Making a drip irrigation system for greenhouses with your own hands. Homemade Watering System for a Greenhouse: Useful Instructions for Watering a Greenhouse by Gravity

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands never get bored!

Content

At the dacha in greenhouse conditions, home crops grow faster and produce rich harvests. To avoid problems in an artificial garden, and to delight vegetables with an unforgettable taste and presentable appearance, high-quality watering and soil fertilization are necessary. Drip irrigation is relevant, especially since the process itself is easy to organize at home.

Drip irrigation at the dacha

To water vegetables in a greenhouse, you don’t have to run around with buckets and waste precious time. This process can be automated at home, maintaining productivity and making your work easier. It is important to understand that poor-quality watering depletes soil resources, and grown vegetables are no longer pleasing on the dinner table. Providing water on the site and in the greenhouse is a matter of time and desire of every gardener.

Drip tapes

From the pipe, water moves through the greenhouse's control channel, passing through numerous filters for high-quality purification. Drip tapes are a component of an artificial irrigation system, and their characteristics are determined by the manufacturer. The main evaluation criterion is the wall thickness, which determines the service life, strength, and functions of the equipment. For example, for quickly ripening crops, a light drip tape is suitable, and for long-term ripening of vegetables, it is best to use a spare wall thickness.

Irrigation drippers

In drip irrigation systems, the presence of droppers is required, which have several modifications. This can be a compensated, collapsible model or collapsible drippers with controlled water supply. The main purpose of the equipment is to ensure equal pressure in different sections of the hose. In this way, all the crops in the garden are watered evenly, and the water flows in drops to the root system. Medical drippers can be used to provide practical drip irrigation.

Automatic watering in a greenhouse

If a person does not always appear in the garden, an autonomous watering system made at home will help him. To assemble an automatic model for a greenhouse, you additionally need to purchase a filter, a water container, a timer, a controller, a pressure regulator and a hose. Automatic watering in a greenhouse can be purchased, but in this case you will have to spend a lot of money. The main task is to create the required pressure inside the pipe so that water is supplied to the crops in portions after a given time interval.

Watering greenhouses without your participation

In Israel and other European countries, drip irrigation in greenhouse conditions is carried out using automation, and the participation of human resources has long been no longer required. To implement your plan, fill the barrel with water, buy special equipment and a water pump at the store. With its help, it is possible to supply water to an extensive drip irrigation system in a greenhouse, maintaining constant pressure, and install numerous drip tapes directly to the root system of each crop.

Drip irrigation beetle

This is a particularly effective method of irrigation in greenhouse conditions, which is affordable and accessible to everyone in terms of cost and functionality. In a specific case, it is necessary to use the “Greenhouse” and “Greenhouse” packages, which cover the entire area of ​​the greenhouse, but are also used in open areas. The production of drip irrigation in the greenhouse is carried out by Cycle LLC, located in the Vladimir region (Kovrovo). Each set has its own characteristics that should be emphasized:

The greenhouse equipment is designed for watering 60 crops, that is, it covers a greenhouse area of ​​18 square meters. The cost of a kit that consumes water from a container is 1,800 rubles, while a model with moderate consumption of liquid from a water supply system will cost the buyer about 2,000 rubles.

The greenhouse kit has a similar assembly and surface area to be treated, and offers several kits depending on the source of water supply. A model “powered” from a container costs 1,200 rubles, and one that consumes water from a water supply will cost 1,500 rubles.

Automatic aquadusia system

Drip irrigation in the greenhouse of the Belarusian manufacturer is designed for 50-60 plants, but if necessary it also covers larger areas. The modifications include manual, semi-automatic and automatic modes, maximally adapted to the wishes of the buyer. Among the main advantages of the watering mechanism, it is worth highlighting the following points:

• no need for electricity, flawless operation on batteries;
• compactness of the device;
• a set of droppers and hoses, according to the standard configuration;
• the ability to use mineral fertilizers, which makes the unit multifunctional;
• To install the aquadusya, instructions and a detailed drawing are included.

The most important thing is that this unit provides high-quality self-watering of plants with minimal water consumption, that is, it excludes human presence. Using 8 batteries, the mechanism operates for 6-8 months, and has a quality guarantee from the manufacturer. This progressive method can be used to water not only greenhouse crops, but also vegetable gardens, lawns, greenhouses, and front gardens.

DIY drip irrigation system

To organize high-quality irrigation of the root system, there is an urgent need for drip irrigation. In a greenhouse, this is the best way to preserve the nutritional properties of the soil and ultimately get a rich harvest. Since automatic drip irrigation is a very expensive pleasure, it is quite possible to make such a mechanism at home. It is important to follow the technology, prepare the necessary materials in advance, and understand the operating principle of the homemade design.

