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Drip irrigation system - operating principle, how to make it for a greenhouse, open ground and indoor plants. Making drip irrigation using improvised means with your own hands How a drip irrigation system works

Many people use drip irrigation to irrigate plants in their area, and you can organize it yourself. It consists of several parts that must be selected based on certain rules and features. It also has a number of disadvantages.

Drip irrigation device

This name refers to a branched arrangement of conduits used to supply water to the roots of plants. Many people are interested in how drip irrigation works, so the principle of operation is very simple: liquid enters the pipes from a water supply or using a pump from a well, and then it goes to the plants. It is important to take into account the irrigation scheme and water consumption, the main thing is that the wiring is simple but practical.

Drip irrigation equipment

Installing this type of irrigation is a simple task, and anyone can handle it if they wish. Drip irrigation in the greenhouse and on outdoors provides for the presence of the following components: pump, valve, main pipes, timer, tape, fittings, filters, and so on. It is important to take a responsible approach to the selection of each element so that the device works correctly and without interruptions.

Drip irrigation hose

There are several important aspects to consider when choosing the right hoses.

Many people are interested in what types of hoses there are for drip irrigation in length, so this parameter falls within the limit from 1.5 to 100 m.
The throughput depends on the diameter. A long hose requires a large diameter. The standard setting is 13 mm.
The service life of a hose depends on the material from which it is made, so the most popular option is vinyl PVC and rubber. The second option is the best.
A hose has a limit to the pressure it can withstand. For example, options with reinforcement will handle 5-6 bar, and single-layer ones - no more than 2 bar.
Choose hoses that will not deteriorate not only during hot weather, but also at low temperatures so that they do not deteriorate in winter. It is better to buy opaque varieties as they are less prone to blooming.

Drip irrigation tape

Many gardeners choose tape to organize drip irrigation, which makes it as optimized and high-quality as possible. The diameter of most options is 22 and 16 mm. Tapes can have different thicknesses, a maximum of 15 ml - suitable for rocky surfaces, and the most popular option is 6 ml. A drip irrigation system may consist of the following tapes:

Labyrinth. The cheapest tape has a zigzag-like shape, which reduces the speed of the water. The liquid in them warms up well, but there is one significant drawback - uniform irrigation cannot be achieved.
Slit. More modern version, which is easy to lay and helps to carry out uniform drip irrigation. For efficient work The water must be of high quality, so you will have to use filters.
Emitter. The highest quality and most reliable option that is resistant to stains. The tape can be compensated or uncompensated. In the first option, the length of the tape does not affect water consumption, but in the second option, on the contrary.

Drip Irrigation Fittings

There are a large number of different elements and components that are important for assembling the most complex systems with minimal loss of time. It is important to understand how drip irrigation works in order to determine the number of elements needed for a particular area. There are a number of criteria that should be taken into account when choosing.

Fittings are made from high-density polyethylene, which can be primary or secondary. The first option is of higher quality, and it meets all state standards.
All fitting surfaces must be smooth and free of depressions.
One more thing important rule choosing a fitting - the end surfaces of the clamps must be in a strictly perpendicular position to the axis.

Drip irrigation allows for a variety of fittings, and most products fit 3/4″ pipes. Here are some popular details:

Filter for drip irrigation

When choosing a filter, you need to take into account the throughput and this indicator is indicated on the filter itself. The parameter is within the range from 3 to 100 m 3 /h. Please note that the filter capacity must be greater than the volume of water that the pump can produce. Drip irrigation for a summer residence may include two types of filters:

Reticulate. Suitable for filtering water from a water supply system or well. They have a mesh that traps small particles of mineral origin, such as sand, clay, and so on.
Disk. For an open reservoir, this filter option is suitable, which is more expensive, but it is more effective and reliable. Disc filters are universal, and they retain both organic and mineral impurities. Another plus is that they are easy to clean.

Timer for drip irrigation

To improve the system, you can set a timer, thanks to which you can automatically control the process. Drip irrigation system for greenhouse and open area may include a timer like this:

Manual or mechanical. The operation of this timer requires constant monitoring. They lost their relevance with the advent of automatic devices.
Auto. Drip irrigation is carried out in accordance with a given program. The device can regulate the amount of water that will be consumed during irrigation. This option is more practical for a greenhouse.

Drip irrigation pump

You need to buy a pump if water will be supplied from a tank or pond. It is important that the liquid settles and warms up before irrigation. Drip irrigation of the garden involves purchasing a pump, for which you should know the immersion depth, height and distance over which the water will be supplied. Main types of pumps:

Types of drip irrigation

Eat different types drip irrigation, which have their own characteristics and details. You can install automatic or non-automatic drip irrigation, but the first option is more convenient.

Drip hose. The main element is a thick-walled pipe that can withstand pressure up to 3 atm. Thanks to this, water supply can be carried out over long distances. Emitters or droppers are installed at regular intervals. In most cases, the flow rate is 1-2 l/h.
Drip tape. The tape is attached to the main hose. The length of the irrigation line can reach up to 450 m. As for throughput, it reaches 500 l/h.
External micro-droppers. Irrigation is carried out using drops and micro-jets, the intensity of which in some models can be adjusted. Droppers are installed on outside pipes or on connected branches.

