In this video I’ll teach you everything you need to know to install a drip irrigation system that actually functions, and share some key details that other videos just don’t talk about! If you want to create a drip irrigation system that saves you time and money, and provides targeted and accurate watering to your garden, come along and learn to grow bigger and better harvests.
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Time Stamps
00:00 Introduction
00:53 You HAVE to understand this
01:25 Every System needs this
03:18 Watering on Autopilot!
05:10 Running Supply Lines
05:31 Branching off of Main Lines
05:51 Always use a Valve
06:19 Plug and Play makes it easy!
07:04 Garden Bed Supply Header
07:42 You Need to know this trick
08:43 Everyone does this WRONG
09:05 Supply Greater than Demand
09:47 Why Premade systems FAIL
10:11 The RIGHT way to Figure out Flow Demand
11:42 You can easily do this wrong
12:11 You MUST know this about low flow water supplies
12:52 Multi Zone Systems
13:26 Water your Garden like a PRO
16:20 NOW you are set up for Success
16:53 The Best thing you have ever done for your Garden
In this video, I’m going to show you everything that you need to know in order to install an atome drip irrigation system to automate your watering and get better harvests. Installing a drip irrigation system is an amazing and worthwhile upgrade for any garden. It saves you time, it saves you water, and you’re more consistent, which yields bigger and better harvests. And I’m not talking about a soaker hose or those pre-made and gimmicky drip irrigation grids. By the end of this video, you’ll have learned everything that you need to know in order to install a DIY yet professionalgrade drip irrigation system for your garden. And you’ll even be able to go on vacation this summer without worrying about all of your plants dying. Yes. In order to design and install a drip irrigation system that is going to function properly, there are some details that you really need to be able to understand and apply to your situation. And there’s one detail that I don’t see anyone talk about that is crucial to ensure that your system functions properly. But don’t worry, none of this is difficult. And once you know and understand these details, you’ll be able to design and install a drip irrigation system for any type of garden. All right, first let’s start off with the basics. Every drip irrigation system is going to need these specific things in order to function properly. And this system right here is what controls the drip irrigation for my whole 1,000 square ft or 300 ft growing space vegetable garden. You’re going to need a check valve, a pressure regulator, a filter, and a timer. In order to automate the process, we’re going to install a check valve right below our spigot or our hose. Whatever your water supply is, the check valve is going to only allow water to flow in one direction. We don’t want any dirty water reverse flowing through the system and back into our clean water supply. Then we’re going to use a pressure regulator. This is going to vary based on what type of tubing you’re actually using in your drip irrigation system. I’m using drip line, so I have a 25 PSI pressure regulator. Whichever type of tubing that you’re using, you’ll just have to make sure that you get a pressure regulator that’s rated for that type of system. For example, drip line might only be 15 lb. So, you’d have to get a 15 pound regulator in order to supply your system. Then, we’re going to have a filter. All of a drip irrigation systems supplies, i.e. drip tubing or drip line, has really, really tiny emitters. And we want to make sure our water is free of any debris so that way we actually don’t clog our system. So, I would definitely recommend using a filter. And last but not least, the literally the brains of the whole system, a timer, which is going to simplify the process. We’re going to set everything on here once, and we’re going to forget it for the rest of the season. I absolutely love this timer by Rainpoint, and we’re going to be talking even more about it later in the video, but I want to give you a quick demonstration on how this works, because I absolutely love this timer and its features. The most important thing is that it has two zones, which means that it can split off from one area to another, which is extremely important. This is the part of the system that no one ever talks about and it is essential. But in regards to the timer here, it has so many different features. I can turn my drip irrigation system on and off very easily. I can program how often my drip irrigation system is going off just by hitting the plus or minus button. I’m going every two days. I can go how long each one of these zones is running for. Every time my drip irrigation system goes on, it goes on for 26 minutes. And I can easily change it up or down. I am also determining the start time. I want my plants to get water first thing in the morning. So that way it sets them up well in the beginning of the day. and my plants are going to be perfectly hydrated all throughout the day, even in the middle of summer. And last, but certainly not least, is a rain delay. If it rains, I can basically tell my drip irrigation systems to pause, take a break, and wait a couple days before it runs again. So that way, I’m not overwatering the garden. This timer is absolutely great. And if you want to pick one up for yourself, I’ll put a link down in the description. If you have any more questions about how to use this timer, let me know down in the comments. But this supply header is required for every single automated drip irrigation system. This is what’s going to put your watering on autopilot and ensure that your system is going to function the right way every single time. So, from the supply valve that’s all the way