What is a drip irrigation system for? First of all, to free the owner of the infield from the hose, which takes a lot of time and effort. The hose sometimes does not reach the right place, gets tangled or bent, it has to be dragged, damaging the plants .... A well-organized drip irrigation system, which can be used in greenhouses, on beds in open ground, a small lawn, in flower beds, helps to avoid all these torments.

You can install drip irrigation with your own hands, without having special technical skills: all the necessary components are on sale in specialized stores. With self-production, watering will meet your individual requirements, taking into account the smallest details.

For standard solutions (irrigation of greenhouses, greenhouses or small beds), ready-made kits are available for sale (AquaDusya, Beetle, Harvest, Water Strider and many others) with or without automatic control. .

How to make drip irrigation yourself? There are several options for its device on the plot. For the correct selection of equipment, follow our recommendations.

Watering with ready-made components

1. First of all, we decide on water intake source. It can be a water supply, a well or a well. An open reservoir for organizing drip irrigation is not suitable, since the water in it will be excessively polluted, and the equipment will quickly fail.

If you plan to connect the system directly to the water supply, then there is no need to purchase a pump, however, due to the unstable water pressure, a pressure reducer may be needed.

If the source of water intake is a well or a well, then water from it is first pumped into a storage tank (barrel, eurocube). The volume of the container should correspond to the volume of water spent on one irrigation. It is calculated using the following formula:

Number of plants * water consumption per plant per hour * watering time

For example:

60 strawberry bushes * 2 l / hour * 2 hours = 240 liters are needed for one watering.

From the storage tank, water flows through the main pipeline to the drip tape or droppers.

2. What to choose: drip tape or drip tube with droppers?

Watering with drip tape is more designed for uniform plantings of plants, for example, potatoes, beets, herbs, onions, garlic. Can be used to irrigate narrow or complex lawns.

The drip tape is a flat thin-walled tube, inside of which there are special built-in devices for supplying water. From high unregulated pressure, the tape can break, so if the irrigation system is connected directly to the water supply, it is necessary to purchase a special reducer that regulates pressure up to 1 bar. The maximum length of the bed on which you can put a drip tape is 100 meters.

There are several types of tapes:

1. Slotted.

In such a tape, a labyrinth is built in along the entire length, distributing water pressure evenly. At certain distances, water outlet holes are made in the labyrinth. Slotted tape is prone to clogging, so a good filter must be installed in the drip irrigation system when using it.

2. Emitter.

Emitters are special flat droppers equipped with a complex system of passages (maze), built into the tape and supplying water to the plant. Emitters can be located from each other at different distances - 10, 15, 20, 30 cm. The smaller the distance between the emitters, the higher the price of the tape. The choice of distance depends on the type of crops to be irrigated. The emitter tape is more reliable than the slotted tape, and its price is generally higher.

An important parameter is the thickness of the tape, on which its strength depends. The thinnest tape will serve in the open field for only one season, it is most suitable for greenhouses.

Cons and pros of drip tape:

• it is required to install high-quality filters before supplying water to the belt
• short service life
• may break at high water pressure

• low price
• watering can work from a tank without a pump (by gravity)

- more rigid, made of HDPE and designed for self-installation of external droppers, produced without holes. Connectors, tees and repair sleeves for drip tapes and tubes need different ones, since the diameter of the tape is measured inside, and the tubes are outside. Unlike a conventional HDPE pipe, the wall thickness of the drip pipe is smaller (from 0.8 to 1.2 mm) and its material is UV resistant. The tube withstands water pressure up to 6 bar.

They are used for irregular plantings, for watering shrubs, trees, flower beds: where it is important to water each plant bush individually. Droppers require high water pressure to operate.

Droppers are connected either through thin special hoses, or directly to the drip tube - in this case, the principle of their operation is similar to a drip tape with built-in droppers.

Some droppers provide for regulation of the volume of water poured out, such droppers are called adjustable.

Types of droppers:

Compensated

Provide uniform watering with a long tape length, as well as in areas with a slope. They work well only at a certain water pressure, therefore they are not used when watering from a tank by gravity. Less sensitive to water contaminated with small particles.

Uncompensated

Such droppers are used on flat areas without a slope, with a small length of the drip tape. Suitable for watering from a container, as they can work at low water pressure.

