Plants need water no less than people. With insufficient watering, they also experience stress, which slows down growth and disrupts the metabolic processes in the stems, leaves and root system. For a constant supply of water to the roots in metered amounts, a tape or pipe for drip irrigation is increasingly being used.
In this article, we consider in more detail the types of this equipment found on the market, and the features of choosing the appropriate option.
We will also pay attention to the features of self-assembly of a drip pipeline, we will give recommendations on the use of the system and its storage in the winter. We will also consider the main problems that most often arise during operation, and how to eliminate them.
Components of drip irrigation systems
The system for drip irrigation of plants is not just connected to a water tap, but has many special components and devices.
The optimal equipment includes such components:
- Pressure regulating valves. They are located in front of the drip pipes and lower the pressure of the water. High pressure can cause damage to the pipes and uneven watering along their length.
- Filter system. The outlets in the pipes are very small, so they are easily clogged with the smallest particles of sand and dirt. To prevent clogging and filters are applied.
- Water meter. A device for determining and accounting for the actual flow rate needed to calculate the real water demand.
- Fertilizer site. It consists of a container for mixing fertilizers and pumping equipment that supplies water to the pipe system.
- Controller. A device that regulates the operation of a water meter and pumping equipment. Serves for regulation of volume and time of watering.
- Trunk pipe systemleading water to the irrigated area.
- Drip pipes and droppers. Devices that directly distribute water.
Due to the need for drip irrigation systems in maintenance and adjustment, their cost is largely determined by the price of additional equipment. Often it costs much more than the polyethylene pipes themselves, so the financial factor should be considered when choosing an irrigation system.
There are drip irrigation systems for both the unpretentious grassy lawn and for half a kilometer industrial greenhouses. You can invest in any budget
Main advantages and disadvantages
The market has a wide selection of different types of pipes for watering plants, so choosing the right option is not so simple.
The choice of a drip system as the best option for irrigation of plants should be done only after weighing all the advantages and negative aspects. Indeed, the method using a hose with a suitable nozzle for irrigation will cost much less than the maximum automation of the irrigation process.
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A drip irrigation device will automate the main process of caring for cultivated plants - water supply to the root system
Pipes laid on the surface of the earth or installed on low supports are responsible for supplying water to the root system of plants
Drop watering involves the location of emitters (droppers) near each plant. The device evenly supplies water to the roots in the required volume
The pipes and devices that regulate the pressure are connected to a tank of water, the set of which is regulated by a float valve
Drip irrigation systems built for growing crops in open ground are made from pipes that do not respond to direct UV exposure
The drip irrigation pipes placed in the greenhouse are not subject to UV resistance requirements, but they must withstand thermal and mechanical stress without damage
In addition to the arrangement of areas occupied by vegetable crops and fruit plants, drip irrigation is used in the arrangement of winter gardens, alpine slides, flower beds
Drip irrigation systems are suitable for dosed fertilizing plants diluted in water with fertilizers
Plant Care Automation System
Pipes for portioned water supply to the roots
A portioned supply of water to plants
Water tank in drip irrigation system
Location of the system outdoors
Automated irrigation in the greenhouse
Watering Alpine Slides and Winter Gardens
Supply to the roots of fertilizers dissolved in water
Benefits include:
- The absence of sunburn of leaves. During rainwater, the water focuses the light on the leaves, which leads to fatal sunburn. Drip irrigation lets water directly into the soil, eliminating damage to plants by the sun.
- Low minimum working pressure. In the summer season, the pressure of the water supply often drops, and it is inconvenient to water the plants with a hose. The drip system is enough for the pressure to work in 0.2-0.3 atmospheres.
- Possibility of supplying warm water from storage tanks, which eliminates temperature stress in plants.
- 60% water saving compared to rain irrigation.
- Possibility of applying insecticides directly to the soilwithout contact with vegetables and berries.
- Fertilizer consumption reduction due to their better digestibility and lower soil losses.
- Possibility of night watering. Water is supplied automatically without the participation of the owners of the site.
- Lack of physical watering costs and control over the amount of water consumed.
- Ability to automate the irrigation process. A convenient feature that allows you to care for plants with minimal labor, because you do not need to walk around the site, "dragging" a hose behind it.
- 2-3 times increase in productivity. It becomes possible due to constant water recharge and reduction of stress in plants.
Despite the obvious benefits of use, the drip irrigation pipe system has its drawbacks. Which are only superficially examined.
These include:
- The high cost of drip irrigation systems. It should be borne in mind that the initial cost of equipment is offset by savings in water consumption and income from increased yields.
