Automatic irrigation system - how to install

There is always a lot of work on the personal plot. Typically, most of the time is spent on watering, loosening and weeding crops. In order to increase your time for other tasks, such as transplanting, pruning or harvesting, the Automatic Watering System will become an indispensable assistant.

Auto irrigation - pros and cons

It is not difficult to install this system, and summer residents will be only happy, because they will have more time and energy for other work.

Automatic watering will help:

Water crops regularly when you are away. At this time, you can even leave for an indefinite period of time and not worry that your cultures will wither.

Moisturize plants at the roots. This will save you on water and not disturb the topsoil, compared to watering from a watering can, from which it also follows that you will have to loosen the soil less often.

Use dissolved fertilizers when watering.

To relieve your anxiety for uneven soil moisture, when some plants get more moisture, and some plants get less.

When watering at night. This method is suitable for plants that are best watered using the sprinkler method.

But of course, any automatic unit has its drawbacks, which must be taken into account when you plan to install such automatic irrigation of the beds.

Cons of autowatering:

With a long absence, it will be difficult to establish an irrigation schedule, since sunny weather can change to rainy, and weather forecasts do not always provide reliable information.

If the electricity suddenly turns off, then the automatic irrigation stops its work.

If, during installation, water will be taken from an open reservoir, or the pressure in your water supply system does not correspond to the parameters of the autowatering instructions, then it will cost you dearly. In this case, you still have to install purification filters that will regulate the water pressure.

Types of systems

This watering can be used everywhere, including for the maintenance of beds, greenhouses and lawns. The differences are only in the sizes and types of water supply.

3 automatic irrigation systems:

1. Sprinklers

Installed on lawns. They are devices that spray water over the surface and irrigate specific areas.

2. Drip irrigation

Here, water flows only to the roots of plants, and not to the entire occupied area. There are 4 positive aspects in this method: water saving; there is no violation of the outer layer of the soil, and, therefore, loosening is rarely done; the growth of weeds is reduced; dry air is kept. Such watering is usually used in greenhouses, because due to excess moisture, diseases spread more in closed soil.

3. Underground watering

This automatic irrigation system is used to irrigate large areas. On plots and vegetable gardens, this method of irrigation is not relevant, since the equipment is difficult to install and is expensive.

Automatic lawn irrigation system

This system is used on large lawns. Here you will save both energy and time, the installation itself is not so expensive and not complicated. Grass in such places usually tolerates excess or lack of moisture well. The installation kit consists of: hoses, taps and sprinklers. When we open the tap, the water in the water supply goes through the hoses to the sprinklers, after a certain time it is turned off.This method is considered half automatic, because it will only work when you are present.

If you want to water the lawn without your participation, then you will need to supplement the installation with the necessary elements for this:

To ensure constant pressure, install a pumping station;

A water filter that will help purify water from other impurities;

Solenoid valves that will regulate the water supply to individual sprinklers;

Controllers that will control the system according to your configured parameters.

If you are planning a lawn, route the hoses under the soil and leave the sprinklers on top of the soil.

To do this, it is better to make a drawing in which all the elements are displayed. In the future, this drawing will help you quickly eliminate the shortcomings or add underground elements to the already given system.

The components of the installations are usually purchased in a special store or assembled from various spare parts on their own. The most convenient and affordable installations are considered to be from “Gardena”, “Hunter”, “Rain Bird”.

Automatic drip irrigation system for beds

Many plants grown in vegetable gardens do not tolerate high humidity. Due to excess moisture, they pick up fungal diseases, because of this, it is better to water them with drip irrigation. But the disadvantage is that, for their watering, slightly warmed water is needed, for this you need to prepare a container of a certain size. This container will need to be installed at a height of at least 1m. to create a certain pressure.

This automatic irrigation system consists of: containers, taps, water filters, start - connectors, conventional hoses, drip hoses and end caps.

Do-it-yourself automatic watering system for plants - video

Automatic watering system - photo