Droppers-pegs used for spot irrigation, as they are installed directly in the root zone of the plant.

Pros and cons of droppers

• installation step is self-selected
• outlet volume can be adjusted

• higher price
• adjustable drippers are time consuming to set up and clean

Conclusion: if you need to organize the irrigation of crops such as onions, potatoes, beets, carrots, garlic, radishes, lawn grass, and a storage tank serves as a source of irrigation water, choose a drip tape. In the presence of a pressure reducer, drip tape can also be used when watering from a water supply system.

If drip irrigation requires adjustable, individual for each plant (flowers, shrubs, trees, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants), and the water supply source provides sufficient working water pressure, choose droppers with micro-supply hoses.

Watch a video illustrating the use of drip irrigation using one of the ready-made systems as an example:

3. We purchase the necessary components.

1. Pump. Required to supply water from a well or well to a storage tank or directly to the main hose of the system when installing a pressure reducer.

2. . For irrigation by "gravity" in the absence of a connection to the water supply, the container must be raised to a height of 50 cm to 2 meters to create the necessary working water pressure. If it is not possible to install the barrel at the required height, you can use a submersible pump by connecting automation to it to adjust the irrigation system. In this case, it is important to observe all the parameters of the water pressure in the system and monitor the water level, for example, using a transparent hose, in order to protect the pump from running dry. The main hose is connected to the container with the help of a special coupling.

3.Hoses. To connect to a water source, a main hose or pipe with a diameter of 13.16 or 19 mm is required.

Drip tapes or smaller diameter tubes are connected to this hose. For droppers, you may need thin supply hoses with a diameter of 4-7 mm.

4. pressure reducer. Helps to regulate and maintain the necessary pressure for the correct operation of water outlets.

Reducers up to 1bar - used for drip tape.

Reducers from 1 to 2.8 bar - used for irrigation with a drip tube with external droppers.

5. Drip irrigation filter. It is used to purify water from pollution, it is necessary when taking water from a well or a well.

6.Drip tape, drip tube, droppers, microtubes. The choice of these components depends on the purpose and purpose of drip irrigation.

7. Fitting. Required for various connections:

• start connectors - with their help, the drip tape is attached to the central line
• faucets - combine the functions of a strat connector and a faucet, provide zone-by-zone irrigation
• repair couplings - needed to repair the tape when it breaks
• corners and tees - useful for creating branches and turns
• racks - press the tape to the ground, protecting it from displacement during gusts of wind

8. Plugs. Needed to seal the end of a tape or hose.

9. Mounting tools.

A piercer or punch is needed to make holes in the "blind" hose for connecting droppers.

10.Irrigation control automation.

Timers (mechanical or electronic), controllers (powered or battery operated), weather sensors, solenoid valves. With the help of timers and controllers, the regularity and duration of irrigation is set, and its process is fully automated. The correct operation of the system depends on the quality of the equipment, so you should not save on automation. When setting automatic irrigation control, do not forget about the rain sensor, which will turn off the system during rainfall.

If there are several heterogeneous irrigation zones, along with the controller, it is necessary to purchase solenoid valves that connect the main line and drip irrigation lines. The program will first turn on one zone for watering through the solenoid valve, and then another.

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation system: the simplest installation option using a storage tank.

1. We connect a pump to the water intake source to fill the tank with water.
2. We install the container at a height of 0.5-2 meters from the ground, to it at a distance of 10-15 cm from the bottom we connect the main hose with a tap and a filter.
3. We lay the main hose perpendicular to the drip irrigation tapes, install a plug at its end.
4. We drill holes in the main hose with a drill according to the number of drip irrigation lines, we connect the lines using start connectors or taps.
5. We lay out the drip tape or tube with water outlets up.
6. If it is necessary to attach droppers to the tube, we make holes in it using a special punch, insert the supply micro-hoses and connect the droppers to them.
7. We close the end of the tapes with plugs, having previously driven water through the system so that all the air comes out of it.

Scheme of installation of drip irrigation using an automatic controller

Drip irrigation from plastic bottles

The simplest watering for a greenhouse can be organized without financial costs for special components, using improvised means.

It is very easy to make drip irrigation from plastic bottles with your own hands, for which containers from various drinks are suitable.