over there, this 3/4 inch polyline runs all the way through my garden and then it branches off to every single one of my garden beds. And you can see it running right here. And we’re going to use this garden bed as an example because I just harvested my garlic. And you can actually see the whole setup that I like to use. So, off of my main supply line, what you can do is either use a T like this or an elbow to branch off of that line to direct your drip irrigation system to the specific garden bed that you want to water. In this case, I used a T because the line continues to go off in that direction. But off of that tee on every single one of my garden beds, I like to install a valve which allows me to just turn off the drip irrigation system specifically to this garden bed. So if I have a leak or something, I’m not just wasting water from it dumping out over here. And it’s also going to affect how the system performs in every single garden bed. So having this valve here is really important. So that way you can just fix the issue while the system is still operating elsewhere. Then I used a little bit of drip line with an elbow and another T to make this supply header for the individual garden bed. And as I said, these connections are literally just plug and play. I can just twist this right here, twist this off, and just be able to pull off this line. And it’s completely modular in that way. So you can just design the system and put it together however you want. And I’ll make sure that I put a link down to Drip Depot in the description. But if you’re also struggling with designing a system for your garden, let me know in the comments and I’d be more than happy to set up a consultation call with you and design your drip irrigation system for you. But when I create my drip irrigation systems, I like to use a supply header. So this is coming off of the main line and then we’re branching out into a header where I have three different drip lines. And I don’t like my drip lines to be more than a foot apart. So that way we get good coverage across the whole garden bed. So I basically just use some of that supply tubing in order to make pieces run off to the right and to the left. And then I’ll use a hole puncher that comes with most drip irrigation kits. Punch a hole approximately where I want it and just plug in the line. One trick that I’ve learned and I really don’t see a lot of people do is you have all three of these lines. You can just run it down the length of your garden bed and call it a day. You would just plug off the end right here. But what I like to do is make a header at the back end of my raised bed. The reason why I like to do this is if a clog develops in one of these lines, you’ll actually get water supplied up from another line and then to the back end of that line. So, if I just had a straight run and let’s say I got a clog at this emitter right here, the emitter back here wouldn’t be getting any water and the back end of my raised bed would remain dry. But by installing this header, I’m allowing water to flow up a different line and come this way and then make sure every single emitter is getting water even if there is a clog. So, I like to make a header at the front and the back end. So, that way we could just stretch this all the way down. And now I know that my system will always get water everywhere on the raised bed. So that’s a general description of how my system is set up. But this is just the beginning. Now we need to understand, and this is the important part, how to actually design the system for it to function properly. Because you could just throw together a drip irrigation system similar to what I just made and it might work, but it also might not. And here’s why. Every single water supply like this spigot that’s coming out of my house is going to have a limit to how much water it can actually push out at any given time. And if your system needs more water than this can supply, your system is not going to work properly. For example, I’ve got my spigot running and I’ve got my hose running and I have this flow meter right here from Rainpoint, which I absolutely love. It tells me in real time what my flow rate is. So now I know the flow rate coming out of this spigot is 3.5 gall per minute. That is the limit at which my spigot can supply water. So if I throw a drip irrigation system together for my garden and the overall flow rate is more than three and a half gallons per minute, the system isn’t going to work properly. there’s not going to be enough water to actually supply everything that your garden needs. And this is what we need to do in order to figure out how to supply the system properly. I’m going to throw a nice little description up on the screen here for you just to make sure everything makes sense. What we need to do is figure out the amount of flow is going to every single one of our garden beds. And this is what making every single garden bed, whether it’s an ingground garden bed or a raised garden bed, the same dimensions makes this really simple because then you only have to do this once and you can just figure out the total flow of your whole garden. But even if you have differentiz garden beds, it’s really not that difficult. But let’s work with this raised bed right here. It’s 3T by 10 ft and I’ve got three emitters on here. The drip line that I’m using for this garden bed is 10 foot long, which means that it has 10 emitters. And each emitter is outputting water at half a gallon per hour. So if we have 10 emitters putting out a flow of half a gallon per hour, each line is putting out 5 gallons every single hour. And since we have three lines, that means this individual garden bed is using about a/4 gallon of water every single minute. So since our supply flow rate is almost 3 1/2 gallons per minute and this single garden