All About Drip Irrigation! 💧 :: The Basics, Set Up, and Maintenance! :: Plus Some Tips and Tricks! 💧

“Water is the driving force of all nature.” -Leonardo da Vinci

Welcome to WATER WEEK! Yes, I am dedicating a whole week of videos the ins and outs of watering our gardens! Today’s video is focused on drip irrigation. I don’t know about you, but I RELY on drip irrigation in my garden! 💦 Enjoy!

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This video is not sponsored, however some plants and equipment that I use in my garden have been provided to me to try out!

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@RainBirdCorporation

[Dedendwight]

Great video Janey. I hope you don’t mind me sharing my experience with drip irritation installation.
At almost 60 years old and with arthritis in my hands I was able to install all our drip on my own last summer. I did my whole backyard in under 2 hours.
Here are a few things that helped me…
1. Lay all your tubing in the sun to warm up before you start. This helped in laying the 1/2” tubing without it recoiling. It also made a big difference in pushing the emitters into the 1/4” tubing.
2. Use a rag in your dominant hand to insert the emitters into the 1/4” tubing.
3. I found that rocking the emitter up and down, or side to side as I inserted the emitters was very helpful. This was so much easier than simply trying to push the emitters into the tubing!
4. After laying out my main line (1/2” tubing), I then started connecting the 1/4” tubing to each plant or pot.
5. I loosely measuring the distance from the 1/2” tubing to the pot or plant. I cut the 1/4” tubing to length, then installed the emitters into the 1/4” (or spaghetti tubing) I put the emitters into the 1/4” tubing BEFORE I connected the 1/4” to the 1/2” tubing. I also added the connector between the 1/4” and 1/2” while standing. Then I only had to reach down to snap the 1/4” connector into the 1/2” tubing. It’s much easier to do while standing and not when I’m bending or down on the ground!

Honestly if I can do this being a little older, a bit out of shape, and with arthritis anyone can do this. Take your time. I wish I’d done this years ago!

[edenoutpost]

I use the ¼" drip line in any length I want, but you need to remember that the ¼" line can only handle 30GPH total with the emitters you use. So if you use 1GPH emitters you can have up to 30 of them on one ¼" line and if you use 2GPH emitters you can have up to 15 emitters on the line (2 x 15GPH = 30GPH). If you mix and match emitters just add up the GPH for each of them and don't exceed 30GPH total. The ½" tubing can handle up to 220GPH so you can branch off of it as much as you want so long as you don't exceed a total of 220GPH when adding up the individual emitters attached to that line. :)

[TheScentofaGarden]

The water week series is a gem! Rethinking my relationship with grass ‘area rugs.’ Great information-packed video!! Great tips like choose a system from the nearest BB store!! Kudos to you and Jason for mowing and blowing your grass. 😊

[hitecmom]

Love the video! I have a community garden plot and have installed drip in my garden beds after 5 years of hand watering. Game changer! Since there is no electricity around to run the manifolds, I purchased a battery run Hunter Node BT controller. I've used it for a year and it still hasn't used up the batteries. The BT stands for Bluetooth, so the three zones (called programs) are all on my phone with a picture of each zone. Very easy to work from my phone as long as I'm within 50 feet. It has a seasonal adjustment so in the summer I run it at 100 % of whatever number of minutes I programmed it at. Only using 20% in the winter. Feel good about saving water! Reminder: Plants with similar water needs should be in the same zone if you are only using 1/4" tubing with inline emitters. My annuals are in Zone 1. My succulents and natives are in Zone 2 My roses are in Zone 3. My pots have either one circle or two circles of 1/4" tubing with inline emitters depending on how water hungry the plants are. I'm in Planting Zone 10A and it gets pretty hot in the summer. It's also possible to install a twist cap adjustable emitter if you want to turn a pot on or off. Question: Can I install a pressure emitter, (for example 1 gallon), onto 1/4" drip tubing with inline emitters?

[rhondafisher]

I'll definitely be rewatching this for sure. I have a couple small flower beds I want to do this spring. Thank you.

[gracefulgrowing]

I've been very reluctant and intimidated to do it because I have no experience with it. You are educating me on it. I can't wait to watch the rest of this week!!

