Monday, April 25, 2011

Drip...Drip...Drip...

I could be talking about our weather here in Washington (I think we've had one day this month that it didn't rain), but I'm actually talking about installing an automatic drip watering system in my raised beds.  I had the first two beds done using the standard system of laying the tubing on the soil and holding it in place with metal staples.  This was the third drip system I had installed in the last 20 years and I have never liked messing with those staples, especially in a vegetable garden ... they are always in the way when it comes time for harvesting and replanting.  I was thinking that there had to be a better way when light dawned ... literally and figuratively ... the rain stopped long enough for me to go set up a bed with my new system.

I used Rain Bird products purchased online and from the local Ace Hardware.  I attached the system to a hose (temporarily; it will go on a faucet with a timer eventually) with this gizmo...

 

... and then attached some 1/2" tubing ...


I attached some 1/4" tubing to the main line of 1/2" tubing ...




... by punching a hole with this thing ...
















...and using a drip system connector ...












Then I used the same gizmo above to connect some dripline tubing (I was able to find some with 6" drip spacing at my local Ace Hardware) ...


... and I closed the system with a couple of small cable ties (the gray line you see in this photo is the soil warming cable...I'll do a post about installing one of those soon ) ...


... and here's the simple little light bulb that went on to make putting the tubing into the bed so much easier ...


I laced the tubing through these neat little eyelet screw thingies that I attached to the sides of the bed!

TAH DAH!


I still have more beds to set up and the first two beds to redo and then I'll attach the 1/2" tubing to the outsides of the beds so it's nice and neat and bury it where it becomes a trip hazard.  And I'm going to add a line into the greenhouse with tubing and emitters for the plants growing in pots there.  I'll post again when I can show you the finished drip system.

I'm glad my beds are all ready for automatic watering come summer ... Uh, we are going to have a summer this year, aren't we??  Please??

Enjoy!

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4 comments:

  1. PennyApril 25, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    What a great idea. We have had snow off and on all day. I wonder if we will ever have warm weather again. Only one day in 6 weeks above normal or even normal according to our weatherman.

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  2. SinfonianApril 25, 2011 at 5:20 PM

    Great work! I've heard bad things about drip systems and clogging, cracking, puncturing etc. I'm glad you've had good luck with them and your looks awesome!

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  3. kitsapFGApril 26, 2011 at 6:17 AM

    That is using your head! I love puzzling over things and then finding elegant solutions.

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  4. DebApril 26, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    Thanks, Penny. We are way below average, too ... and rain, rain, rain ...

    Thanks,Rick. I've had good luck with Rain Bird products in the past. I will put in a secondary filter (mostly because the outdoor water comes directly from the lake) and I flush out the whole system at the end of the watering season (what, about 2 weeks in July the way things are looking?)...

    Thanks, Laura. I always enjoy it when I figure out a solution before my husband does : )

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