Irrigation scheme

Installation materials

The basis of the design is the main water supply (water container), from which water is distributed through capillary tubes directly to the root system of each plant. In order to get a functioning irrigation system for the greenhouse, you need to prepare the following materials needed during the installation process:

• yardstick;
• self-tapping screws;
• pipe cutters;
• aluminum brackets;
• adjustable wrenches;
• stub;
• scissors for cutting plastic pipes.

To assemble a complex structure, you may need drip tapes, droppers for irrigation (can be medical), a connector, switch taps, a pump, couplings, adapters, pipes, nozzles. For progressive drip irrigation models, it is important not to forget about the timer and monitor. The simple mechanism significantly saves financial costs, while also providing heat-loving plants with the required amount of moisture.

How to make automatic watering

Watering greenhouses without your participation is a reality. Basic rule: choose only plastic elements. They are lightweight and durable; unlike metal competitors, they do not become clogged with rust, thereby disrupting the flow of water to the root system of plants. The dropper should be adjustable and cover large areas. The irrigation system for the greenhouse is installed in the following sequence:

1. Connect the supply hose to the main water supply or rigidly attach it to a large container, which must be filled with water after assembling the entire structure.
2. Stretch a hose of the required length along the beds and close it with a plug on the opposite side.
3. Screw in self-tapping screws opposite each greenhouse plant for upcoming watering. Each hole in the hose should not be through, otherwise it will immediately become unusable.
4. To determine the flow rate, it is allowed to unscrew the screws 1-2 turns; water will drip through them more strongly.
5. Secure the hose with aluminum brackets so that it does not move when weather conditions change.
6. If there are several beds in the greenhouse, use tees and several hoses for drip irrigation.

Every gardener dreams of getting a good harvest in a greenhouse, spending a minimum of money and physical effort. This dream can be realized by automating the processes of lighting, watering, ventilation, and heating of a closed structure. Drip irrigation systems, which you can purchase or make yourself, allow you to satisfy the need of greenhouse plants for water, using its reserves economically. Since ready-made systems are sold at very high prices, many summer residents are trying to organize drip irrigation in the greenhouse with their own hands. At the same time, it is not possible to completely avoid costs, because you have to purchase the necessary consumables separately or as a set. But the money spent quickly pays off due to the saving of water supplied on time and precisely to the root zone of the grown plants. Crops that do not experience moisture deficiency develop well and produce excellent yields.

To arrange drip irrigation in a greenhouse, it is necessary to ensure a slow supply of water through tubes to each plant from a container located at a low height. To do this, place a tank or barrel next to it, which is raised above ground level by a distance of 1.5-2 meters. A system of rubber opaque tubes, the diameter of which is only 10-11 mm, is pulled from the container at a slight slope.

A hole is made in the tube next to the plant and a nozzle two millimeters in diameter is inserted into it, through which water will flow to the root system. Using a dispenser, tap or automatic sensor, the supply of water heated in the barrel is regulated, which helps prevent excessive water consumption and excessive waterlogging of the soil.

By the way, why drip irrigation? Here's why:

• By constructing a drip irrigation system for a greenhouse, you can protect the fruits and leaves of many vegetable crops from unwanted moisture.
• With such watering, a crust does not form on the surface of the soil, so the roots can “breathe” freely.
• Spot watering prevents weeds from growing, so you can save effort on weeding.
• The risk of damage to plants grown in a greenhouse by pathogenic microbes and fungal infections is reduced.
• The process of growing vegetables and flowers in a greenhouse takes place with the least amount of labor.
• Compliance with the recommended watering regime and norms for each type of plant.
• Optimal water consumption. It is especially important for summer cottages experiencing difficulties with water supply.

Important! The disadvantages of drip irrigation organized in a greenhouse with your own hands include the need to control the filling of the container with water in the absence of a centralized water supply, as well as clogging of the nozzles. The last drawback can be easily corrected if you include a filter in the system and close the container with a tight lid.

Greenhouses installed in country and garden areas usually have a standard length of 6-8 meters. For such small structures, smaller diameter drip tubes (8 mm) can be used. For such thin hoses, special fittings are produced that facilitate the process of connecting individual elements of a homemade drip irrigation system. If tubes for external droppers are used, then it becomes necessary to purchase even thinner hoses, having a diameter of only 3-5 mm. These tubes connect external droppers and tips, through which water is supplied to the root system of each plant.

Types of fittings

The micro-drip irrigation system, assembled from 8 mm tubes, includes a number of micro-fittings, including:

• barbed plungers;
• tees;
• corners;
• plugs;
• crosses;
• mini cranes;
• fittings providing transition to threaded connections;
• anti-drainage valves.

