DIY Drip Irrigation

[dandelion]

What is the cheapest way to make a drip irrigation? Any suggestion?

[Luna]

I found this method in a website and tried it. Works great so far.

Materials:
2 liters plastic soda bottle with lid
drill and small drill but
sharp knife
a safe cutting surface

Drill 6-10 holes into the cap of the plastic bottles. Less holes = slower drip, more holes = faster drip. Don't make the holes too small as they might get clogged with debris.

Remove the bottom of the bottle by cutting it vertically to create a funnel. It'll make it easier for you to pour water in, and it can also catch water when it rains.

Dig a hole next to the plants (or in between plant groupings, depending on how your garden is set-up) that is deep enough for at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the bottle to be buried. Place the bottle cap side down. Make sure the bottle is secure by pressing down on the soil, or you can put some stakes around it for support. Fill the bottle with water, and there you go.

If you have a bigger plot, you can make several of these bottles and bury them in intervals on the ground. Check up on them occasionally to see that the holes aren't clogged and the water is free from debris or pest eggs.

[dandelion]

This is great! It's so easy to do and the materials needed are available around the house. Thanks a lot!

[fleurdelys]

Indeed! I didn't realize that drip irrigation can be that easy. I was afraid to try it because I thought that there would be expensive equipment involved or some complicated set-up. This works well for me too. Thanks!

Any idea how long the water would last in those bottles?

[sakura]

Hmm, I guess maybe about 2 liters would be good for a day or two? Depends on how big the holes are, I guess. Maybe you can use a bigger bottle or container if you'd like to refill them less in between, or if you plan to use this method if you're going to be away for a couple of days.

[fleurdelys]

I did some more research on this and found an inexpensive method of creating a drip irrigation system using old PVC pipes and some odds & ends of garden items.

You need an on/off valve, a couple of pieces of garden hose with the female ends attached, a joiner, a male PVC adapter with a female 1/2-inch slip thread, a length of 1/2-inch PVC pipe, and a screw-on end cap to make the system. Drill holes halfway through the PVC pipe about 12 to 18 inches apart for clay soil, and 9 to 12 inches apart for sandy soil.

Connect the hose parts to the source of water. Next, join the PVC male adapter to the slip thread end of the 1/2 inch pipe, and screw on the end cap. Hoffman says there's no need to glue anything because this is a low-pressure system. Turn on the water just a little bit, and adjust the stream of the pipe as desired. The total cost of this project is around $5.

I might give this a try soon. One of my neighbors recently renovated their home & replaced their PVC pipes. I asked if I could have them and they gladly gave it to me.