How to make drip irrigation?

You can organize drip irrigation on your site with your own hands. First, it is better to make them in several beds, and then increase them to the entire garden. There are simple instructions on how to make drip irrigation yourself:

The hose is connected to the water supply. It is important to insert a filter that will trap contaminants.
Using an awl, small holes are made in the hose, and a plug is installed at the end.
Droppers or emitters should be inserted into them.

Disadvantages of drip irrigation

When deciding on an irrigation option, you should take into account not only the advantages, but also the disadvantages.

The automatic drip irrigation system can become clogged with solid elements of organic and chemical origin, as well as plant parts.
Compared with the mechanical method, the price of drip irrigation is higher.
Drip irrigation tapes and hoses are vulnerable to pests such as rodents and feral pigs.
The average service life of such systems does not exceed two years. As parts wear out, they will have to be replaced, which requires costs.

Water consumption for drip irrigation

When calculating indicators for the system, it is important to take into account the moisture consumption over a certain period of time. The drip irrigation scheme should be guided by the crop’s moisture needs, the quality and type of soil, the speed and volume of liquid supply from the source and the length of the drip tape. Based on the type of water flow, three types of emitters can be distinguished:

It is very important for owners of garden plots that the crops they grow bring productive results. Organic vegetables and fruits from your own garden are a great pride for any gardener. But there can be no talk of any productivity without the right organized system glaze. In today’s article we will get acquainted with the principle of operation of drip irrigation, take a closer look at the features of installing a drip system, and describe the types of these structures.

Operating principles of drip irrigation design

Drip irrigation is an irrigation system, which is a kind of pipeline running through the entire garden. The presence of special holes allows you to supply crops required quantity water, without eroding the soil or harming plants. This system includes the following components:

pump;
filter;
water intake unit;
pipeline;
control panel (if the system is equipped with automation.

Depending on the size of the plot, drip irrigation can be equipped automatic system adjusting water pressure, etc. On average, the water pressure in such installations is 1-3 atm. A number of advantages of such an irrigation system include significant water savings, as well as ease of use. In addition, the passages between planted crops always remain dry, which allows owners to move around the garden plot without any problems.

Varieties of do-it-yourself drip irrigation designs

Organization of drip irrigation with my own hands, you should start after familiarizing yourself with its possible types. The main types of designs for this type of irrigation are shown in the table.

Types of drip irrigation
Drip hose	This type of structure is a pipe with thick walls, which allows you to supply water pressure of up to 3 atm, over hundreds of meters. Such systems are prefabricated and can be dismantled for the winter.
Drip tape	This type operates due to the base component, which is a flexible, medium-thick pipe, usually with a diameter of no more than 22 mm. In medium-sized areas, approximately 500 liters of water flow through such drip tapes per hour.
External micro-drippers	The spraying elements in these models can be nozzles. Watering in such structures is carried out in the form of drops, as well as micro-jets.

When choosing one type or another to equip your own plot, be sure to take into account the size of the bed for which the irrigation system is intended.

Necessary tools for making drip irrigation. Drip hoses, drippers, pipes and fittings

To make drip irrigation with your own hands, you will need the following set of tools:

electric drill and drills;
pliers;
awl;
roulette;
pencil;
scissors for plastic and metal, etc.

Before you begin installing the irrigation system, you should calculate the number of components such as taps, plugs, connecting fittings, etc.

For example, taps for drip irrigation come in several types. Some are sold already with a sealing rubber; they are used to connect the tape and the distribution line of the irrigation system. Pressure taps play the role of an on/off switch in drip irrigation.

Droppers are also different. For example, a compensated dripper is used for watering greenhouse crops and some fruit plants, as it provides an appropriate output of water mass. Knitting needle-type drippers are designed to supply water directly to the root of the plant, thereby reducing the percentage of weeds in the area.

Some drip hoses come with injectors that are designed to introduce liquid fertilizers. To reduce pressure, the drip irrigation system is equipped with additional gearboxes, which have different throughput rates.

How to correctly calculate a drip irrigation system

In order for drip irrigation to function correctly, without interruptions and without wasting water, the system itself must be correctly designed and calculated. A number of integral elements for calculation include:

dimensions of the plot;
amount of water consumed;
number of irrigation tubes;
type of filter station;
distribution and main pipelines.

In agronomy there is a special formula that allows you to calculate a drip irrigation system, it looks like this: Q = (60m3 / ha * S) / T, where:

Q - indicator of the filtering station's throughput;
S is the total area of the site for which irrigation is planned;
T is an indicator of the irrigation operating time per day.

Features of installing a do-it-yourself drip irrigation system

A drip irrigation system can be built from a ready-made installation purchased in a store, or you can create it yourself from scrap materials. In this case, the sequence of installation of complete equipment is considered. So, the principle of installing a drip irrigation system consists of the following steps:

A place for installing a water tank is determined.
A hole is made in an installed, preferably plastic, tank at a distance of at least 5 cm from the bottom.
Horizontal supports are installed at the site, on which small plastic vessels should be secured, small holes should be made, and plastic needles should be tightened.
Fill the vessels with water and adjust the water pressure.

