Transcript MG6 Drip Irrigating Your Garden

Drip Irrigating Your
Garden
Kent Phillips, Howard Co. Master Gardener
[email protected]
College of
Agriculture 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?
Watering the root zone
Gravity fed system
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. beds
Milk jugs
Tomato
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 a
Drip Tube System
• Adapters and Connectors
• Header line
$.70
$1
$.25 to
$75
$3
$50 for 250 feet
Major Parts of a
Drip Tube System
• Emitters, punches, cutters and goof plugs
$.15 to $.75
$3
$.20
$18
Major Parts of a
Drip Tube System
• Timers, Controllers and solenoid valves
$15
$20
$300
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
Drip Tube
Drip Tape
Header line
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 Center
http://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 Program
http://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