Do you have a raised bed garden? One of the best ways of irrigating it is with a drip irrigation system. By delivering water directly to where it’s needed, this irrigation method saves both water and money. It’s also fairly easy to set up.
Step #1: Measure tubing
Starting at the water spigot you use for your garden, measure the amount of tubing – which should not exceed 400 feet – that you’ll need to water plants in your raised bed area.
Step #2: Run main tubing through garden
Run a 5/8-inch polyethylene tubing (called the submain) through the bed. Where it touches the plants you want watered, snap on an emitter. If your bed has any 90-degree bends, you’ll need an elbow to create the necessary turn in the submain.
Step #3: Attach smaller tubing to main tubing
Snap on a length of 1/4-inch tubing to an emitter and extend to plants away from the submain so that they will still receive water. Punch holes at regular intervals in tubing with a 16-penny nail.
Step #4: Connect submain to filter and pressure reducer
Attach submain tubing to the filter and pressure reducer, connect to spigot with an adapter and bury flexible submain just below surface of the soil. Test system to see that water is dripping freely.
Step #5: Water according to climate conditions
With a drip irrigation system, it’s best to water according to climate conditions. Be aware, however that because Austin still observes Stage 2 water restrictions, watering needs to be done on your given day. This should be sufficient for most plants, since drip irrigation should be done deeply but infrequently.
South Austin Irrigation Repair believes that you can maintain a beautiful outdoor environment regardless of season…and has been the case in Austin for the last few years, drought conditions.