Hoses are placed on beds using two methods. The first involves mounting the hose on horizontal supports at a certain distance from the ground. The second, considered less expensive, involves laying the hoses directly on the soil.

Along with the many advantages of drip irrigation, professionals also highlight disadvantages like this system:

unable to provide irrigation to large areas;
not suitable for all types of soil; in clay areas the equipment quickly clogs;
in hot summers it is not able to replace traditional, rational, natural watering.

Drip irrigation from plastic bottles. The cheapest option, features and nuances of installation

Drip irrigation from plastic bottles is indeed the cheapest option for irrigating plants, since it does not require a pipeline, a water barrel, etc. In order to organize an irrigation system in a garden plot of this type, it is enough to prepare plastic bottles, digging shovel and awl. Watering according to this principle can be done in several ways:

burying bottles in the ground;
stick the bottles with their necks down;
hang bottles above plants;
use bottles with built-in attachments.

Each of the proposed methods is equally productive and allows you to evenly distribute moisture in the area with the crops being grown.

So, first, let's look at surface watering from plastic bottles. To organize this system, containers of 1.5-2 liters are suitable; to ensure long-term irrigation, use 5 liter eggplants. A support should be made above each plant on which a vessel with water will be attached. The bottle is installed neck down, puncturing two or three holes in it. By fixing the container on a support, you can accurately calculate the place where the water will drip and adjust the device if necessary.

The second method of irrigation from plastic bottles involves burying the neck of the container, in which a hole is made in advance, due to which watering is carried out directly under the roots of the plants.

An equally reasonable solution is to place the bottle in a trench and bury it in the ground. The plastic vessel should be placed bottom down. It is necessary to make holes in 2 - 4 rows on the bottle; this should be done with a thick needle, an awl or a large nail. After the holes are made, the plastic container needs to be wrapped with cloth, this is done in order to keep the holes not clogged with earth. The vessel should be buried ⅔ deep, so that water can be freely poured through the neck.

The most advanced device in this series is considered to be a plastic bottle with an irrigation nozzle. Such a nozzle can be a special dispenser that screws on instead of a lid, or it can be a ballpoint pen refill that is inserted into the hole of a plastic vessel and dispenses water. Despite the simplicity of design and installation, drip irrigation from ordinary bottles has a number of advantages:

regularity of watering;
efficiency;
autonomy;
does not require a water source;
low cost of construction, etc.

Drip irrigation from plastic bottles is considered an excellent alternative for tomatoes since high humidity does not form and the soil is moistened evenly. This allows you to avoid the appearance of various bacterial diseases on plants that appear at high levels of humid air.

Drip irrigation from medical droppers. System Features

Drip irrigation from medical droppers is definitely effective for organizing irrigation of each plant. However, for a large area, installing such a system will be quite expensive. Compared to homemade irrigation from plastic bottles, equipment from medical droppers requires a pipeline through which water will be supplied. The location of the hoses in the garden bed should be thought out in advance, otherwise problems may arise during the assembly stage.

So, at a certain distance, near each crop, using an awl, a hole is made in the hose so as not to damage the opposite part. Droppers are attached to these holes. For pressure in the hoses, the ends are pre-equipped with plugs. Experts say that watering from medical droppers brings maximum results only in combination with mulching the soil in the garden bed.

Installation of systems in a greenhouse or greenhouse

As practice shows, the presence of drip irrigation in a greenhouse is simply irreplaceable, and drip tapes are excellent for this. To fully equip the irrigation system, you will need the following components:

filter (disc);
actually, drip tape;
fittings and splitters;
connectors with and without taps;
connectors for connection.

Installation of drip irrigation takes place in several stages.

Stage 1. Before starting assembly work, you should draw up a site plan and indicate the places through which the pipeline will pass, you must indicate the places where the taps will be located, etc.

Stage 2. Having chosen a place for a plastic water container, it must be installed at a certain distance from the ground, the future pressure and water supply in the system depends on this.

Stage 3. A main pipeline is laid from the water supply source and a disk filter is installed.

Stage 4. Using start connectors, a drip tape is attached to the main pipe; its end should be equipped with special plugs.

The final work on installing drip irrigation in a greenhouse is the installation of splitters (if necessary).

DIY drip irrigation automation

After all the beds are formed, you can begin the process of automating drip irrigation with your own hands. It is worth clarifying in advance that this business requires considerable financial costs. Automation of irrigation suggests that irrigation does not require constant human presence. In order for this type of system to function, it is necessary to use special controllers. They are single-channel and multi-channel. Due to the fact that they are programmable and logical, control of the irrigation zone is ensured. This type of device can be purchased at a gardening store. They can be powered by electricity or batteries. Also, some models are equipped with temperature and humidity sensors.

For more detailed information on the topic, watch the video:

Watering is one of the hardest gardening jobs. It’s scary to remember how many ten-liter watering cans were dragged onto the beds. We are in the 21st century, but many people are still wary of irrigation systems - it seems that it is terribly complicated and expensive.

Liss1970 FORUMHOUSE Member

A lot of people come to our site, and I don’t understand people’s reaction: “Oh! How interesting! But we’d rather carry around with watering cans and then complain about back pain and drought!”