Thanks to their conical shape, the fittings are easily inserted, ensuring the integrity of the system at pressures reaching up to 3 atmospheres. To equalize the pressure to acceptable levels (0.8-2 atm), special reducers are built into the system.

The main components that may be needed when independently assembling a drip irrigation system for plants grown in a greenhouse on a summer cottage

Tip Types

Water reaches the roots of plants through tips, which can be regular or labyrinthine. The first is chosen when only one tip is supposed to be put on the dropper. The second option is necessary when two or four tips are connected to the dropper through splitters.

Drip irrigation system assembled with a reducer necessary to regulate the level of water pressure coming from the water pipe

Features of installation of external droppers

Before you start assembling a drip irrigation system in a greenhouse, you need to plan the plantings and draw a diagram, marking it with the length of the supply pipes and droppers connected to them. Then, according to the drawing, the required number of parts of the required length are prepared, which are assembled into a single system using fittings. Additional equipment is also purchased, the list of which necessarily includes a filter and automation at the request of the gardener.

Layout of a drip irrigation system in a greenhouse. The storage tank is placed on a raised surface to create the necessary pressure to supply water through the pipe system

The drip irrigation system, assembled in the greenhouse according to the diagram, is connected to the water supply or storage tank using a special adapter fitting with a ¾-inch thread. This adapter is either immediately connected to the water pipe, or a filter is placed between them, or it is connected to the solenoid valve of the automation system.

Important! The tubes are cut to length so that the tip falls into the root zone of the plant.

Option for a homemade irrigation installation

Not every summer resident can afford to live permanently on his own country plot or come there every day to water the beds. Various homemade designs are being invented to provide plants with water in the absence of the dacha owners.

An interesting do-it-yourself option for watering a greenhouse in a country house is shown in the figure. The simplicity of the design and the availability of materials necessary for its assembly are striking. The summer resident will not incur large financial costs.

Scheme of a homemade installation, assembled with your own hands from scrap materials, for drip irrigation of greenhouse crops during the absence of the summer resident. Legend: 1 – barrel with a valve for collecting water;
2 – storage capacity; 3 – funnel; 4 – base; 5 – filling pipe.

Five-liter plastic canisters are used as storage containers and funnels. The top of the canister is cut at an angle. The storage container is installed at an angle, taping it with adhesive tape to a wooden plank. On the opposite side, a counterweight (P) is attached to this bar. The drive is rotated along the axis (0) between two stops (A and B) fixed to the base. A funnel is also attached to the same base, the hole of which is connected to the pipe used for irrigation.

Water flowing from the barrel into the storage container gradually fills it. As a result, the center of gravity of the drive shifts. When its mass exceeds the weight of the counterweight, it tips over and water pours into a funnel, and then enters a pipe with holes laid next to the roots of the plants. The empty storage tank returns to its original position under the influence of the counterweight and the process of filling it with water is repeated. Using the valve, the volume of water supplied to the storage container from the barrel is regulated.

Important! The weight of the counterweight, the angle of inclination of the drive, and the position of the axis are selected experimentally. The operation of the entire installation is manually adjusted during a series of experimental irrigations.

Or maybe take a ready-made kit for assembly?

There are inexpensive drip irrigation kits on sale that contain all the necessary elements to assemble an irrigation system with the exception of filters. Therefore, filters must be purchased separately. Main pipes are made of 25 mm polyethylene pipes, which are durable, lightweight, and not subject to corrosion. In addition, their walls are resistant to liquid fertilizers, which can be supplied to plants through an irrigation system. The installation process of the system is described in the instructions that come with the kit.

A set of components for drip irrigation in a greenhouse with an approximate diagram of their location and a method for connecting the system to the water supply

14-mm holes are drilled into the thick walls of the main pipes, into which starters for irrigation are inserted using rubber seals. Drip tapes of measured length are put on the starters. The ends of the drip tapes are closed with plugs. To do this, a five-centimeter piece is cut from each tape, which is then put on its twisted end. In order for the greenhouse watering process to become automatic, it is necessary to install electric controllers powered by batteries. Maintenance of the assembled drip irrigation system comes down to periodic cleaning of the filters.

A comparative review of water purification filters for summer cottages will also be useful:

Drip irrigation of cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse allows you to save water, as well as the effort and time required to moisten the soil in each individual pot.

The assembled drip irrigation system will deliver the same amount of water to each plant. This must be taken into account when planting crops, selecting plants in groups that have equal water consumption. Otherwise, some crops will receive moisture in the optimal amount, while others will receive it in excess or, conversely, in deficiency.