bed only needs a/4 gallon per minute, we know that the system is going to work properly. But the problem lies is when you add more and more and more garden beds. So if you don’t understand what your water source can actually supply and the demand that your system is putting on your supply, then you can very easily create a system that just doesn’t function the way you want it to. So understanding these little details will help you not only design but also create a drip irrigation system that will work and function properly. So, if you have a relatively large garden like I do where I have over 13 raised beds, my supply isn’t enough to keep up with the demand of my garden. So, in that case, what do I do? And that goes back to the timer that I have from Rainpoint. It has two zones. So, what I’ve done is actually split my garden in half. So, at any given period of time, only half of my garden is getting watered. So, that means I’m only putting half the demand of my garden on my supply, which means that I will always have enough water when one of the zones are running. So, this timer allows me to split my garden watering in half. You probably remember seeing 5:00 a.m. on zone one. So, I’ll let my drip irrigation run for a given period of time, and I’ll make sure that it doesn’t switch over to the other zone until zone one is watered. So, now the next part of figuring out how to design the system is how long do I actually let my system run for? The whole point of this system is to get targeted and accurate watering. And now that we know the demand of our garden beds at any given period of time, we can figure out exactly how long to run this system for to give us the exact amount of water that we need. So to do this properly, we are going to have to do a little bit more math similar to what we did for determining the flow rate of this garden bed. And to make it easy again, I’ll throw it up on the screen. But you’re going to have to calculate the amount of demand that every single one of your garden beds needs. And I know that all of my garden beds are the exact same dimensions. They have the exact same demands on my system. So every single one of my garden beds needs.25 gallons of water every single minute. So if I have eight garden beds along here, 8 * 0.25 25 is 2 gall per minute. So I know that when my system turns on, it’s supplying water at a rate of 2 gallons per minute. So a disclaimer right now, every system is going to be a little bit different cuz it totally depends where you live. Where we are in southeastern Virginia, we do get quite a bit of rain. So my system isn’t going to be running all the time and I know the amount of water that I have to supply. But if you’re living somewhere like in the high desert, you’re gonna probably have to water your garden more often and just deeper, longer periods of watering. But the thumb rule that I like to use is one gallon per every single square foot of gardening space. So if I have a 25 square foot garden bed, I’m going to want to water that garden 25 gallons every single week. And what I like to do is break up my waterings. So that way I’m watering my garden about three times a week. This is going to ensure that I’m watering my garden deeply, which my plants love. All right. So if my goal is to water my garden 25 gallons every single week, and that’s going to be the same across every single garden bed, which makes it nice. So 25 gallons every single week. And I’m going to water my garden three times a week. So 25 divided by three is about eight. So that means every time I water, I want to supply every garden bed with eight gallons of water. And I know that my system supplies 0.25 gallons every single minute. So if I divide my demand or my need, which is 8 gall, divided by 0.25 25 gall per minute. That means I need to run my system for about 33 minutes in order to deliver that 8 gall of water. So now you have all of the information that you need in order to understand how a drip irrigation system truly functions. How to design it, all of the parts you need, how to set it up, and how to get it to operate properly. And I know the math can seem a little bit intimidating, but just watch this over again and it’ll start to make sense. And again, if you have questions, leave them down in the comments. I would be more than happy to help you figure out how to design a specific system for your garden. But these are the fundamentals and the essentials that every single drip irrigation system needs in order to function properly. And I know that after you get the system installed in your garden, you’re going to have even better harvest, the best harvest that you have ever had, and you’re going to be able to put your watering on autopilot. So, you can do other things. You can care for your garden. You can do the weeding and the harvesting that you always need to do. Some people love to handwater, and I get that, and I do it sometimes as well. But there is nothing more reliable than having a system that is automated and it’s working for you even when you forget. So you can come out here and enjoy the garden that you have put so much time and effort into. And I’m all about saving time and working smarter and not harder. I hope you enjoy this one. Let me know if you need a follow-up video on this topic and I’d be more than happy to create one. Thanks for coming along with me today and I’ll see you in the next one. [Music] Right there. [Music]
40 Comments
Great information
Nice
I just decided to buy a 100ft 3/4” quality hose online… and a bunch of hose repair kits plus a bunch of Ys to set up all my leader hoses. It works great. I feel like using a hose like that is more resistant to the elements long term and the Ys have built in shutoff valves. I feel like it simplifies the setup. I just blow it out for the winter and it should hold up well.