Near the bush of a plant that needs watering, a plastic bottle is dug in, with the cork up. Several holes are made in its bottom through which water will slowly flow into the soil. The container is filled with water through the neck, then the cork is slightly screwed to reduce evaporation. The disadvantages of this method of irrigation include the rapid clogging of holes and its unsuitability for heavy soils that do not absorb water well.

Plastic bottles can not be dug into the ground, but hung above the plants on a wire with their neck down at a distance of 5-10 cm from the ground. A hole is made in the neck, into which an empty cut-off rod from a ballpoint pen is inserted, through which water enters the roots of the plant.

If you make a hole in the bottom and insert a medical dropper for intravenous infusions into it, then, firstly, the water supply can be regulated, and secondly, it will fall exactly under the root of the plant. The hole can be smeared with sealant so that water does not leak.

Drip irrigation from medical droppers

Using a polypropylene garden hose and medical IV drippers, you can build a simple drip irrigation system. Holes are made in the hose with an awl or drill, into which tubes from droppers are then inserted. The holes are sealed, the watering speed is adjusted by the wheel on the device.

Care of the drip irrigation system

For the winter, it is necessary to roll up all the equipment and place it in a heated room, since hoses and drip tapes can crack from the action of low temperatures. It is better to wind hoses and tapes on special reels so that there are no creases.

A do-it-yourself drip irrigation device will allow you to reduce the cost of specialist services and choose the optimal irrigation scheme for your needs.

- a progressive, complex system that requires careful and painstaking care. The more acres planted, the more thoughtful this option should be, providing the crop with the proper water content.

Varieties of automatic watering

Automatic watering in the country is the best opportunity to simplify your life and save money. In the case of a rational distribution of irrigation fluid, you can save the consumption of this raw material. The practical side of the issue implies the presence of three basic varieties of irrigation systems.

1. Rain technology involves the flow of water from above. Thus, the plant leaves are irrigated, dust is removed from them, while the soil remains unchanged. This type is the most effective, because it is as close as possible to natural moisture.
2. The drip variety is the most economical because it does not involve the expenditure of water on the surface of the plant or on the soil that is nearby. In this case, the roots are not affected either - it turns out that the soil is fully moistened as much as necessary. This type of irrigation is an ideal solution for owners of a large garden area and a limited amount of water.
3. The subsoil form of automatic watering for summer cottages and gardens involves saturating the earth with moisture, and the top layer remains dry. That is, water comes from within, and this form of interaction helps to protect the stems and leaves of plants from decay, and also prevents the growth of weed crops.

In general, the system can work according to the automatic and mechanical principle. In the first case, you do not need to monitor the amount of water and the frequency of watering the beds. This is due to the fact that all functions are clearly adjustable and subject to automatic control.

On a note! This type of installation is designed to last more than 10 years, but a considerable amount of money will be required for manufacturing. Sometimes a semi-automatic scheme is used that launches the option at the required time mode. Auto-irrigation in the country can be organized with your own hands, but for this you will have to perform a set of rational measures to prepare for work.

Making your own drip irrigation function

The essence of the method is to supply water with a storage tank under a certain pressure indicator, and the pipes are equipped with special droppers, which are located in close proximity to the root system. The disadvantage of operation is that normally the water supply is carried out only to the nearest droppers, while the rest of the elements suffer from a lack of water.

Advice! With an increased pressure indicator, the first nearby elements will experience excess moisture, so it is necessary to develop a high-quality pressure system.

If it was decided to use this particular irrigation system, you should pay attention to several of its constituent elements:

• Pipeline type system, the presence of distributing units. Traditionally, preference is given to products made of metal plastic.
• Valves - these components will be required to regulate the water supply process, that is, if the limit is exceeded, the valve prevents subsequent supply.

• Counter - this element is needed to obtain information about the amount of water that is spent. Without it, problems may arise in determining the amount of water supplied to the plants.

• Water filters are presented in great abundance, so it will not be difficult for the user to choose the right one, based on the quality of the water that is supplied. With a high level of contamination, it is worth giving preference to products with an automatic flushing option.

• Fertilizer units - they can be specially mounted separately from the tank and serve for high-quality application of liquid and granular fertilizers. The fertilizer will react with the water in the pipes and be delivered to the plant via a dropper.
• Connecting and damping mechanisms must be used in places where pipes branch.

