drip irrigating your garden

Drip Irrigating Your Garden

Kent Phillips, Howard Co. Master Gardenerkent.a.phillips@gmail.com

College ofAgriculture and Natural Resources

Begin with the basics.

• How much water does a garden need?• What other factors determine watering

requirements?– Soil structure– Soil texture– Plants

Soil texture

• Sandy • Loam• Clay

Soil structure

• Arrangement of soil particles• Organic matter

Why is soil texture and structure important?

• Determines how water penetrates the soil.• Determines how much water remains in the soil.

How do you irrigate?

• Watering can• Hose

What is micro irrigation?

Gravity fed system

Watering the root zone

Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages

• Disadvantages

Low Tech Micro Irrigation

• Place water holding containers in the ground.

Other low tech solutions

• Row crops and raised garden beds– Soaker hoses

Example using 3 ft. x 8 ft. bedsTomatoMilk jugs

Pepper

Higher Tech Solutions• Drip tube

– 100 ft costs $30– 500 ft costs $130

• Drip tape– 6,500 ft costs $120

Major Parts of a Drip System

Major Parts of a Drip System

• Backflow Preventer/Anti Siphon Valve– Cost $2 to $6

Major Parts of a Drip System

• Pressure Regulator - $10 to $12

Major Parts of a Drip System

• Screen or filter - $15 -- $20

Major Parts of aDrip Tube System

• Adapters and Connectors• Header line

$1 $.70$3

$.25 to $75 $50 for 250 feet

Major Parts of aDrip Tube System

• Emitters, punches, cutters and goof plugs

$.15 to $.75 $3

$18$.20

Major Parts of aDrip Tube System

• Timers, Controllers and solenoid valves

$20

$300

$15

Major Parts of a Drip Tape System

• Home garden kit - $60 to $240

Drip Irrigation Rules

• Don’t exceed your water supply• Limit water pressure to 12 - 30 psi • Water flow will be limited by pipe size• Drip tube size controls length of run

Planning

• Layout garden on a sheet of graph paper• Plan your zones• Flow to any line/zone or zones

– Can’t exceed 75% of supply.– Limited by tube size and length– Flow to the zone depends on number and size of

emitters or length of drip tape

My Garden

Header line

Drip Tape

Drip Tube

Planning

• Layout garden on a sheet of graph paper• Plan your zones• Flow to any line/zone or zones

– Can’t exceed 75% of supply.– Limited by tube size and line length– Flow to the zone depends on number and size of

emitters or length of drip tape

Wrap up

• Plan your zones• Obey the rules• Check the web

Join the Grow it Eat it Network!

• A new campaign brought to you by Maryland Master Gardeners and the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC)

• Goals:– teach people how to grow food– increase the number of Maryland food gardeners– create a network of food gardeners who will

keep learning and sharing through classes, workshops, events, web site, blog

Resources

• Grow It! Eat It!http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit

– We have all types of practical food gardening tips and information. Check out our popular blog!

• Home and Garden Information Centerhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic

– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.

– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”

• Maryland Master Gardener Programhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/mg

– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!

This program was brought to you by the

Maryland Master Gardener Program

Howard County

University of Maryland Extension