We talked about it at FORUMHOUSE. Today we’ll talk about how to make a drip irrigation system on your site - from the simplest, from what is at hand, to the serious, from normal components.

How does a drip irrigation system work?
Advantages of drip irrigation.
Types of drip irrigation.
How to make a non-pressure drip irrigation system.
How to make a drip irrigation system cheaply using improvised materials.

Drip irrigation: drippers, sprinklers, micro-sprinklers

The drip irrigation system works like this: under low pressure, water is supplied through hoses to the required place on the site and through droppers it gets under each plant.

Drip irrigation will not only free you from running around with watering cans, this method has many big and bold advantages. The main thing is that with drip irrigation, water is slowly, drop by drop, supplied directly to the roots of the plants. Thus, the soil remains evenly moist throughout the growing season, the plants are relieved of the stress that occurs when the beds dry out, and water is significantly saved (on average, up to 50%). This system was developed for places with shortages water resources, for their most effective use.

It is important that with this method only cultivated plants, the weeds do not get enough moisture. Simultaneously with drip irrigation, fertilizing can be carried out: fertilizers dissolved in water are better absorbed by plants.

Drip irrigation systems typically use microtubing emitters that are placed at regular intervals in the hoses. The choice of hose depends on the moisture-loving nature of the plants, soil type, and water consumption. As a rule, 3-5 droppers or a hose with built-in droppers located every 40 centimeters are enough for one fruit tree.

The photo below shows the irrigation system of FORUMHOUSE participant Vladimir:

Concluding the theoretical part, let us recall that there are several methods of drip irrigation:

An irrigation system with drippers (described above and most popular among our summer residents) is good for watering vegetables in a greenhouse and small plants.
An irrigation system with micro-sprinklers is good because it covers a large area with water. Used for watering hedges, bushes and trees.
Irrigation system with sprinklers that creates dense fog. Such nozzles are used for watering large lawns, fields sown with grass, etc.

Gravity irrigation system for a garden in the steppe

Let's look at several drip irrigation systems used on the plots of FORUMHOUSE users.

Portal member Zyoma was dissatisfied with the results of one of the first dacha seasons on his site (former steppe with a complete lack of shade). There was no rain for two months, and one day it was not possible to go to the dacha for two weeks. During this time half garden trees I just dropped the leaves.

Zyoma User FORUMHOUSE

In general, I thought about a drip irrigation system.

Since there were no garden beds at the dacha, only the trees needed water; I didn’t want to waste it on steppe wild plants. Hence the first requirement - watering must be targeted. The second requirement stemmed from the high pressure (with significant surges) in the water supply system at the site, which could lead to the hoses breaking. This means that watering should be free-flowing.

To install a gravity drip irrigation system, the following was required:

Tank insert - 2 pcs.
Filter 1/2 – 2 pcs.
Connection 1/2 for 5 mm hose.
Microhose 5 mm - 100 m.
Tees for microhose - 50 pcs.
Adjustable droppers 0-6 l/h - 60 pcs.
There were already water containers - two two-hundred-liter oil barrels.

The barrels were placed on four pallets. For convenience, the hoses were pinned to the ground with wire staples. Droppers and tees were simply inserted into the tube. The entire irrigation system (80 meters of microhose) is assembled and disassembled in 10 minutes, and for winter storage it is placed in a plastic bag.

You can see in detail how this system works in the photographs.

These two barrels provided adequate watering for forty fruit trees and shrubs. The optimal watering intensity was selected for each plant.

Depending on the adjustment of the drippers, the water in two barrels with a total volume of 400 liters lasted, on average, 80 hours - that is, in the middle of the week I had to go to the garden and fill the containers. After installing this system, all watering work began to take 10 minutes - on weekends, which were spent at the dacha, the drippers were “opened”, and before leaving on Sunday evening they were “covered”. This is all.

Error Zyoma was that he chose transparent microtubes.

The hose for the drip irrigation system must be black.

Therefore, the tubes turned green, some droppers had to be opened all the way so that the water pressure would wash away the silt from the walls of the tubes.

Pressure irrigation is more convenient than non-pressure irrigation; it practically eliminates siltation. U Zyoma there was an idea to fully automate the irrigation system by connecting it to the water supply through a Chinese timer. The experiment ended sadly.

Zyoma

The pressure in our system is quite high and unstable (more than 4 atm sometimes), and it all ended with a pipe burst in my absence (minus 30 cubic meters of water on the meter, it’s good that everything is under the apple tree).

But in general, this irrigation system, although it has a temporary status, has shown itself to work well - despite the constant +40 in the sun, sometimes turning into +50, all the plants are alive. The next season, the irrigation system was improved - since for 40 fruit trees and shrubs one micropipe with a diameter of 5 mm was still not enough, a main hose of a larger diameter was laid, from which branches with a diameter of 5 mm were already made.

Pseudo-drip irrigation system for garden beds

Lukaed for cucumbers he created an irrigation system, which he called “pseudo-drip” due to the fact that non-core products were used in it. To manufacture the system, we purchased: a metal-plastic pipe and a meter of silicone hose that fits tightly onto this pipe, and six pharmacy systems, which were assigned the role of droppers.