It is best to start assembling a drip irrigation system at the end of winter. Having drawn up a planting plan and assembled the system in accordance with the prepared diagram, you can install it in the greenhouse after planting the seedlings. Using ready-made kits sold in specialized gardening stores, every summer resident can make a drip irrigation system with his own hands. Thus, by introducing new technologies for watering plants grown in a greenhouse, it is possible to achieve good harvests and reduce the amount of effort spent on caring for summer gardens.

Allows for timely ripening of agricultural crops. This is possible thanks to optimal temperature conditions, normal lighting and proper watering. In this case, it makes sense to build drip irrigation in the greenhouse with your own hands. This device saves time and labor resources. Full watering is essential when growing plants in greenhouses. After all, evaporation in such a space occurs much more intensely than in natural conditions. Let's find out what are the advantages of drip irrigation, as well as how to organize it at home.

Drip irrigation inside the greenhouse allows you to provide each plant with an optimal level of humidity

Let's figure out how to make drip irrigation. In this case, it is advisable to perform automated irrigation. When deciding how to properly water, you need to take into account that different crops require different amounts of water.

It is important to know how much water is needed and which plants, because oversaturation of the soil can lead to the opposite effect and depletion of the soil. This will cause the weeds to grow faster.

The drip device has the following features:

• In order for the plant to develop properly, it needs a sufficient amount of air. What regular watering does not provide. If there is no air movement at the root, then the culture will not develop as it should;
• the liquid penetrates directly into the root of the plants;
• the optimal ratio of air and humidity contributes to the proper development of plants, which makes it possible to do without fertilizers.

The photo shows spot irrigation, including drip lines that extend along all lines of the beds. Similar lines are made using a plastic pipe or drip tape with holes. At the end of such lines, plugs or flush valves are attached.

You also need to decide whether a special filter is needed. The water supply is regulated using a reducer and a valve.

How to assemble irrigation structures also depends on the required volume of the irrigation tank. To correctly calculate the capacity, you need to multiply the area of ​​the site by 20 liters. This is the amount needed to moisten one square meter.

How much to water depends on what crops are being irrigated. For example, cucumbers and tomatoes require completely different conditions. High air humidity is harmful for tomatoes, as such vegetables become infected with fungal and bacterial diseases. Therefore, dry air is maintained in greenhouses, to ensure which ventilation is often arranged. But for cucumbers you need to create a high level of soil and air humidity. If there is a lack of moisture, the leaves can quickly begin to wither.

Here's how the drip irrigation design works:

• the water passes through the filter. At the same time, it is cleaned of debris, large debris inclusions and dust;
• since the container is located on a hill, the water flows by gravity into the main pipe and then through the hoses;
• A valve is placed near each plant through which water penetrates into the soil.

For your information! To ensure better watering, you need to place the plants at a distance of 30 cm from each other.

Related article:

Types of irrigation: different systems

Now let’s figure out what the main types of drip irrigation are. Each system has certain disadvantages and advantages. Here are the main options:

• For automatic watering with separate drippers, branches are supplied to each plant. In this case, the irrigation radius should be small, since such unfolding takes a lot of time. The main elements of such systems are microtubes through which liquid passes to the root system. For installation in a greenhouse, splitters, special valves and racks for fastening microtubes are used;

• drip tapes They are used not only for plants, vegetable gardens, but also for trees. In this case, the sprinkler pipes are placed in parallel. Such irrigation methods do not have as long a service life as individual spray drippers. For automatic watering of fields, each tape has holes through which water flows. One edge is placed at the tank, and plugs are mounted on the second. This ensures that the liquid flows out against the desired roots.

Also, when choosing an irrigation system, you need to consider different types of hoses, types of sprinklers and sprinklers.

Drip irrigation: pros and cons of designs

There are different options for watering plants in open ground, but they are not always suitable for greenhouses.

The drip system has the following advantages:

• increasing the yield of different crops;
• water is distributed in certain dosages, which ensures the efficiency of this design;
• you can create a fully automated process;
• the threat of erosion of the soil layer is reduced;
• resistance to different climatic conditions appears;
• the possibility of uniform distribution of fertilizers is provided;
• the quality of grown crops improves;
• it becomes possible to water large areas at low pressure;
• Ease of Management.

There are other important advantages. For example, saving water allows you to ultimately reduce the cost of the final product.A drip design set installed in a greenhouse significantly reduces the consumption of water and fertilizers. The optimal amount of moisture must be observed for some crops, especially tomatoes. You can buy different devices for dosing watering.

All the advantages and disadvantages of different irrigation options are presented in the table.

Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of different irrigation options

Type of irrigation	pros	Minuses
Root	This is done using a simple watering can. At the same time, you can apply fertilizers.	The procedure is complicated because it requires a lot of time
Watering the beds	Watering is easy, since you just need to lay the hose, and the liquid will spread on its own.	Inconvenient when moving between trenches with plants.
Sprinkling	Uniform water supply process, as well as the ability to adjust the pressure.	Installation is too complicated. The formation of high humidity in the greenhouse, which can provoke the appearance of various diseases.
Drip method	You can regulate the water supply. Ease of use and water saving. The process distributes fertilizer evenly.	Complexity of installation and high cost of individual elements.