I also had to make sure personally to get the 15psi regulator. The difference is whether your drippers or driplines are pressure compensating or not. Lower PSI means you cant have as many drippers per zone you water, but the drippers and driplines are cheaper. Higher PSI means you can probably add about 50-100GPH more to the zone but you must make sure every dripper and dripline is pressure compensating. I think the joints connecting the 1/4” tubing to the 1/2” tubing might be more prone to leaking too. I think. Depending on the kind of connection you made.
Personally i prefer going for the lower pressure with more zones. I dont want to have to constantly worry about if the drippers i get are quality enough. And i want to be able to get the cheap stuff. Adding more zones is just the difference between a one zone vs a multi zone hose timer and honestly the cost difference there is minimal compared to the cost difference of needing more expensive drippers.
Also im setting up my pressure regulator and filters after the hose timer, not before. This does mean i need more of them because its two pressure regulators and two filters after the timer rather than one each before the timer… but I personally think its the better way of setting it up… let me explain.
If you put a pressure regulator before the timer (particularly if you’re going down to 15psi like me) it will prevent the timer from shutting off properly because there is a minimum pressure those need in order to seal shut. It may not be as much of an issue of you have 25 or 30 psi but you will definitely see it with 15. It might be why you think you need a check valve… that might help keep the pressure high enough in the line to shut off since its not back flowing but personally I dont bother with that. It depends on your situation but if youre not putting chemicals or whatever in your water its not likely to be a significant issue. When the timer shuts off its off. It shouldnt flow either direction at that point. And i personally run off a well system with a pressure tank and theres other check valves in our system anyways. Its just not really necessary unless your HOA demands it or something like that. Theres different ways water systems are set up and you just got to look at how yours is.
Also the filter is after the timer not before… and thats because there filters can lower the PSI a bit too, particularly when it gets full and clogged. Of you dont check your filters frequently this can happen and the pressure will drop to the point of causing the timer to malfunction and in other words, it wont shut off properly and you could have a day where you check your garden and its been watering constantly for days.
Anyways its not the biggest issue… its just not the best practice. If saving money on another filter is important (tbh theyre not that expensive) then do it before but be sure to check it often… again im off a well system so this is more of an issue for me but if youre on municipal water that isnt hard water its far less likely to be a major concern.
You thru me off when you said your thumb rule as “1 gal per square feet” then it took a couple of views to see that you did have it in the screen at 15:54. It would have help by saying “1 gal per square foot per week”. Thanks for the video… very helpful
Thanks but cant watch flailing hands
I have to admit that drip irrigation intimidates me. I cannot thank you enough for providing a free worksheet. I just found your channel today and I'm now subbed and a huge fan!
Great video.. subbed!
Unsolicited opinion. Drip Depot has maybe the BEST customer service of any online retailer I have ever used. AND they dont just sell (an insane) variety of irrigation products, but also general gardening equipment. In fact I just order mesh net bags from them to protect my pumpkins from the marauding squirrels in my garden (they freaking wrecked them!) anyways.. Free shipping past 50 bucks and its not amazon trash… whats not to like! just some info i thought others may find helpful.
