will weave through the garden, but keep the line in a large loop around/beside the garden for now. You’ll put it in its permanent place after the connections are done.
  7. Once you’re sure you have enough lines, use the garden shears or a tubing cutter to cut the solid and emitter tubing to the desired lengths. Leave a little extra on each unless you are 100% confident in your measurements and ability to install connections.
  8. Place metal connector collars around all the tubing end.
  9. Push the tubing connector into the cut ends of the hoses.
  10. Slide the metal collars up onto the portion of the tubing which is on the connector. Use the drill to tighten the collars onto the tubing.
  11. Install any remaining connectors.
  12. Install the hose connector on the end of the solid line that will go into the water outlet.
  13. Connect the hose connector to the watering timer so you can build an automated drip irrigation system which will control the timing of the drip irrigation.
  14. Use the timer’s manual setting to “pressure test” the irrigation system. Turn on the irrigation drip system and walk the length of the line. Pay special attention to connections. If you notice a connection that is leaking, tighten the collar. If that doesn’t fix the connection, turn off the water and replace the connection.
  15. Once you’re sure the drip irrigation system is working as intended, place the line up into the garden in a permanent location. Use the landscape staples to hold the line in place.
New topsoil on garden and new irrigation line

When it comes to indoor plants, using a DIY drip irrigation system is an easy and cost-effective solution as well. With these systems, you can easily set up timers to ensure your plants are getting enough water without needing to constantly keep an eye on them.

Raised garden beds benefit from this system as well, as they typically have more soil than containers, meaning they need more water. It’s important to be sure that your raised garden beds are receiving the right amount of water without overwatering or underwatering; having the right automated sprinkler drip system can help ensure this balance is achieved consistently.

Mary Jane Duford
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit.

Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe.

When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

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