What does drip irrigation consist of: the main elements of the device

To build a drip structure yourself, you need to buy separate elements.

All parts are connected in series to each other:

• disk filter;
• main pipe;
• a mechanism for enriching water with nutritional components;
• drip tapes;
• start connectors for connecting drip tapes;
• splitters for drip tapes;
• plugs for tapes.

Tape for drip irrigation: application features

A drip tape is a hose through which water moves. In this case, the liquid is purified using different filters. When determining which tape is better, you need to take into account certain characteristics. It is important to calculate the length of the drip tape, as well as the thickness of its walls. Operating conditions depend on these parameters. The distance between the tapes also matters. In this case, the best tape depends on the timing of plant ripening.

You need to know how to mount the tape yourself. A drip tape is installed on the pipe, which is tightened with a special nut. To install such a structure, fittings are used. It is with their help that branching is carried out.To perform strip irrigation, such a structure must be mounted so that the holes in it are placed on top.

Watering tape can be different. Here are the main types of drip tapes:

• refers to outdated technologies labyrinth tape. A continuous labyrinth is formed along its entire length, through which water moves. This option can be purchased inexpensively;

You can watch a video about this technology:

• slot tape more reliable than labyrinthine. There is also a labyrinthine channel inside it. In this case, it is necessary not only to decide how to lay this element, but also to apply a special filtration system;

• According to reviews, emitter-type production is a modern solution. Irrigation is carried out using flat droppers. Emitter strip creates streams that move water.

To purchase such an element, you need to know how to lay it correctly and how much such tape costs. The drip system completely depends on the quality of this element. An important indicator is the price. The Tuboflex system deserves special attention; its cost varies between 2500-3000 rubles.

Start connectors for drip irrigation: how to use

To make functional drip irrigation you need to buy a starting connector. Installation for the tuboflex system is performed as follows. Using a marker, the surface of the main pipeline is marked for holes. At the same time, connectors and a starting valve are mounted to them. First, seals are placed in the holes, and then start connectors.

It is worth considering the principle of operation of the device with a tap. This connection diagram allows for manual adjustment. This is important if your greenhouse contains different crops with their own watering needs.

Irrigation drippers: manufacturing technology

For drip irrigation, you can build a structure with your own hands. You can see how to do this in the video below:

This can be a collapsible and compensated model, as well as an adjustable design with water supply control. The dripper irrigation system ensures uniform pressure on different parts of the hose. This ensures uniform watering of the plants.

You can use medical IVs. Watering indoor plants can be done from a plastic bottle.To make drippers in greenhouses, you first need to install a container and fill it with water.It is also necessary to install a hose and. It is important to calculate how much water you will need. For a tomato bush, 1.5 liters per day is enough, and for cucumbers – 2 liters.The dropper can be made in the form of a tape. This option is suitable if watering is designed for different crops. For example, for flowers and vegetables.

Before installing droppers, it is necessary to make some calculations. If external compensated drippers are installed, then to determine the water flow, the soil is checked for depth after an hour. The price of the structure also depends on this indicator.

Types of drip irrigation: prices and purchase features

A drip irrigation system is a durable and reliable option. Operational periods can exceed 10 years. To equip a strip structure for greenhouses, a watering strip is used, which has many holes, as well as a wall thickness of up to 200 microns. Such a hose is attached at one end to the water supply, and a plug is placed at the other end. When water penetrates, liquid comes out of the holes.

When deciding which system to choose, you need to take into account that the irrigation supply cannot be regulated. This option differs from spot irrigation, since it will not be possible to provide irrigation to individual points.

The automatic mechanism is most often combined with a hydraulic valve. In this case, a controller with a timer is used, with which you can even set the exact watering time.Knowing how such a system works, you can use the same principle to install self-watering systems with your own hands.

Let's look at the best irrigation systems that have an automatic machine. To determine which option is better, you need to consider them all:

• watering with sprinklers. This kit allows you to provide an irrigation radius of up to 20 meters. In this case, polypropylene pipes are used. Sometimes polycarbonate structures are used. This irrigation design increases soil and air moisture;

• used for sprinkling special drum devices. They are mobile devices. Watering of plants is carried out over an area of ​​20 square meters;

• used for large areas wide grip systems;

• Suitable for several greenhouses micro-sprinkling. Watering can be done from a barrel. In this case, a special flexible hose is used.