So, the answer to the question of how to make automatic watering in the country is quite simple, therefore it is necessary to rationally ensure the organization of this system, having previously drawn a diagram of the site and depicted beds with plants on it. This will allow you to calculate the number of connectors and drippers required.

Do-it-yourself watering-sprinkling

• Sprinkling is an automatic system, often used for watering lawns, but this method is also relevant for owners of vegetable gardens, summer cottages, and garden plots. If the work takes place according to the automatic principle, maintaining a balance between irrigation frequency and the degree of moisture absorption plays an important role. This principle has a huge plus - it does not violate the soil cover. Due to strong water jets, there are no unnecessary holes left, so the root system has the right to maintain integrity. An important task for the owner of such a system is that it is necessary to ensure full control of the pressure and intensity of the jets in order to avoid soil waterlogging.

To mount rain irrigation equipment on a personal plot, it is necessary to ensure the laying of pipes and the distribution of irrigation systems for a uniform flow of water throughout the entire plot.

Advice! In case of drinking water bushes and trees mechanisms should be attached higher. An important part of the entire system is 20 mm tubular elements, and you also need to pay attention to the taps themselves and sprayers with nozzles. Irrigation must be uniform, otherwise there is a possibility of drying out or rotting of the root system.

If it was decided to make automatic watering in the country with your own hands, you are five minutes away from a competent answer to this question. A rational approach to business will allow you to achieve optimal results and create a high-quality working system without much difficulty.

Proper and regular watering of all horticultural crops on the site is the key to their good growth and fruiting. Water is vital for plants, without it they will simply wither and die. But if you do not always have the opportunity to come to the dacha and water your plantings on time, then the automatic irrigation system will help you out. It can be purchased at the store, and it is also quite easy to make it yourself. And you will no longer have to ask neighbors and acquaintances living nearby for help in timely watering - and without them, your plants will receive enough moisture.

An automatic irrigation system is a special technical complex that is independently able to provide uniform and regular watering of a certain area. The system belongs to the category of so-called landscape irrigation, which consists of special sprinklers, various valves, taps, hoses, a pump and the main control center - a small controller that determines the need for irrigation and acts according to the program laid down in it. The automatic irrigation system works according to a specific schedule, which is entered into the control program.

On a note! The automatic watering system is also known as "smart rain". So she was christened summer residents. The main advantage of this design is the ability to control it.

Such irrigation systems have long become commonplace in large industrial greenhouses, winter gardens and greenhouses, parks. Now they are becoming more and more popular in ordinary garden plots, small flower beds.

The reason is simple - the undeniable advantages of these structures:

• ease of operation;
• the ability to leave the garden plot without watering with personal participation - the system will cope with this task itself;
• the ability to set the required frequency and intensity of irrigation;
• the ability to set work at certain hours and in a certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe garden plot;
• the system “understands” that it is starting to rain and automatically turns off, thereby saving water and not pouring it in vain; the device reacts sharply to the level of humidity;
• durability (you only need to worry about the system during earthworks, the rest of the time it has been working properly for many years).

Automatic irrigation systems can be:

• sprinkler;
• combined.

Sprinkler systems are in the greatest demand, as their work is very similar to natural rain, which plants love so much. This system will eliminate heavy buckets and hoses - they will be replaced by small makeshift water fountains. And its source, by the way, will be completely invisible among the plants, subject to proper installation - this means that the irrigation system will not spoil the beauty of flower beds and lawns. Irrigation itself will be carried out evenly throughout the irrigated area.

Prices for drip irrigation systems

drip irrigation system

Device and planning

Before you decide to purchase or build an automatic irrigation system, try to learn as much as you can about it. This is necessary to understand not only the main advantages, but also how to install it and how to work with it. What, from a technical point of view, is an automatic irrigation system and what does it consist of?

Table. Elements of the automatic irrigation system.