Using a 3.5 mm drill, I drilled holes for the dropper tubes, and cut the tubes to fit the cucumber stem with a margin of 2-3 mm. I inserted the tubes into the holes.

Lukaed User FORUMHOUSE

The tubes should be cut at an angle, so it is more convenient to insert them into the holes.

I connected the irrigation system to a water tank using a connector and a piece of silicone hose. I secured the pipes with wire hooks.

Each one took six meters of pipe. This system does not comply with the basic principle of drip irrigation - moisture does not continuously flow to the roots of the plants; Lukaed opens the water for 30 minutes a day. But the plants felt good, and everything was in order with the harvest. And most importantly, the cost of installing an irrigation system for two beds was 700 rubles.

Lukaed

The metal-plastic pipe can be reused - unnecessary holes can be wrapped with tape or plugged with an M4 screw.

Automated drip irrigation system

Liss1970 made an automated drip irrigation system that works without any human intervention. Currently, this system has the only drawback - it is not equipped with a specialized sensor and does not turn off when it rains.

For this system, equipment was used from Israel (dripline hose, external drippers, sprinklers, timers and quick connectors, timers; filter and pump were domestic, and the hose was Chinese).

The irrigation system was made as follows: for each 60 cm wide bed, two lines of drip hose were laid out with a distance between the droppers of 30 cm. The hose was bent at an angle of 90 degrees and secured with U-shaped brackets made of aluminum wire. Thus, continuous watering of the beds was ensured. A Chinese hose acted as the supply line; the drip hose was connected to it with conventional quick-release connections.

Through a valve with a timer, the system was connected to a well pump controlled by KIV-1.

Liss1970 User FORUMHOUSE

The valve opened and the pump turned on. The valve closed - the pump turned off.

Plants in the garden require moisture. It will be better if it is supplied to the roots constantly and in measured quantities. For this purpose there is a drip irrigation device. Difficulties with installing the system in the future eliminate heavy and ineffective physical labor. This can be judged by numerous reviews from gardeners. Many people are happy with this kind of liberation from hard manual labor. In addition to watering, there are many other things to do at the dacha. It is tempting to replace difficult and painstaking work with relaxation.

There are many types of devices and irrigation systems. They can be made or assembled with your own hands, or you can involve specialists.

Pros and cons of drip irrigation

Drip water supply has many advantages.

The flow of water directly under the stem, which allows fertilizer to be applied simultaneously with moisture.
Saving working time and physical effort for the summer resident. Having installed the system once, you can avoid manual watering throughout the season.
Eliminating the possibility of soil drying out. Its humidity is always sufficient for the necessary plant growth.
The system can be used for any plant because it is universal.
Possibility of choosing the optimal option for irrigating beds.

Among the disadvantages, we can note the costs of the component parts of the drip irrigation device: fittings, hoses, tapes, dosing water pump, filter, etc. The system must be constantly monitored, dirt must be periodically removed, water flow checked, valve operation, etc. The installation is volatile and requires constant availability of electricity.

Drip irrigation: structure and principle of operation

The drip irrigation system delivers moisture directly to the roots, which saves water and prevents damage to the above-ground parts of the plants. Water flows slowly at certain periods or continuously, which allows maintaining a given level of soil moisture, which has a beneficial effect on garden crops.

Making drip irrigation with your own hands: where to start?

First, the drip irrigation scheme is drawn on paper, where all watering points, the location of the water source and containers are indicated. The spacing between rows of plantings is measured. Based on the finished dimensions, you can easily calculate the number of communications.

If a pump is installed, its location can be anywhere, but when watering by gravity, the container is installed closer to the plants.

Drip hoses or tapes are laid on the beds. They have built-in special droppers for supplying water to the plants.

Before assembling a drip irrigation system, it is necessary to have all the components for irrigation. If you have experience, it is advisable to choose them yourself, since watering kits are more expensive.

A container of water - a barrel or tank.
The main distribution manifold for water supply, from which it is supplied to the branches.
Drip hose or tape.
Valves connecting drip tapes to the collector.

Drip hoses

Hoses are sold in coils. Their feature is the supply of the same amount of water throughout the entire bed, even if the terrain is uneven. The maximum irrigation length is selected so that the unevenness at the beginning and end of the hose does not exceed 10-15%. For one season, for drip irrigation of the garden, it is enough to use tapes with a wall thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm. They are laid only on top.

Thick-walled (up to 0.8 mm) will last 3-4 seasons. They can also be used for underground installation. The diameter of the tapes is 12-22 mm (common size is 16 mm). Hard tubes last up to 10 seasons. Their diameter is 14-25 mm.

Through one dropper the water consumption is:

hose - 0.6-8 l/h;
thin-walled tape - 0.25-2.9 l/h;
thick-walled tape - 2-8 l/h.

To regulate the flow, a tap for drip irrigation is connected to the hose or drip tape.

On average, you need to take 1 liter of water per day per plant, 5 liters per bush, 10 liters per tree. The data is indicative, but is suitable for determining the total consumption. To be more precise, when drip irrigation is performed, 1 tomato bush requires 1.5 liters, cucumbers - 2 liters, potatoes and cabbage - 2.5 liters. 20-25% of the reserve is added to the result obtained and the required tank volume is determined.