- The complexity of installation. Installing the simplest dosed irrigation system is easy. This can be done in one day, and then all summer to save time on irrigation.
- Clogged droppers. Properly installed droppers are rarely clogged with earth, and the supplied water can be cleaned with passive filters.
The benefits of a drip irrigation system are not exhaustive. This technique has many additional benefits for professional farmers. Therefore, the installation of pipes for drip irrigation is ideal for watering a summer cottage.
Types of drip systems
Despite the apparent uniformity of all water hoses for drip irrigation of plants, they are all divided into two groups: tapes and pipes.
Features of drip tapes
Polyethylene drip tapes have a wall thickness of up to 0.4 mm, so they are easily flattened and wound onto a drum. Due to the low material consumption, the price of tapes is quite low.
According to the mechanism of water outflow, they are divided into labyrinth, slotted and emitter.
Labyrinth droplet tapes have an adjustment mechanism that changes the flow of water. Its disadvantage is easy clogging and the need for strict adherence to the location of the tape
Pipes for drip irrigation
Pipes for assembling a drip system are made of polyethylene or PVC and they have walls with a thickness of 0.4 to 1.5 mm. Hoses do not fall off and constantly keep a round section.
These products themselves will be discussed later.
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Accounting for pipe material and operating conditions
Use of rigid PVC pipes
Polyethylene Watering Systems
Misuse of watering hose
Classification and use of drip pipes
Drip pipes, unlike tapes, are guaranteed to last 5-6 seasons, so their use is effective in growing perennial plants and trees. Due to the wide variety of designs and types of pipes for drip irrigation, it is worthwhile to dwell in more detail on the areas of application and the choice of one or another type of equipment.
Most drip pipes on the market have an outer diameter of 16 mm, although products with a thickness of 12 and 20 mm are sold.
Otherwise, drip systems can be divided into the following functional and structural differences:
- by the uniformity of pressure in the pipe;
- by type of dropper;
- a step between the droppers;
- by the location of the equipment relative to the ground;
- by the presence of holes for droppers;
- by water consumption.
Next, we will consider the classification of drip tubes according to the listed characteristics.
Criterion # 1 - uniformity of pressure in the pipe
According to the uniformity of pressure distribution, the tubes are divided into:
- Compensated. The flow rate of the leaving water at the end and beginning of the tube remains unchanged and does not depend on the pressure.
- Not compensated. The water flow rate varies depending on the pressure supplied at the beginning of the hose.
- Adjustable.
It makes sense to buy compensated pipes with a length of irrigation lines of more than 20 meters and with a minimum working pressure of at least 1 atm. In Spanish droppers, the opening threshold is 0.3 atm, Israeli - 1 atm, that is, with less pressure, the water simply will not leave the system. We talked about ways to increase the pressure in the system here.
And with a small length of pipes, watering will be uniform throughout the length.
Under the pressure of water, the silicone membrane opens the way for water to come out. The disadvantage of the scheme is the presence of a minimum threshold pressure at which watering is possible
Uncompensated and adjustable droppers can function at any pressure and even in gravity systems. Adjustable pipes require initial fine tuning, which is time consuming.
Criterion # 2 - type of dropper
Pipes can have droppers of the following types:
- rigid, in the form of an elastic tube;
- soft, in the form of a tape;
- embedded in the wall.
Pipes with built-in droppers are used mainly in dense gardens, artificial landscapes and shrubs, where the poured water will be available to the root system anywhere.
Built-in droppers with labyrinth compensators are prone to clogging with mechanical impurities, therefore, they require thorough water treatment with filters
Drip hoses with built-in external droppers are used for watering plants in the following areas:
- decorative crop production;
- hydroponic systems;
- industrial berry gardens;
- nurseries.
They can also be found in vertical landscaping systems.
The holes for the droppers are quite large and practically do not clog, and the tubes themselves are easy to wash, cleaning from sand
Droppers allow you to supply water to each root separately.
Criterion # 3 - step between droppers
The step between the emitters in the drip tubes must be selected, focusing on the crops grown. No need to buy equipment without a clear understanding of the list of plants that it will water.
Pipes can have such a step between emitters:
- 10-20 cm - it is installed during irrigation of grassy lawns, onions, garlic, parsley, lettuce, etc., is used on sandy soils, if necessary, a large flow of water or linear irrigation.
- 30 cm - It is used for irrigation of potatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, peppers.
- 40 cm and more (up to 150 cm) - It is used for irrigation of tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini, watermelons.