Element	Description
	This is perhaps one of the main parts of the automatic irrigation system. The controller can be called a mini-computer or even the brain of the entire device. It is thanks to him that the entire irrigation system will work. The controller will control the devices, regulate the number of irrigations in accordance with the set program, at this time it will also have a humidity sensor that is sensitive to rain and, if necessary, will turn off the system. The mini-computer can be installed both at home and on the street.
	A device that is responsible for the correct supply of water to pipes and sprinklers.
	They are necessary for the system to serve for many years without breakdowns. The fact is that an open reservoir or a well can be used as a source of water, which means that all kinds of debris can be present in the liquid, which, once in the pipes, will easily destroy the entire system. And filters will protect it from getting debris inside.
	It is necessary if the water does not come from the water supply. The station will create the necessary pressure in the pipes, which will actuate the sprinklers and nozzles.
	It is through them that water moves from the reservoir or water supply to the site. Pipes are connected to valves, tank and sprinklers. Dimensions and cross-section will depend on the placement area. It is best to purchase pipes made of low pressure polyethylene.
	Roughly speaking, this is a special device for watering, a sprinkler or a watering head. This part of the irrigation system is installed underground and at the moment when pressure is applied to it, it extends the nozzle, through which water enters the site, scattering over a certain area in a cascade of small sprays.

The automatic watering system works like this: the controller controls the solenoid valves by opening or closing them. Pipes are connected to them, in turn, through which water will be supplied to the site. Through the pipes, it reaches the watering heads and irrigates a certain area.

For small areas, fan sprinklers are better suited, which will do an excellent job of watering flower beds and lawns. The approximate radius of their work is about 5 m. There are also devices that supply water in only one direction. Usually used for roadside lawns.

There are also rotary sprinklers that rotate dynamically and easily cope with watering large areas. And bubblers are designed to equip the root watering system for plants.

On a note! Rotary and fan heads are usually not installed in one zone, since they have different irrigation intensity.

Now you know the simplified scheme of the automatic irrigation system. But before you start installing an irrigation system, you still have a lot of work to do.

The fact is that the installation of a sprinkling device involves 4 stages:

• design;
• cost calculation;
• installation;
• launch.

And the point of design and installation requires special attention. What does the design phase include? It is important to consider a large number of nuances here. That is why gardeners often hire specialists, rather than begin to develop the entire plan themselves.

To plan your own system, you must be clear about which parts of your yard need automatic watering. This will help to make an accurately drawn up plan of the site where the source of water is marked, and the so-called dendroplan, on which all plants are marked.

How to draw up a site plan and dendroplan?

Step 1. Use a tape measure to measure the garden area. Mark all buildings, garden paths, fences on a piece of paper.

Step 2 Transfer your sketches to graph paper at a scale of 1:100. Everything has to be right here.

Step 3 Divide the plot on graph paper into zones and mark the places where sprinklers should appear. Carefully consider whether water splashes will reach the house, road and other elements.

Step 4 Put all the elements of the irrigation system on the diagram.

Step 5 Carefully draw and study the approximate irrigation radii. In accordance with these data, you will choose watering heads. And remember - in the area where the sprinkler itself is located, the least amount of water will fall during irrigation, most of it will spill far from it. Therefore, when calculating the number of sprinklers, consider this moment.

As you can see, the critical place for each sprinkler is the area in close proximity to it.

By the same principle, draw up an approximate dendroplan of the site, which will include the location of all plants, including bushes and trees.

On a note! Remember that you must mark the source of water and electricity, plumbing, drainage and other elements on the plan. This will help you better orient yourself and correctly install the controller and tank if necessary.

Also, ideally, not only the location of sprinklers, plants, buildings, but also the composition of the soil, the presence of heights or differences in the site, and much more should be taken into account. One of the main parameters is the hydraulic load.

If there is an old tree with a trunk diameter of more than 30 cm on the site, but it cannot be cut, because there are other structures or plants nearby. The only way out in such a situation is.

Hydraulic calculation

A hydraulic calculation is necessary in order to determine the required diameter of the pipes in the area, as well as the number of solenoid valves and the working water pressure that the sprinkler nozzles can raise from the ground. Empirically, it was found that the optimal diameter of the central pipe in the system on a plot up to 1 hectare is 40 mm. Such a pipe has a relatively low cost; inexpensive inch valves are suitable for it. About 50 liters of water per minute calmly passes through such a pipe. Based on this, we can conclude that the performance of the automatic irrigation system should be exactly 50 l / min.