The distance between the drippers depends on the frequency of planting and can be from 10 to 100 cm. Each of them has one or two outlets. The consumption may remain the same, but in the latter case the depth decreases and the irrigation area increases. Dropper spiders are installed on a bed in 4 rows with the distribution of up to 4 plants.

Droppers

Droppers can be installed on plastic pipes Oh. They are produced in several types:

with fixed water flow;
adjustable - with manual adjustment of irrigation intensity;
uncompensated - the intensity of water supply decreases towards the end of the bed;
compensated - with a membrane and a special valve, creating a constant pressure during pressure fluctuations in the water supply;
"spider" type - with distribution to several plants.

External droppers are inserted into a plastic pipe, in which holes are pierced with an awl.

Filtration

The treatment of irrigation water is special attention. First, coarse filtration is performed, and then fine filtration. Dirty water IVs clog quickly.

Purpose of fittings

The system can be simply assembled using special fittings for drip irrigation.

Start connectors for connecting drip tape to plastic water pipes. They are made with a rubber seal or a clamping nut. Holes are drilled in the HDPE pipe using a wood drill with a centering spike and start connectors are tightly inserted with or without taps. Regulation of water consumption is required if certain zones consume it less than others or for alternate watering of different areas.
Drip irrigation fittings, angled or in the form of tees, are used to connect the tape to a flexible garden hose. They are also used for branching or turning. The fitting seats are made in the form of ruffs, which ensures tight fastening of the tubes.
The repair fitting is used in case of a break or to extend the drip tape. With its help, its ends are connected.
The plug is installed at the ends of the drip tape.

Installation from thin-walled tapes

TO garden water supply distributing polyethylene pipes with a diameter of 4 cm are connected. This diameter is best suited for installing a start connector - a special tap for drip irrigation, which is used to connect a perforated drip tape to the pipe.

It is manufactured with a small thickness and assembled using reinforcement. The holes are made at equal intervals. The drip tape is placed on the faucet with tension, and then additionally secured with a plastic nut. The ends of the sleeves are closed with plugs, sealed or tucked.

The disadvantage is the low strength of the tape material, which is easily damaged by rodents and insects. In terms of other indicators, the system shows itself only on the positive side.

Installation of a system with tubes and built-in droppers

The system is highly durable and significantly longer lasting. It consists of a hose in which cylindrical droppers are built at regular intervals. The tube can be placed on the soil surface, mounted on stands, suspended on a wire, or buried in the ground.

Water under pressure disperses from the container throughout the system and is smoothly distributed, coming from small holes. It is important that the tank is located at a height of 1-1.5 m from the ground surface. The gardener is only required to fill it in a timely manner, after which the liquid flows to the plants under the influence of gravity.

How to water cucumbers?

In industrial systems, drip irrigation of cucumbers is carried out with water supplied to each plant. The depth of the roots is 15-20 cm and tensiometers are installed there to control humidity. For gardeners, improvised means made from plastic bottles are suitable. They are installed on the bottom or with a closed plug in the ground. The top should be open to fill with water.

First way. The dropper is made from a used ballpoint pen refill. It is washed with a solvent to remove any remaining paste and plugged at the end with a match. A puncture is made at the end half the thickness of the rod. A homemade dropper is inserted into a puncture made from the bottom of the bottle at a height of 15-20 cm. Then the containers are filled with water and placed near the bushes so that the moisture gets to the root.
Second way. Holes are made in the bottle along the entire height, departing 3-5 cm from the bottom. Then it is buried bottom down to a depth of 20 cm. The cork is unscrewed and the container is filled with water through the top. The bottle can be buried upside down, having previously cut off the bottom, through which it is convenient to fill it with water in the future. To prevent the holes from becoming clogged with soil, the outside of the bottles is wrapped with needle-punched fabric, which is used as a covering material for greenhouses.
Third way. Bottles filled with water can be suspended above the ground by punching holes in the lid.

Bottle drip irrigation of cucumbers is convenient due to its cost-effectiveness, since there is no need to spend money on materials. The disadvantage is the difficulty of installation over large areas. The process of filling with water is troublesome, and the holes are often clogged with soil. Despite this, you can be convinced of the advantages of the drip method. Reviews indicate that it is quite effective in small greenhouses.

It is more convenient to fully water cucumbers in large greenhouses through centralized system with branded droppers.

Drip irrigation devices: automatic

Automatic watering requires funds for equipment, but as a result, a lot of time will be saved and the harvest will compensate for the costs. The most important component of the system is the controller or timer, which does not require human intervention. The latter sets only the frequency and duration, which can be electromechanical or electrical. The controller can set an irrigation program, which takes into account the pressure in the system, sets daily watering cycles and takes into account humidity and temperature.

For simple systems The drip irrigation scheme requires a single-channel device, but in a complex scheme the number of channels may be required. Judging by the reviews, experienced gardeners prefer to use several simple timers that work according to separate programs.

In order not to depend on the energy source, it is advisable to purchase devices that run on several AA batteries.