With proper calculations, a homemade watering device will provide high-quality spot watering. In this case, water consumption can be minimal.Where you can purchase such structures depends on the characteristics of irrigation. Our review of individual models will help you choose the best option.

Table 2. Average cost of drip irrigation

Drip irrigation for the Zhuk greenhouse: characteristics

This system is known for its functionality and efficiency. You can use a greenhouse or greenhouse kit. A similar watering kit can be used for a greenhouse or an open area.You can buy a similar design from the company LLC "Cycla" , which produces it.

Installation of the greenhouse option involves processing 60 plants. With its help you can process a room with an area of ​​about 18 sq.m.The barrel model will cost about 1.8 thousand rubles, and the version for water supply will cost 2.5.Installation of a greenhouse structure can be carried out in various ways. You can use the automatic option with a timer.

Drip irrigation AquaDusya: device parameters

The AquaDusya system is designed for 50-60 plants. You can purchase an automatic start option or a model without automation. There is also a semi-automatic mechanism. The advantages of such equipment include the ability to operate on batteries and small design dimensions. You can install the machine and other variations yourself. At the same time, the Start design can provide high-quality watering without the presence of people. There is an option for connecting not only to the water supply, but also from a barrel. The price will depend on this.

Drip irrigation in greenhouses: user reviews

When choosing which watering is best for a greenhouse, it is worth studying all the options and reviews. Manufacturer ratings will help you choose the best option.

Review, Zhuk system

Vladimir, Ryazan:“The advantages of the equipment include high-quality materials and assembly. The kit includes a water strider, filter and timer. You can water from a barrel. One of the minuses I would like to note is that the water meter tube in the package is so bent that it never straightens completely. But overall, the design is wonderful. It works like clockwork."

Review by Gardena

Alexander, Penza:“I have been using the gardena drip irrigation model for several years. The design is made with high quality. Good watering area at normal pressure. Don't forget to clean the injectors regularly. You also need to insert a mechanical filter and drain the water in a timely manner.”

Review by AquaDusya

Alina, Krasnodar:“Last year, my husband bought an automatic Aquadusia system. We purchased a kit for greenhouses. At first we wanted to choose a German watering design, but the domestic version also does a good job and at the same time has a lower cost. Installation of the structure was not difficult. The area of ​​our greenhouse is 40 square meters, and next to it there is a tank of 50 liters. The droppers are evenly distributed over the greenhouse area. My husband and I were pleased with this system. As a result, we received a rich harvest.”

DIY drip irrigation system for a greenhouse

Drip irrigation allows for good treatment of the root system. Such a device for a greenhouse allows you to preserve the beneficial qualities of the soil layer as much as possible.

Since automatic equipment is quite expensive, it is better to figure out how to make homemade watering.The organization of such a structure is not so difficult. Water passes through the capillary path and enters each plant root system.

Installation is carried out using staples, self-tapping screws, plugs, adjustable wrenches, and pipe cutting scissors.To create high-quality self-watering, you need to find medical droppers, a connector, nozzles, drip tapes, pipes and switch taps. A modern watering system involves the use of a timer. It is better to choose elements made of plastic, which, unlike metal, do not rust or clog.

If you don’t know how to install the structure yourself, then start with a plan in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Variants of such layouts can be seen in the photo. The diagram must contain all important parameters. The source of water must be identified. When organizing drip irrigation, you need to mark the container to which the pipeline will be connected. In this case, spot watering can be performed without your participation.

If micro-irrigation is installed, a filter system will be required. Such a device may be located between the water source and the desired main line. The point version is used for tomato seedlings. Since in this case, excessive hydration is very harmful. For tomatoes, subsoil irrigation is also used.

The hose can be connected to the main pipeline using special fittings. The filter is most often mounted in the supply pipe.

Installation of drip irrigation

When deciding how to organize irrigation in a greenhouse, it is necessary to draw a drawing of the system. The diagram is drawn up after taking the necessary measurements, taking into account the scale.

How to properly build a drip irrigation system depends on the calculations made. Here's what you need to calculate:

• total length of drip tape;
• number of start connectors;
• number of T- and L-shaped splitters;
• number of fittings and plugs.

Organization of the structure after calculations involves an increase in the number of consumables and drip tape by approximately 15%. Also, after calculations, a barrel for irrigation is selected.

To determine how to install irrigation elements, you need to note where crops with different water needs will be placed. In this case, the installation must be carried out in separate zones.

Now let's look at the step-by-step installation of the irrigation structure. For manufacturing you will need a liquid reservoir, a main pipe, medical droppers, filters, fittings, plugs and a ball valve. It is better if the water container is at a certain height, for example 2-2.5 meters. In this case, you need to take care of the stand.

