Drip irrigation
, also called trickle watering, is one of the most efficient ways of delivering water to crops and plants. It directs the water to specific areas in limited quantities that are absorbed without runoff or evaporation. It was developed in arid locales with very limited water supplies, notably Israel and South Africa, and spread in the United States in the 1960s. It is widely used in agricultural and commercial applications. Does this Spark an idea?
Plastic Delivers Water
Drip irrigation uses a master water supply and a series of hoses or plastic tubing. Smaller home systems and those needing updating or periodic changing use a soft polyethylene tubing while larger and permanent systems use PVC pipe. Drip systems are on top of the ground, so installation and maintenance are simple.
Use Trunks and Branches
Build a drip system on trunks and branches form main lines running to gardens or planting areas with branches that feed rows of plants, specific flower beds or individual trees and shrubs. Calculate systems so the last point on the tube or pipe gets as much water as the first outlet. Don't bury pipes or tubing and keep the drip holes or emitters from becoming clogged with dirt. Protect them against rodents or dogs that might chew them. Providing watering containers along the system give animals an easier access to water than the irrigation system.
Automate
Automate a drip system with a time clock or other device to turn water on and off at specific times. A drip system is 90 percent effective in delivering needed water compared to 75 percent for sprinklers that spew water over large areas. Timing makes a drip system even more effective by delivering water in evenings or at cooler times when evaporation is minimized.
Standard Water or Rain Barrels
Home drip systems operate on the standard water pressure to the house and do not affect water pressure inside the house. Attach drip systems to an outdoor faucet or permanently connected to the house's water lines. Some drip systems also use gravity pressure from a rain barrel or similar large container, which collects water and drains it through the drip system.
Watch for Clogging
Check the system periodically for kinks, movement in the water tubes, obstructed outlets or other problems. Adjust the flow or change the routing if too much or too little water goes to one area. One advantage of a drip system is its flexibility; it is easily changed meeting varying conditions, such as vegetable maturities or seasonal weather patterns.
Microsprinklers
Most drip systems use simple holes or similar openings in pipes or tubing, but some use special emitters, which are adjusted to control the water flow. Some low volume irrigation systems use microsprinklers, which spray water over special areas and are effective over larger areas, such as groundcovers or flowerbeds.
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