Automatic drip irrigation from a water supply often requires a pump. Its power must correspond to consumption. The mechanism should be simple, not very noisy and resistant to chemical compounds, which are often used in the system as fertilizers.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that surface irrigation is the most common, the lack of sometimes favorable conditions for it, water shortages and energy savings lead to the need to use one or another drip irrigation device. The choice depends on the climate, landscape, types of crops cultivated and other factors.

It is important to properly design and install a drip irrigation system to reduce the likelihood of failures and not waste time on repair and maintenance work.

Evgeniy Sedov

When your hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

Content

Since ancient times, people have tried to use water as carefully as possible to irrigate cultivated crops. Improving irrigation methods, people gradually moved from using pots with holes buried in the ground to a drainage irrigation system, from clay conduits to perforated ones. metal pipes. A real breakthrough in the issue of economical use of water for irrigation was the invention of plastic. Thanks to plastic pipes, a drip irrigation system has become a reality, which today any adult can assemble.

What is drip irrigation

The irrigation method of supplying water in small portions to the root zone of cultivated plants is called drip irrigation. This unique method was first proposed by the Israeli Simcha Blass. Since 1960, microirrigation has rapidly spread throughout the world. In addition to minimizing water consumption, drip irrigation has a positive effect on the development of crops, which increases crop yields. This method has gained particular popularity in arid climates.

Advantages over manual watering

The usual method of irrigating land is personal plots Spraying water using various devices is considered. The automatic drip irrigation system has clear advantages over traditional methods soil moisture:

It can be used in conditions open ground vegetable gardens, greenhouses, indoor plants, fully automating the watering process.
Water enters the root zone of the plant, providing uniform moisture to the required area of soil. At the same time, the top layer of earth is not eroded.
The jet pressure and time of water flow are adjustable. Root system plant organism does not get wet from excess moisture.
Through the micro-irrigation design, mineral fertilizers can be supplied directly to the roots, which contributes to the natural feeding of crops and increases yield.
The likelihood of diseases of cultivated plants associated with putrefactive infections that affect them in conditions of constant waterlogging of the soil is minimized.
There are fewer weeds, since water does not get into the aisle.
The soil does not require constant loosening to allow air to enter, because a dense crust does not form on the surface of the earth.
Water consumption is significantly reduced.
Productivity increases.

Operating principle and device of drip irrigation

The system operates on the basis of drip supply of water to the root system of plants in two ways: to the soil surface (with a perforated hose) or deep into the soil (using special drippers). The water flow is supplied from a storage tank or plumbing system. The drip irrigation system is assembled from the following parts and assemblies:

Plastic or metal container for collecting water. Plastic is more practical because it does not rust. It is better to choose an opaque tank so that the liquid in it does not “bloom”.
Pump for pumping water from a well.
Water tap for regulating water flow.
Mechanical or electronic controller (timer) to automate the irrigation process.
Ball valve for emergency shut-off of water movement.
Water pressure reduction reducer.
A water filter to prevent pipe clogging.
Adapter for fastening the water conduit system.
Main plastic pipes with a cross-section of up to 40 mm.
Thinner water conduits: drip tapes and tubes, droppers.
Fittings (tees, adapters, plugs, etc.) for mounting and distributing system parts.

Water from the tank moves through the main pipes. Their location depends on the area of the irrigated area and branches out with drip lines to each plant. If the system provides for deep watering, the water pipes are equipped with branches with droppers at the end, which are inserted into the ground to each root. The water filter protects the pipes from clogging, and the reducer regulates the jet pressure to the required level that is safe for the operation of the irrigation system. The ends of the water conduits are closed with plugs.

Species

The operation of a drip irrigation system is based on gravity or forced water supply. The first type of irrigation is based on the gravity of the water flow. In order for the pressure to be sufficient and the liquid to flow to the root system of the plants, the storage tank is raised above the ground to a height of at least two meters. A forced irrigation system is provided with water due to its movement from the central water supply or pumped from a well.

The optimal pressure for drip irrigation is no more than 2 atmospheres, so it is advisable to provide the forced mechanism with a reducer to regulate the water pressure. IN as a last resort, this function is performed by a water tap. With its help, you manually adjust the water jet, approximately determining the desired pressure. The owner of the cultivated plot independently chooses which irrigation system to use. His choice depends on many factors. Material costs, as a rule, play a decisive role.

How to make drip irrigation in an open area or greenhouse

The distance between the droppers must be at least 30 cm so that the soil is moistened evenly. In this case, a maximum of 20 liters per plant. For small cultivation areas, a gravity-based drip irrigation system is often used. In the case of equipping large areas with irrigation devices, the best option would be automated irrigation using an electronic controller. It will provide regular, high-quality watering.

Materials and equipment

A simple micro-irrigation system for garden beds can be built from scrap materials yourself. A two-hundred-liter plastic barrel raised to a height of 2 meters, a main watering hose and thinner water conduits are the main parts of a homemade irrigation structure. The most primitive method of drip irrigation is plastic bottles suspended on poles with medical droppers inserted into their caps. Their free ends with a non-needle tip are inserted into the ground near each plant being grown.