Hi! I’m a beginning gardener and I totally appreciate the very clear advice you gave in this video. I’d love even more videos on irrigation. THANKS SO MUCH! I’m glad I found your channel.😊
Thorough.
Quick question… is there a way to unclog those emitters? I have the same type and several are clogged even with the filter
I thought the calculation per week would be much easier if you just go back to each emitter producing 1/2 gal per hour. You have emitters every foot. So 2 hours/week should give you 1 gal./week. Divide that by 3 watering sessions/week and you 40 min. (120min/3) Alternately, you could look at 0.25gal/min.for each bed. If you want 25 gal for the bed, you'd need 100 minutes. (0.25 x100=25) Divide that by 3 sessions 100/3=~33 min. I couldn't understand why the answers were different until I saw that you were saying your 10×30 ft beds were 25 sq ft. Curious why you said 25 instead of 30.
Check valves or backflow preventors do not go before a water timer, they come after.
Love your video. Thank you for breaking the design down to simple steps. Now I have a much better idea about setting up my drip system. I could still use a little help with my layout. Are you available to discuss my drip system design? Thanks again.
Thank you. 😊
BEST clear & digestible instruction EVER! 🤦🏻♀️I can’t even tell you!
Hey Milliplank! They are talking about you, DRIP!
Feet is the plural of foot.
Eden four zone, bluetooth timers are the best.
I've tried this several seasons in a row. Squirrels or rabbits keep chewing up the drip lines. I've even buried them and they still do it. 😕
This is so great. Thank you very much. Do you experience freezing conditions/I Winter and if one does how do you care for the system in free time? Thank you!
Wish I understood the terminology.
Thank you for patiently walking us through the calculations and why. This is what I have been stumped on for too long.
Never heard of Pressure Regulators.
Great video – clear, concise. You have really simplified the process of setting up a drip system. Subscribed 🙂
Great video! Blessings
I have never seen anyone speak about running a drip system off a frost free hydrant. I have phenomenal water pressure from my frost free hydrant. But I need to put a pressure regulator on it but I'm afraid the pressure would blow it. Do you have any thoughts on that? I need to create a drip system that runs 300 feet and I need that pressure. Thank you
3.5 X 60 minutes =210 minutes or 210 gallons per hour so you can supply 210 1 gallon per hour emitters. If you ran the bigger tubing instead of the spaghetti tubing when one emitters plugs only that one will stop watering not needing the second manifold at the end. Very good Explanation for people to understand.
Head over to dripdepot. Best customer service and prices and shipping options!.
Thank you…just starting to think about how to make my gardens less work and this video got my mind going.
Great Info! Very Clear and understandable.
I bought the supplies to put a drip system in my 20×48 high tunnel in Alaska. I'm trying to put together a design to work on this fall.
I might have to seek your knowledge
Thank You!
Amazing clear description! Thank you so much.
How does it work for organizing watering for each plant? Every single plant needs the same amount of water? Tomatoes vs watermelon? Or they are at least close enough to not worry about it?
WOW! I'm so glad I found your video. You make something I've been struggling with clear and simplified! Looking forward to watching more on your channel. Do you have any advice on watering a large established avocado tree?
How does PSI vs flow rate come into consideration
Great video! Thanks. Subbed!
THANK YOU!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I JUST SUBSCRIBED!! IM GOING TO WATCH IT AGAIN.😊
How would you know the flow rate of the raised bed set up? do you need a flow meter on each bed supply header?
Love the math! Great job. Greetings from the ‘high dessert’ in Colorado.
THANK YOU so much for this INCREDIBLY clear and complete info !!!
Good explanation. I have, over the years, replaced all drip tape with drip tubing. tape cannot curve and as roots extend outward a drip tape output is simply not enough. Go through Drip Depot – I tried buying on my own and it was a disaster.
especially in dry climates, especially in pots, automated agua is essential. mom grows in potting mix. I notic that once potting soil dries out it becomes hydrophobic! Here with our dry summers, it's easy for a planter to dry out and people don't notice that you can water and water, yet take a fork and it may be bone dry and inch down. sprinklers keep enough moisture in the soil to prevent pots from trying out completely and becoming hydrophobic