The latter species is often used in the nesting scheme for planting shrubs.
It must be remembered that the flow rate of drip pipes is indicated on one hole, and not on the entire length as a whole
If there is no plan for planting, then it is best to buy a blind tube and determine where to insert the droppers later on yourself. In addition, a decrease in the pitch between emitters leads to an increase in the cost of equipment.
Criterion # 4 - location of equipment relative to the ground
By location relative to the soil, the pipes are divided into:
- superficial;
- subsoil.
Pipes laid underground have a special design that prevents them from being quickly clogged by the ground.
They apply in such cases:
- It is necessary to hide watering for aesthetic beauty.
- There is the possibility of theft of the pipe.
- In artificial terrain systems.
They are also relevant to prevent damage to equipment during cultivation.
To make the drip holes less clogged, the pipe can be covered with medium gravel. This will additionally prevent the germination of plant roots in the system.
Installation of an underground system requires additional labor and financial costs.
Criterion # 5 - the presence of holes in the pipes
According to the availability of special places for connecting droppers, the pipes are divided into:
- the blind - These are solid pipes, holes for droppers in which you can do it yourself in an arbitrary place;
- emitter, with integrated outlets.
Both types are actively used.
When buying a blind drip pipe, you must definitely purchase a special metal tip to form holes for external droppers
Blind droppers are convenient for watering chaotically located berry bushes and elements of an artificial landscape. In them, using a drill or tip, you can always make a hole in the right places and insert a drop tube into it. There are stubs to plug extra holes.
Criterion # 6 - water consumption
As for water consumption, there is no clear separation of drip pipes, but for each product this parameter is specified in the instructions.
Equipment with different capacity has its own fields of application.
- Emitters with a flow rate of 2-4 l / h are installed on beds where two-way watering from one hose is required, as well as on sandy soils with high absorbency.
- Water in the amount of 1-1.5 l / h is enough for most grassy lawns and vegetables.
- Low consumption of 0.6-1 l / h is used on long irrigation lines and clay soils. With this pressure, good water filtration is required, otherwise the pipes may become clogged.
If desired, the water flow can be adjusted.
In uncompensated pipes, the pressure value influences the water flow, so the watering volume at their end will be lower than at the beginning
Before choosing pipes for drip irrigation, specialist consultation is required in order to purchase exactly the equipment that meets the existing conditions and plants.
Hand-made construction of an irrigation system
An effective automated watering system can be done with your own hands. Its device will cost much less than the assembly and installation of a ready-made set of pipes and devices. In addition, the application of one's own strengths and skills will bring undoubted pleasure:
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For the organization and installation of a home-made irrigation system, we purchase an HDPE pipe with a diameter of 20 mm, its length is calculated in fact. We purchase a crane, 20 pieces of adjustable droppers, fum tape, plastic couplings, elbows and tees according to a pre-made scheme
We buy or use an existing old tank in which there will be water for drip irrigation.It is desirable that the container is dark in color, then the water will spontaneously heat under sunlight
In the lower part of the tank, close to its bottom, we cut in a pipe to which we attach a ball valve and a fitting for the HDPE pipe
We connect the PND pipe to the coupling mounted on the nozzle and forward it along the intended path in the greenhouse
We give the pipe a day to lie down so that it spontaneously leveled. Then, in the pipe at the planned distance, we drill holes with a diameter of 3 mm for the installation of droppers
We remove the remains of the polyethylene pipe from the hole, remove the burrs, if they formed during drilling
We install adjustable droppers in the drilled holes. Instead, you can use unregulated, designed for a flow rate of 4 liters or 8 liters per hour
We make studs for fixing the pipe. In the example used spokes from an old bicycle wheel. They can be bent from aluminum wire or an unnecessary cable in an insulating sheath
Step 1: Procurement of materials for the assembly of the irrigation system
Step 2: Preparing the water storage tank
Step 3: Installing a faucet to connect the pipe
Connecting and pulling HDPE pipes into the greenhouse
Step 5: Drilling Dropper Holes
Step 6: Deburring the Holes
Step 7: Installing an Adjustable Dropper
Step 8: Making Studs to Fix the Pipe Route
It is permissible to lay the system of automated watering from a polyethylene pipe openly; it is not afraid of sunlight.
In open areas, it is not recommended to arrange PVC pipelines, it is undesirable to use polypropylene if there are open flame sources nearby.
We decided to do the installation of summer water supply in the country on our own, so as not to spend extra time and effort watering the plants manually? We recommend that you read the step-by-step guide on installing an automatic irrigation system using pumping equipment.