Table 3. Installation of drip irrigation

Image	Installation stages
	It is necessary to make holes for water outlet in the container. First, a hole is made to install the ball valve. This element is mounted using a coupling and seal.
	Holes should be made in the hoses where droppers can be placed.
	A hose is connected to the tap. This can be done using branch fittings.
	Branches from hoses are laid between the rows.
	It is necessary to install plugs at the end of the main pipes to prevent water from spreading.
	Remove the needles from the droppers and leave the rubber tips.
	The tips are inserted into the holes made in the hoses.
	The tips of the drip parts are stuck into the soil next to the plants.
	Then you need to open the tap and check how the structure works. Using the control wheel, you can control the flow of liquid into the soil.

Main pipe for drip irrigation

A main pipeline is made in the greenhouse, which supplies water from the source to the start connectors. Before choosing which pipe is better, you need to calculate the length of all pipes.

It is better to use polyethylene pipes as the main pipe. It is necessary to determine what diameter is needed for such highways. For example, a HDPE pipe should have a diameter of 32 mm. A smaller diameter is not suitable, since a 16 mm hole is drilled in the pipes for the start connectors. Used for drilling. How to make such a structure with your own hands depends on the materials.

You can also use structures made of PVC pipes, polypropylene pipes or metal-plastic pipes. All such options have good contact with water and do not interact with the chemical components of fertilizers.

When choosing a dacha option, an important parameter is the price.Tees are installed in the outlet areas of the lines, and a drip hose or tape is connected to their lateral flow. Sometimes a leaking hose is selected.

These elements are attached to pipe fittings using metal clamps. A tap is installed on each distribution line, with which you can turn off the lines.If you don’t want to choose individual elements from plastic pipes, then you can purchase ready-made kits that can be used for summer watering.

Venturi injector

To apply fertilizers, a special fertigation unit is used, also called a Venturi injector. You can buy a similar fertilizer device or make it yourself. The operating principle of this mechanism is to mix water with fertilizers. Installation of such a design is necessary for the gradual supply of fertilizers into the main pipe. This feeding unit consists of a hose, filter and injector.

To decide how to choose such a device, you need to know its characteristics. To install a drip irrigation structure, preliminary calculations are required. In this case, the device diagram is taken into account.

Features of the installation of such a design can be seen in the video below:

To make a homemade mechanism, you must meet the following conditions:

• direction of fluid movement. The purchased version of the injector has an arrow indicating the correct direction;
• moved flow through the injector;
• inlet pressure indicator, as well as the difference between outlet and inlet.

Most often, such injectors are made with. They are made from plastic that is resistant to various chemical fertilizers. Special adjustment allows you to reduce water consumption at the inlet, as well as turn off part of the irrigation system. There are different options for such designs, for example, 1 inch or 2 inches.

Filter for drip irrigation

Different types of filters are mounted on the pipe after the feeding unit and before the start connectors. You can see how to install and connect such a structure with your own hands in the video:

Installation is carried out taking into account the direction of water flow. It is important for the system how the filter element will be installed.To install filters in the main pipe, special couplings with adapters are used.

When deciding which filter to choose, you need to understand their purpose. They are designed to protect against damage and blockages of certain elements. If there is no filtration system, the garden hose, dispenser or pump will clog faster. In order not to waste time thinking about how to clean such parts, it is better to take care of the filters.

The cartridge depends on the filtration option. It is the main filter element. It is he who determines the design option: sand, gravel or cyclone.There are stations that combine deep and coarse cleaning. You can make a homemade version.

Automatic watering in a greenhouse

You can install an autonomous drip option for watering the beds with your own hands. An automated system can function without your participation. To create auto irrigation, you need to purchase a water container, for example, for watering from a barrel, a timer, a controller, a hose and a pressure regulator. Automation can be purchased.

Full automation implies uninterrupted water supply. The water reservoir is located at a distance of 0.5 m from ground level. A pipeline is connected to it, which goes to the fertigation unit. An important component of automatic watering is a special controller.

Drip irrigation materials

To decide how to make a drip irrigation system with your own hands, you need to select suitable materials. To organize watering in a greenhouse, you will need the following materials and tools:

• HDPE pipes with a diameter of 40 mm;
• pipe plugs and valve for the greenhouse;
• filtration equipment;
• container, water tank;
• nozzles and other control fittings;
• shut-off valve kits;
• watering tapes;
• Here's what you need from tools - drills, drill, rubber seals, awl, silicone sealant.

The design of drip irrigation can not only be purchased, but also constructed from scrap materials. Here are some design options:

• drip irrigation with medical droppers. You will also need hoses and adapters with connections. How to equip such structures depends on water consumption. If there is a water supply system on the territory, then the channels are connected to it, and if it is net, then the water is supplied from a barrel by gravity;

• you can make a high-quality irrigation system from plastic bottles. Holes are made in the walls of the container. Water passes to the root system through bottles;
• Spot watering of plants is often used. This option may contain an injector.

