Drip Irrigation: Because I'm an Environmentalist *and* Lazy

I finally got around to adding drip irrigation lines to my six raised beds. One would think a lazy person such as me would have added this system last year as it really will cut down on the work of watering, but I just never got around to it; apparently, Mr. Lazy Bones ran into Mr. Mañana. I ordered the materials from a very knowledgable woman in Salt Lake city, Kathlyn Collins, whose website, The Gardening Coach, is a trove of useful information. And she will willingly talk to you at length over the phone to answer questions and give advice. The hard part about this all is just figuring out how to get started; once that happens, it's pretty easy to work things out, and even ad-lib. Kathlyn's prices are also very reasonable, so there's not much of an up-charge for getting advice as well as materials.

The drip lines I used have emitters every 4 inches, and the lines are placed every six inches across each box to allow for blanket coverage. This type of coverage is essential for square foot gardening.

The design the Gardening Coach website espouses looks like a good arrangement for boxes set out on a flat surface, but I quickly discovered it would be problematic for my boxes which are terraced into a hillside. I opted for a different approach where I would run the ½-inch sub main across the inside top of each box, and attach the drip tape with Starter 6mm Barb x 5/8" Tape Swivels and ⅝" tape end plugs (see below).

I ran the ½" sub main line across the end of each box. I also attached each section to a piece of 2x2 cedar so it can float on the soil at the end of each box (see next pic below).

Sub main header ready to install.

To enable the use of my hoops and cover, as well as trellises and tomato cages, which sit on the top of each box, I had to lower the sub main headers below the tops of each box. I started this by drilling 1" holes on each end corner.

Then I used a reciprocating saw to clean up each notch.

Next, I prepared each ½" sub main line for the installation of the barbed swivels to which each drip tape line would be attached. I used a 7mm punch for this, a great little time saving device well worth the 8 bucks I paid for it.

Attached drip tape swivel. Only 35 more to go.

One header down, five to go.

Sub main attached to 2x2 header board and floating in the box. This design will also facilitate winter removal of the lines as all I have to do is unscrew the connector that attach it to the next box.

The lines between boxes are enclosed in ¾" PVC pipe to prevent damage from heavy-footed bi-peds. I also used a piece of 1 ½" PVC to cover the connectors sticking out the end.

After the headers are all installed, the next step is to attach each 8-foot piece of drip tape to each swivel.

After pushing tape onto end of swivel, simply screw the cap over the tape.

After all lines are connected, and water is flushed through the system to remove any possible debris, the end plugs are similarly attached to the drip tape.

After careful placement across the box, each drip tape line is secured by a landscape staple.

Each run of sub main is capped off by a screw cap that allows the lines to be flushed as well as drained for the winter should you decide to leave them in place.

This side of the yard is ready to attach to the water supply, in this case a hose coming from one of the two house spigots. On the end is the pressure reducer which is attached to the filter, which is itself attached to the swivel-t. These three bits are the only parts that have to be removed in the winter.

The final touch is adding a timer to each line. I will start by watering every other day for 10 minutes and modify from there.