Are you tired of struggling with hose pipes? Your frustration growing as you try to undo endless numbers of knots. Well look no further we have a solution for you.

A drip irrigation system allows for automated watering of plants this takes away the need of manually using a hose pipe to water each plant which can be time consuming. The garden watering system works by connecting a series pipes which will allow the water to flow around your garden, and then by connecting a series of drip emitters placed around the garden usually at the base of the plants, these emitters act as an outlet releasing water to the base of the plant ensuring strong root development and healthy growth.

This can be connected to a tap or a timer, which compared to the conventional method of using a hose pipe will give you much greater control over how much water each plant receives which in turn will help to save more water and money. The timer can be used to automate the watering system and can be set to your preferred watering time i.e. every Thursday at 05:00am water will be released to the base of the plants, this is great for people that may not have the time to water their plants or may be away from home for prolonged periods of time. Drip irrigation is ideal for flower beds, hanging baskets, vegetable patches, greenhouses and garden planters

If an automatic watering system sounds like the right set-up for you then keep reading because in this post we will show you a quick set up guide to get you on your way to automated watering and say goodbye to hose pipes.

What you'll need:

• Water Timer (optional)
• Nut & Tail Tap Adaptor
• Irrigation Supply Pipe 13mm
•  13mm Connectors(Elbows, Stop ends, Tee Connectors etc)
•  Pipe Stakes and Nail in Clips
• Irrigation Hole Punch
• 4mm Tube Adaptor
• 4mm Micro Supply Pipe
• Adjustable/Fixed Drippers
  
  

  Other Items that may come in handy in this irrigation setup are Pressure Reducer and an Irrigation Filter these items can help to ensure the system functions properly.

Steps to follow:

1. Firstly, get your water timer if you choose to use one, then connect this onto the outside tap. This will be connected by the nut and tail adaptor. If you opt to use a pressure reducer then this will be connected to the timer first before the nut and tail.

Pipe Network:

2. Now you run the irrigation pipe work around your garden covering the parts you wish to be watered while making cuts and inserting fittings (Tees, Elbows and Stops) where necessary. The irrigation pipe can be warmed indoors or in the sunshine beforehand to make it more flexible.

3. Now make a hole in the 13mm irrigation supply pipe with the hole punch at a 90° angle and insert a 4mm Tube Adaptor, then cut a length of 4mm Micro Pipe enough to reach the location of your dripper and connect to the 4mm micro adaptor. You may see leaks from the connections but these typically seal over time.

4. Once you are happy with the network of pipes you can then start to secure this in place by using stakes and wall clips. On average a stake should be placed every meter on the 13mm irrigation pipe and micro stakes placed close to the dripper at the end of the 4mm micro tubing.

Connecting Drippers (outlets):

5. Push the micro pipe onto the barbed inlet of the dripper and secure in place with a micro tube stake, drippers can also be inserted directly into the 13mm irrigation pipe by punching a hole with an irrigation hole punch, then push the dripper barbed inlet into the punched hole.

6. Fixed flow drippers should be placed close as possible to the base of the plant and adjustable drippers can be shared between groups of plants placed closely together.

Testing and Finalizing:

7. Now connect the system to the tap with all stop ends removed from the 13mm supply pipe, now turn on the tap to flush the system of any debris during installation this will ensure drippers are not blocked. Now reconnect stop ends and turn on the tap allowing the system to build pressure for around 3-4 minutes and starting to release water.

8. When you are happy with the system and there are no leaks it is now time to program your water timer set the timer to water twice a day early morning and late evening in high season 15– 20 minutes and out of season 5-10 minutes. Adjust setting accordingly.

System winter care:

In the winter remove all stop ends and flush the system and allow to drain to prevent any frost damage, remove your water timer and other tap connectors and store away from places that may be prone to frost. Drippers can be soaked in vinegar and warm water to be cleaned and prevent blockages. Remember to replace stop ends after draining to prevent insects from entering the pipe.