By combining the sprinklers marked on the diagram with a radius, irrigation sector, flow rate into groups of 50 l / min, you can determine the required number of valves. Look: if the first valve, located in the middle of the watering line, enters a flow of 50 l / min and then splits into 2 by 25, then it is advisable to continue to connect pipes of a smaller diameter. The pressure required and recommended by the sprinkler manufacturer must be brought to the device itself.

Installation of an automatic irrigation system

After you have calculated the required amount of each element of the automatic irrigation system, have purchased everything you need, you can start installing the system itself. Please note: you will have to dig up the site - the pipes are laid underground, so there is a lot of work to be done.

Scheme of assembly of SKO "Kapel"

Consider the installation of an automatic irrigation system using the equipment from Hunter as an example.

Step 1. On the site, mark out and mark the exact layout of the irrigation system. You can mark the places where the sprinklers will be with pegs.

Step 2 Decide where the pumping station will be located (if one is expected in the system).

Step 3 Where the main pipes will be laid, dig a flat trench 30-40 cm deep, provided that you will not dig or plow here in the future. Otherwise, the pipes will have to be laid to a depth of at least 50 cm.

Step 4 Also make trenches for pipes that bring water to the sprinklers themselves.

Step 5 Start laying the main main pipe in trenches.

Step 6 Cut the main main pipe according to the diagram.

Step 7 Connect both parts of the pipe with a tee-splitter. Thus, you will get a tap to the middle line. Attach a pipe that will carry water to the sprinkler.

Step 8 Attach a special articulated elbow to the end of the newly attached pipe using a smaller bend, which will allow you to adjust the height of the sprinkler. Do the same for all water supply lines.

Step 9 Install nozzles in rotary sprinklers. To do this, unwind the "glass" with the mechanism, remove the inner part, slightly compress the spring on the sprinkler and insert the nozzle into a special hole. Lightly press it and it will easily go into the sprinkler itself.

On a note! To check if the nozzle has risen correctly, release the spring - if it (the nozzle) has risen to the very top, then it is installed correctly.

Step 10 Tighten the nozzle screw clockwise with a special key.

Step 11 Attach the sprinklers to the articulated knees.

For the convenience of connecting irrigation sprinklers to the pipeline, Hunter produces special pipes of various lengths, at the ends of which angles with external threads are fixed, rotating in different directions

Step 12 Bury all trenches. Leave unburied areas immediately adjacent to sprinklers.

Step 13 Level the sprinklers with the ground by operating the articulated knee. Do it with a level. Please note that the top of the sprinkler should be just below the bottom line of the level lying on the ground. If necessary, the soil under it can be slightly undermined.

Step 14 Bury the sprinkler. It is important to compact the soil around it very carefully. Compaction should be done after every 2-3 shovels of soil.

There is always plenty of work in the countryside. Especially a lot of time is taken by the three main concerns of the summer resident - watering, loosening and weeding. Installing an automatic garden watering system will significantly reduce labor costs, save energy and allocate time for more important activities - transplanting, pruning, harvesting and conservation.

Advantages and disadvantages of automatic watering

Installing such a system will not be difficult, and the gardener, in addition to saving time and effort, gets a lot of advantages. Automatic watering beds allows you to:

1. Carry out regular watering in your absence. The owner of the site can always leave for a long time and not worry that the plantings will dry out.
2. Apply moisture directly to plant roots. This saves water and does not disturb the topsoil, as after regular watering with a watering can, therefore, you will have to loosen the bed less often.
3. Add to the water for irrigation dissolved.
4. Do not worry about uneven watering, when parts of the plantings do not get enough moisture, and some are flooded.
5. Water at night. This is extremely convenient for those crops that prefer sprinkler irrigation, but it is not recommended to do this in the sun to avoid burns on the leaves.

Any automation has its drawbacks, which must be taken into account when planning an automatic watering system for beds:

• with a long absence, it is difficult to establish a suitable automatic watering schedule, because periods of drought can be replaced by prolonged rains, and the weather forecast is far from always correct;
• in the event of an unplanned power outage, the automation stops working;
• installing automatic irrigation of beds will cost more if water is taken from an open reservoir, or the operating pressure in the water supply system does not match the parameters of the automatic irrigation system.

In the latter case, you will have to install cleaning filters or additional equipment that regulates the water pressure.