Tips for using drip systems
There are proven over the years recommendations for the use of drip pipelines, which increase their effectiveness.
- Fertilizing and dietary supplements is best done by dissolving them in the water supplied through the drip system.
- Watering should begin 2 hours after sunrise, and finish - 2 hours before sunset.
- The optimum temperature of water for irrigation is 20-23 degrees.
- Do not immediately serve cold water after running out of warm supplies.
- In a gravity system, the water tank must be at least 1 meter from the ground.
- It is necessary to monitor the uniformity of the diameter of the wet spots near each dropper. Their increase or decrease may indicate a rupture or clogging of the pipeline, respectively.
If it is impossible to water during the day, it is recommended to give plants 2/3 of the daily norm of water in the morning, and 1/3 in the evening.
In greenhouses it is better to put the storage tank indoors - there it heats up faster and keeps the water temperature longer
Proper watering saves water and is a guarantee of a high yield and beauty of the lawn cover.
Pipe problems and troubleshooting
The efficiency of drip pipes is highly dependent on operating conditions. Equipment can last a month, or maybe five years - it all depends on following the elementary rules for its use.
The main causes of drip pipe problems are:
- clogging;
- root sprouting;
- improper storage in the offseason.
Further, the listed problems will be considered in more detail, and options for their prevention are proposed.
Clogging and flushing the system
Country watering is often carried out with water from a well or natural reservoirs, so periodic clogging of pipes is understandable.
For groundwater treatment, a screen filter will be sufficient, and when watering from ponds, an additional disk filtering device must be installed. In the absence of pre-treatment, clogging of droppers can occur within a few days.
Regardless of the presence of filters, drip pipes must be regularly cleaned of mechanical sediment by water pressure. To do this, open the far end of the pipeline and supply water to the system at a speed of 6-7 l / min. Flushing continues until the sediment is completely cleansed.
You can punch a clogged hole in a dropper using a conventional foot pump. It is enough to put the pump hose to the hole of the empty pipe and swing it sharply
The elimination of bacterial mucus from the system is carried out by washing with a 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution. It is necessary to fill the system with a mixture and leave for 12 hours. After this, drain the chlorine liquid and rinse the pipeline with clean water for 10 minutes.
As the contamination is carried out, the drip system is also cleaned of salt deposits of 0.6% nitric, phosphoric or perchloric acid. The water used should be as warm as possible. The pipeline is washed with an acid solution for 50-60 minutes. After the procedure, rinse the system with clean water for half an hour.
Prevention of root sprouting in pipes
Drip systems with round openings for water exit are most susceptible to germination. The greater the moisture deficiency the plants experience, the stronger their roots reach for its source. Therefore, the prevention of root sprouting is based on sufficient watering.
Additionally, you can periodically move the pipes a few centimeters to the side so that the roots do not concentrate near the droppers.
Particularly relevant is the germination of plant roots in the holes of drip tubes in compact enclosed soils. It is recommended in such cases to periodically change the location of the water supply rod
If the problem is not solved by these methods, then it is possible to use special chemicals that inhibit the growth of the root system. But it is recommended to use them carefully so as not to destroy the cultivated plants.
Pipe storage in winter
It is necessary to plan the cleaning of the drip pipeline in advance so that unexpected cold does not freeze the water in the system and do not damage the pipes.
Winding pipes onto a drum is ideal for long-term storage: hoses and integrated emitters are not squeezed, and the roll can be easily protected from rodents
Before cleaning the pipeline for the winter, it is necessary to clean it from mechanical sediment, mucus and lime deposits. You need to rewind the drip system slowly, raising the hoses for draining water high. Keep rolls in a dry room, preventing the penetration of rodents into it that can nibble equipment.
Compliance with these rules will allow you to operate drip pipes without problems during the entire warranty period.
Presented videos demonstrate field irrigation systems. Viewing them will help to better understand the processes of installation, operation and automatic control of drip pipes.
Mounting a blind drip pipe:
Work with a tube of drip irrigation:
Automated drip system:
In skilled hands, drip irrigation turns into a powerful tool for saving finances and personal time, while improving the dynamics of growth and well-being of plants.
These systems do not require special equipment and installation skills, so anyone can assemble them. And certain financial expenses will pay off many times in a couple of years.
Do you irrigate all the plants in your area using a drip system? Tell us which pipes you have chosen for the installation of the system, approximately how much it cost you, are you satisfied with the results? Share with your beginners your success in growing vegetables and increasing their productivity - leave your comments under our article.