Drip Irrigation

Choosing the Right Drip Irrigation Equipment for Your Garden Size and Type

May 30th 2024

Drip irrigation is the most efficient irrigation option for gardeners who want to save water, conserve energy, reduce weeds, and deliver precise watering to their plants. Every garden is quite different. Each garden is as unique as the person who creates and cares for it. Therefore, choosing the right drip irrigation components for your garden type is crucial for optimal plant growth and efficient water usage. When choosing the best drip irrigation components for your garden, you should select the products that match your garden type, size, layout, and plants you have.

Here is a complete guide to help you make the best irrigation choice for your garden that will help your plants thrive.

Consider the Size and Type of Your Garden

The first step is to consider your garden's layout and assess its watering needs. Different gardens have different water requirements, and your drip system should be able to meet these needs effectively.

Common Types of Gardens

From growing plants in the ground to using containers and raised beds, there are many popular types of gardening. Before choosing the right irrigation system, you must select the proper gardening method. You can choose a garden that fits your style, dedicated garden space, and home architecture. Here are the four most common types of garden.

Raised Bed Gardening

A raised bed garden has become highly popular, especially in urban areas. A raised garden bed is a raised structure that sits on the top of the ground. It is a constructed frame of wood, metal, or stone, placed in a sunny area, and can be filled with good-quality soil of your choice. With raised garden beds, you have more control over your soil, making this garden type an excellent choice for gardeners with rocky or poor-quality soil. A raised garden offers multiple benefits, including higher yields, fewer weeds, decreased water runoff, and better accessibility.

Container Gardening

Container gardening involves growing plants in different types of containers, such as hanging baskets, traditional pots, or grow bags. Planting in containers has become more popular with more of us living in apartments. You can still create a container garden if you don't have enough yard space. Additionally, container gardens can be moved, which makes them an excellent choice for gardeners who rent or are not ready for a permanent garden. You can easily create a thriving container garden by considering container size, plant type, and irrigation.

Row Gardening

Row gardening, or in-ground gardening, is the most traditional type of garden in which the soil is dug up, rocks, weeds, roots are removed, and seeds are directly planted into the ground. These gardens have plants arranged in rows, much like a farm but on a smaller scale; therefore, it is also called row gardening.

Row gardening is a great option for beginner gardeners because it does not require any special construction.

Landscape Gardening

Landscape gardening is a beautiful representation of a natural landscape in a home setting. This type of garden incorporates trees, water features, statues, carefully chosen plants, lawns, flower beds, and furniture in an outdoor space. Nowadays, landscape gardening is not only confined to huge homes; it is also perfect for any size home's garden.

Understand the Components of the Drip Irrigation System

A drip irrigation system consists of various crucial components, including tubing, drip emitters, filters, pressure regulators, fittings, valves, and a backflow preventer. Understand all the components to choose the right ones for your garden type.

¼ Soaker Dripline

This is a versatile component in a drip irrigation system with multiple uses. The emitters are pre-installed in the tubing at 6, 9, or 12-inch spacing. A 1/4 dripline is excellent for irrigating row crops, flower beds, raised beds, planter boxes, and window boxes. You can also wind it around large bushes or trees. The soaker drip line also works well with gravity and low-pressure irrigation systems.

½ Emitter Tubing

This in-line drip emitter tubing is used on medium or long rows, raised beds, flat or sloped terrain, in straight lines, or rings around trees. The tubing has pre-installed pressure-compensating emitters 9, 12, 18, 24, or 36 inches apart. Since the tubing already has emitters installed, installation time is reduced. You just need to roll it out, seal the end of the lines with end caps, and connect the dripline to a main water source.

Drip Tape

Drip tape is perfect for providing uniform watering to long, straight-row crops. You can install it above ground or buried. Drip tape is a great option for low-pressure systems with up to 4 PSI. If your pressure is greater than 15 PSI a pressure regulator should be installed for optimal results. DripWorks offers various types of drip tape. Depending on the requirements, you can choose the tape with low, medium, or high flow rates.

Emitters

Drip emitters are one of the main components of a drip irrigation system. Emitters discharge water to the plants. The plants and garden type determine the spacing and flow (GPH) of emitters. There are two main types of emitters: non-pressure-compensating and pressure-compensating emitters.

Basic Emitters: These emitters work best at low pressure, between 15 and 20 PSI. They are a good choice for low-pressure or gravity-fed systems. Some emitters will flow even at pressures as low as 4 PSI. The higher the water pressure from your water source, the higher the flow from each emitter.

Pressure Compensating Emitters: These emitters are ideal for delivering water if your drip system runs long distances. If you are installing a drip irrigation system in long rows or uneven garden areas with water pressure changes, use PC emitters.

Choose the Right Drip Irrigation Kit for Your Garden

Selecting the right irrigation kit for your garden type is crucial to efficiently watering your garden and landscape. A basic drip irrigation kit includes tubing, emitters, fittings, a pressure regulator, and a punch tool. Ensure that you choose the kit with high-quality and durable components for efficient water usage and a thriving garden.

DripWorks offers a wide range of high-quality drip irrigation kits that are the fastest and most affordable way to bring a drip irrigation system to your garden or landscape. Whether you have long rows of crops in the ground or a few potted plants, we have drip irrigation kits for every garden type. Each kit has every component you need to irrigate the kind of garden and create a working drip system. Our drip irrigation kits are available in small, medium, and large sizes, allowing you to choose the size that fits your garden requirements.

Raised Garden Bed Irrigation Kit

Our raised bed irrigation kits are available in three sizes. The small irrigation kit can handle up to three raised beds of 4' x 8' size. The medium-size kit can irrigate up to nine 4' x 8' raised beds, while the large kits can accommodate up to eighteen 4' x 8' raised beds.

Each kit includes a versatile 1/4 soaker dripline, mainline tubing, filter, regulator, fittings, hold-down stakes, and more. Determine the size and number of your raised garden beds to choose the right kit.

Container Garden Irrigation Kit

Our container garden irrigation kits are also available in three sizes and are designed to fit containers of all sizes. Each kit includes the flexible and durable 1/4 soaker dripline for use in planter boxes or large containers, pot dripper emitters for small containers, mainline tubing, punch and hold-down stakes, fittings, filter and regulator, and more.

Row Garden Irrigation Kit

Our row crop kits are perfect for watering row gardens or in-ground garden beds. The kit includes drip tape for watering long rows, drip tape fittings, mainline tubing, filter, PSI regulator, punch, and hold-down stakes.

How DripWorks can Help you Install the Best Drip Irrigation System for your Garden

At DripWorks, we understand that every garden is unique. That's why we offer a wide range of garden irrigation kits, each designed to meet the specific needs of different garden sizes and types. Whether you choose a complete drip irrigation kit or individual components, you can trust that your garden will thrive.

Visit Dripworks.com for more information on what drip irrigation products are best for your situation, including a drip planning guide and gallery of plans. If you still need help choosing a suitable irrigation kit for your garden, contact us and let our irrigation experts help you.