Medical dropper tubes are used as taps and in more complex homemade micro-irrigation designs. To do this, attach the rubber tips of the droppers to the holes made in the main hose. There should be as many holes as the number of plants being watered. Automation of drip irrigation is possible through the use of the following mechanisms in the design:

float-type shut-off valve to control the filling of the tank with water;
reducer for regulating water pressure in the system;
micro-irrigation controller to eliminate excess water consumption and excess soil moisture.

Scheme development

To regularly provide cultivated plants with water, it is very important to correctly develop an irrigation scheme and calculate the parameters of the parts that need to be purchased. The size of the water intake tank is calculated by multiplying the irrigated surface area by 30 liters required to deeply moisten the soil. If a storage tank with a capacity of 1 cubic meter is raised to a height of 2 m, you can efficiently water an area with seedlings of 50 square meters.

It is not advisable to make drip lines longer than 100 m. Violation of this rule will lead to problems in the operation of the irrigation structure at any capacity of the main pipes. Modified types of water pipelines are more expensive, but are more resistant to changes in water and air temperatures and the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. The following parameters depend on the diameter of the pipes used:

Installation

If you correctly calculate the parameters and develop a drip irrigation scheme, you can significantly reduce the labor intensity of gardening and greenhouse work and almost double the yield of grown crops. When all the necessary parts have been purchased, you should begin installing the irrigation structure:

Make a support platform at a height of 2 meters and install the tank on it.
If the container is filled with water from water supply network, it is advisable to equip it with a float-type shut-off valve. This will prevent liquid from overflowing.
Insert an adapter into the lower part of the water collection tank. Screw a water tap onto it using FUM sealing tape to manually regulate the water pressure.
Next, according to the diagram, install the controller (timer). By programming it in a certain way, you can achieve watering of the area without the presence of an observer. Irrigation land plot will start at specified time and will end strictly at the appointed time.
Install a ball valve to shut off the flow of water into the system if necessary.
To avoid surges in water pressure, a reduction gear is installed. If the pressure in the water supply network is less than 2 atm, install a pump that increases the water pressure.
A fine filter will prevent clogging of pipes. It is attached after the water pressure regulator.
Using fittings, the developed design of main pipes and branches with drip lines is mounted. It is connected to the main water pipeline through an adapter.
A thinner hose is connected to the main pipe through tees and adapters. The ends of the bends are bent and special clamps are put on them, which act as plugs.
3 mm holes are made on top of the thin hose at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Splitters are inserted into them. Rubber seals are used to prevent water from leaking out.
There are splitters different designs, have 2-4 outlets, onto which “antennae” (thin tubes) with droppers are attached.
Test the operation of the installation by adjusting the water pressure.

Operating a Drip Irrigation System

Correct operation automated system- the key to its uninterrupted operation. To prevent failure of the micro-irrigation structure, it is necessary to:

Clean the filter weekly.
In the fall, dismantle the drip irrigation system, drain all the water and store it until the next season.
After feeding the plants with the solution mineral fertilizers through a micro-irrigation system, fill the tank with clean water, rinse the pipes and hoses with it for 10-15 minutes. This must be done to avoid negative influence chemicals for plastic water pipes.
To increase the service life of a drip irrigation system, it is advisable to lay its elements underground. Subsoil irrigation requires a lot of effort when installing the structure, but has a number of advantages. Firstly, water is saved because it does not evaporate from the surface of the earth. Secondly, the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays and weather conditions on pipes and hoses are reduced.

Drip irrigation system for indoor plants

If there is no one to entrust with watering indoor plants during the holidays, you can build gravity drip watering for green pets using improvised means. To do this, you will need a water container, the volume of which depends on the number of flower pots, and medical droppers. This method of micro-irrigation is good because it can be used to regulate the rate of moisture supply to the root of the plant.

If we take, for example, a ten-liter plastic canister and several droppers as the basis for the design, then you need to proceed as follows:

1 cm above the bottom of the container, drill as many holes as there are flower pots that require watering during the absence of the owners. Their diameter should be slightly less than the lumen of the dropper tube.
Heat the tubes one by one in boiling water until they soften and insert into the holes of the canister. To avoid leaks, treat the joints with any sealant available in the house (silicone, waterproof glue).
Fill the container with water and place it 1 m above the level of the flower pots. Adjust the flow of liquid using the clamp-regulator (wheel) of the dropper.
Insert the injection unit without a needle into the ground flower pot closer to the stem of the plant.

How to choose automatic drip irrigation

To buy a drip irrigation system, you need to know what the fundamental difference between the models offered on the market is. By correlating the capacity of the structure, its price with your own goals and capabilities, you can make a purchase. Selection criteria:

view:
1. Tubular. They are based on rigid hoses with built-in nozzles for attaching bends.
2. Tape. The branches of the system consist of elastic bands with capillary holes.
equipment:

The larger the irrigation area, the more components for drip irrigation and the higher the cost of the product.
Availability of a storage tank. Such models are more expensive.
With automatic regulators of water pressure and watering time or providing manual adjustment.
Availability of external dropper nozzles. Their design can be monoblock or collapsible. Monoblock ones cannot be repaired if they break. In collapsible models, you can regulate the speed of falling drops, regardless of the water pressure in the pipe.
the price depends on the complexity of the design and the quality of the components.

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