[lustraveller]

Hi Janey! I learned the hard way to be loyal to rain bird. A few months after setting up my drip system I noticed some tomatoes that looked really bad. It turned out the cheaper emitters that I bought on amazon weren't working correctly so I got the rain bird emitters and haven't had any problems. Now I'm going to have to go through and shorten my 1/4" tubing (I had read that it shouldn't be any longer that 25'!) Enjoy your day, it's gonna be brisk!

[FrediOlson]

Janey, nice presentation, however I don't get the 18-24 inch 1/4 tubing constraint. I have done drip for over 30 years (coming from CA). There are constraints on the length of tubing you can run, but I have never had a problem running, say a 10 ft length, and putting an emitter at the end, or even one in the middle. Also, I would say 'brand loyalty' is a good thing, but MUCH more important with your 1/2 inch lines. The 1/4 inch barbs work just fine for any brand of 1/4 inch tubing I have ever purchased; same with emitters. Just my 2 cents, but thought I'd throw that in. Thanks for all you education. You're doing a wonderful job.

[heidijones]

The visit to H.D. was very helpful, and so was hearing about brand loyalty! I have to revamp my irrigation this spring so the timing on this info couldn't be better, Thanks Janey!!

[FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I have started with the drip tubing that has the holes already in it spaced 12 to 18 inches apart. So far it works great and it was so easy to install. I just have a hose bib to attach mine to with a timer. One facet leaks but I place a big galvanized tub beneath it to catch it and I dip my watering can in it to do my hand watering. It was the easiest and fastest way for me and yet not to waste water. Good to know about not mixing and matching brands for the best results.

[joniindo]

You did an excellent job of explaining about drip irrigation. Especially the details on the type of the hose.

[cupcakescookies]

OMG this video was HELPFUL! I JUST started getting interested in gardening and want to do a complete overhaul of our yards. (front & back) Although I can understand a lot about plants irrigation is like a FOREIGN language to me. You broke this done SO SIMPLY and well that I have confidence in starting my restoration journey. THANK YOU!

[TrixieJFerguson]

The actual manufacturer recommendation is to heat the tubing in hot water (NOT BOILING WATER). Heat expands the tubing and then when it cools, it contracts back over the emitter or coupler tightly. The presenters are only human, and they are only people who have previously been through the classes. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[LadyOutnumbered]

Thank you for this… you are probably the most concise but break it down for beginners. I was spinning my wheels last year converting to drip. If it wasn’t for Laura from Garden Answer I would have been lost. You have definitely helped newbies like I was last year. Thanks for making this helpful video!

[KP-gwzv]

Love this video. Well Done. You presented all the information in a way that is easy to understand and not in way where you lose your audience half way through the video. So win, win. You have a way of showing the beginners, and all the other types of gardeners that this is easy and not something that you need to hire a professional to do. What an amazing gardener you have turned out to be. Masters garden it something that is truly fit for you. Thank you again and have a wonderful relaxing rest of your day.

[karenzorn]

Great video, been on the fence about installing drip and this really helped me to get one step closer, thank you for all the great tips.

[jimhamacher]

Excellent info and simply explained in concise manner. Well done.

[alcg]

Janey, another super informative vid! Thx😻 I live in an area that's cool & humid at certain times of the year, so sometimes my emitters get mossy and I need to clean them, especially at the beginning of the Season. I have a DIY system that hooks up to my outside faucet in the backyard. I don't have a backflow thingie and have never had a problem in the 15 years of using drip. But I do have pressure regulators on each of the 3 half-inch tubes connected to a 15-foot section of garden hose and THAT connects to my faucet, timer.
I've never folded my 1/2" tubing at the end, I usually put an emitter there.
And, like you Janey, I've never blown out my lines, but will try it this Spring.

[artfuldodger]

I'm a new subscriber after this video. Although I love Laura from Garden Answer and have been watching her for years and got a start on drip irrigation, your video was even more explanatory. Thank you so much and look forward to more of your videos and will be watching your previous ones giving a big 👍🏻

[lindagrinnell]

Thank you so much for all this information. I have wanted to set a drip system up for a few years. But it all seemed like a lot of work and intimidating. But the way you explained it I’m thinking I can do it. 👍🏻😊