Types of automatic watering systems

You can set up automatic watering for any plantings, whether it be beds, lawns or indoor plants in pots. Only the scale of work and methods of water supply differ. There are three main irrigation systems.

Sprinklers

Through special devices, water is sprayed over the surface, irrigating a certain area. Such systems are usually installed on lawns.

Drip irrigation

In this case, moisture is supplied to the roots of plants and is not spent on the entire area of ​​the beds or greenhouses. This method has four big advantages:

• saves water;
• the top layer of the soil is not disturbed, and it is necessary to loosen much less often;
• weed growth is significantly reduced;
• the air stays dry.

Drip irrigation is necessary for greenhouses, as high humidity contributes to the spread of diseases in greenhouses.

Underground automatic irrigation

Such systems are installed where it is necessary to irrigate large areas, but sprinkling is difficult or impossible. Summer residents use underground irrigation extremely rarely due to complex installation and expensive equipment.

Lawn sprinkler irrigation

Such systems are most often installed by owners of extensive lawns. With their help, a lot of effort and time are saved, and the installation of the sprinkler system is the most cost-effective and does not require fine tuning. Lawn grass easily tolerates a slight excess or lack of moisture and high humidity. The minimum set of accessories for installing such a system includes only hoses, taps and sprinklers. When you open a tap in the water supply, water is supplied through hoses to sprinklers, and after some time it is turned off. This method belongs to semi-automatic, as it works only in the presence of the owner. To carry out without human intervention, the installation is supplemented with the following components:

• pumping station that provides constant pressure;
• water filters that purify water from foreign matter that can clog the holes of the sprinkler;
• solenoid valves that regulate the flow of water to individual sprinklers;
• controllers that control the entire system according to a given algorithm.

If the lawn is only planned, it is better to lay the hoses underground, leaving only sprinklers on the surface.

A drawing is first made, on which all elements of the system are transferred on a scale with reference to the terrain. Such a detailed drawing will allow you to quickly find a problem or lay additional underground communications without affecting the existing automatic watering system for the beds.

All components of the sprinkler system can be bought ready-made in specialized stores or assembled from individual parts yourself. Convenient and inexpensive sprinklers are famous firms "Gardena", "Hunter", "Rain Bird".

Drip irrigation device

used wherever sprinkling is undesirable. Most garden crops do not tolerate high humidity. So, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, onions, many flowers can get sick with fungal diseases. Therefore, the device of a drip irrigation system is preferable for them. The difficulty lies in the fact that almost all of these plants need to be watered only with warm water, which means that you will need a container of the appropriate volume. The barrel is installed at a height of at least 1 meter to create the desired pressure.
The simplest drip irrigation system consists of:

• containers;
• crane;
• water filter;
• start connector;
• ordinary hose;
• drip hose;
• end plug.

Start connectors are needed to regulate the water supply to individual sections of the drip hose. With their help, you can increase or decrease the time of watering individual beds without blocking the common tap.

The system of automatic drip irrigation of beds can be supplemented with a pump that will pump water into a barrel and controllers that control the water supply in automatic mode.

Automatic watering of the greenhouse with a minimum water pressure - video

We all love fresh fruits and vegetables that grow in our backyards and summer cottages. But it is impossible to grow them without regular watering. Such an opportunity can be provided by an irrigation system in the country from plastic pipes. Why from plastic? This is a relatively inexpensive material that can be mounted by hand, without using bulky electromechanical devices and tools for this. In addition, plastic pipes are superior to metal products in their main characteristics.

There are various options for the formation of an irrigation system, each of which has certain features and fundamental differences.

This is the least expensive method of irrigation, in which water is supplied to the plants from a source through dug grooves. The whole system is located on the surface of the soil, so the question of how to do watering in the country with your own hands is practically not worth it. Water is poured into the soil directly next to the plants. With this method of watering, the roots are deprived of part of the oxygen, so it is undesirable to carry out such irrigation.

Sprinkling

Water moisturizes the plants, coming to them in the form of sprayed drops. Such spraying is created with the help of special sprinklers installed in certain areas of the site. Sprayers can be static or rotating. Such watering does not harm the structure of the soil, which is qualitatively and deeply moistened. In addition, the aerial parts of plants are also saturated with moisture, which increases their productivity. As a disadvantage, one can note the uneven spraying of water during irrigation in strong winds. The problem can also arise in case of insufficient water pressure in the line.

Drip irrigation

This is the most rational and economical method of irrigation, during which water flows directly to the roots of plants through a drip tape connected to an irrigation pipe. Such irrigation is possible even from a storage tank if there is no water in the main pipeline. Air access to the roots is maintained, and the soil structure does not suffer.

The disadvantage of the drip system is the likelihood of frequent clogging of the pipe due to the ingress of soil particles and various debris into its holes.

Subsurface irrigation

This is an irrigation system in the country from plastic pipes laid inside the soil layer, at a depth of about 30 cm. Holes are made in the pipes through which water flows to the roots of growing plantations. The system is good for greenhouses and stationary plantings where regular digging is not performed. However, you can lay pipes once, and already plant annual plants relative to their location. Intrasoil irrigation relieves the summer resident of the need to loosen the soil surface. It also has a positive effect on the flow of oxygen to the roots.

Pipeline openings can become clogged, so a filter must be provided at the inlet to the irrigation pipe.

Advantages of plastic pipes

Polypropylene products and HDPE pipes are usually used for irrigation in the country. If you make a choice between these options, then it is recommended to give preference to polyethylene products, since their installation is simpler, and the pipes themselves have exceptional strength and durability. We list their main advantages, thanks to which plastic pipes have gained popularity and appreciation among summer residents:

• The inner walls of the pipes are exceptionally smooth, which eliminates the formation of deposits inside the pipelines. Thus, a better throughput is achieved with smaller diameters of the pipes themselves;
• The strength of the pipe walls ensures the safety of products even if they are exposed to relatively heavy garden equipment;
• Plastic products are more durable than their metal counterparts;
• Plastic is inert in relation to the aggressive environment, which is the soil, so pipelines can be laid even inside the soil layer;
• HDPE pipes do not collapse even at;
• Installation of polyethylene pipes for irrigation in the country is extremely simple to perform. There is no need to use electrical equipment or any complex tools to connect sections of the highway and insert additional elements.

We told how they are mounted in a separate article with a video example.

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Automatic and manual irrigation control

Do-it-yourself irrigation system in the country can be formed with the possibility of manual, semi-automatic or automatic control.

Manual control is the simplest. The system, in this case, consists of a pressure pipe to which rigid or flexible hoses are connected. Watering is carried out manually. The sequence of water entering the hoses is carried out by opening the ball valves.

A semi-automatic system involves manual control of the water supply to a common line. Further, the system distributes water through the pipes independently, and also regulates the pressure and flow of water.

Tip: At any time, you can switch from a semi-automatic system to automatic watering without shutting off the water shut-off valve.

The irrigation system for a suburban area with automatic control fully automates the process of irrigating the site. A person may not be present at the dacha at all, and at this time the plants will be watered at a given time, with a strictly defined amount of water. Sensors responsible for measuring temperature and humidity will give a timely command to stop watering if the temperature drops or the soil moisture rises to a normal level.

Irrigation system installation

For laying the irrigation system, polyethylene or polypropylene pipelines with a diameter of 20-40 mm can be used (usually the main line has a larger diameter, and the outlet lines have a smaller one). The connection of HDPE pipes with the elements of the system is carried out by means of compression fittings. This job does not require any tools. Polypropylene products are joined with a soldering iron, so the presence of electricity in the country is a must. Both types of pipes have sufficient rigidity and durability, allowing you to operate the irrigation system without dismantling for the winter.

Consider how to lay pipes in the country for irrigation correctly. Such a gasket can be surface or deep:

1. Surface mounting involves the placement of all pipelines on the soil surface. Such a system is assembled very quickly, and in case of breakdowns, they can be eliminated very quickly and conveniently. But there are also disadvantages. The surface location of the pipes increases the likelihood of accidental damage. It also becomes more difficult to move around the site. Yes, and for intruders, pipelines can become easy prey if you visit the country house only occasionally.

2. Deep mounting plastic pipes for irrigation in the country. This option is more preferable, so we will consider it in more detail:

A do-it-yourself irrigation system assembled from plastic pipes will provide your site with moisture for many years, saving you from monotonous and routine manual work.

How to make watering in the country from plastic pipes, the video will tell in detail, indicating all the necessary elements of the system.