It is better to place such structures under covering material. Drip irrigation may or may not have a pump.

Article

Do you think that you have enough time and energy to do absolutely everything planned? The answer will most likely be no. There are many things that take up valuable minutes and hours. To their already voluminous list during the summer season is added the need for regular watering of plants. It is unlikely that any gardener considers walking around beds and greenhouses with a watering can or hose an exciting activity. So why not free yourself from this responsibility? Automatic watering in a greenhouse will require a lot of effort and money, but the result will more than pay for the investment and save such valuable free hours in the future.

To begin with, it makes sense to learn about the types of automatic watering, their advantages and disadvantages. This data is collected in a small table, which you can see below.

Table. Types of automatic irrigation systems in greenhouses.

Name	How it works	Advantages	Flaws
	From the source, water is delivered through main pipes to special droppers and tapes. With their help, moisture enters the soil in small drops to each individual plant.	Does not over-moisten the soil, there are no attractive conditions for weeds, water savings are up to 30% compared to conventional irrigation.	The complexity and high price of the system, the need to carefully monitor the purity of the water to prevent clogging of the drip tapes.
Sprinkling	From the source, the water flows into sprinklers, also called sprinklers. They are located either at ground level or under the roof of the greenhouse. Water is sprayed in the form of small drops and irrigates the soil in the beds.	Possibility to cover a large area with one sprayer.	With such an automatic watering system, there is a risk of over-moistening the microclimate in the greenhouse, and drops falling on the leaves of plants can lead to “sunburn”.
Underground irrigation	In its design, the system is similar to a drip system, but the pipes are located underground, and the water is delivered directly to the root systems of the plants.	The most efficient system for supplying plants with water. Additionally, soil aeration is carried out.	The most labor-intensive system to install is an automatic watering system, the need to excavate soil in the greenhouse.
Underground irrigation simplified	A highly simplified version of the previous system - water is delivered to the root system of the plant from holes made in a plastic bottle dug into the ground nearby.	The cheapest automatic watering system to create - if you have a sufficient number of plastic bottles, the installation costs will be zero.	Such a system is not fully automatic - there is a need to replenish all the bottles dug into the ground with water once every few days.

Now let’s turn our attention to the design of the automatic watering system in the greenhouse. The option using plastic bottles will be discussed in the next section of the article along with instructions for creation. As for the remaining systems, with the exception of the droppers and sprinklers themselves, they include the same components in their design.

1. Source– this could be a well, a well, a water supply or a reservoir. If possible, the temperature of the liquid should correspond to that of the air - hypothermia caused by watering causes “stress” in plants, which does not have the best effect on their health and productivity.
2. Pump– when used as a source of a tank, reservoir or well to create the required pressure in the system. In the case of water supply, it may be unstable and exceed the maximum safe values ​​​​for pipes and drip tapes. In this case, use a water pressure reducer.
3. – regardless of the source of water, its presence is mandatory. Otherwise, the automatic watering system will quickly fail.
4. Solenoid valves necessary to open and close the water supply to the system. Unlike conventional taps, they are controlled not by turning the valve, but by electrical signals.
5. Controller or timer– electrical signals are supplied to the valve using it. The smartest part of the automatic watering system. If necessary, it is supplemented with sensors.
6. Distribution main– pipes through which water is delivered to drip tapes or sprinklers. The materials used are steel, metal-plastic, PVC, etc.

Important! In addition to the things indicated in the list, it would not be a bad idea to build a small container with liquid fertilizers into the automatic watering system. This way, the plants will receive not only water from the system, but also beneficial nutrients.

Each of the components given above is important in its own way, therefore it will be discussed separately and in more detail below.

Prices for drip irrigation systems

drip irrigation system

Automatic watering in a greenhouse from bottles

Now let us again turn our attention to the automatic (or more precisely, “semi-automatic”) watering system from plastic bottles. Do you doubt the advantages of such irrigation systems over the good old watering can? Do you think that spending so much money, effort and time on automatic drip irrigation is too risky? Then this option is best suited for you - it costs practically nothing and its arrangement in the greenhouse is unlikely to take you more than one day.

To water in a greenhouse from bottles you will need:

• scissors;
• needle or awl;
• gauze, cotton fabric or nylon;
• empty plastic bottles with caps;
• shovel.

In most cases, bottles with a volume of 1 to 2 liters are used. This is enough for a period of one and a half to three days, depending on the weather and the plant’s need for moisture. It is possible to use larger containers, but you need to understand that they will take up too much space near the plant. It's up to you to choose between preserving the usable area of ​​greenhouse beds and the autonomy of the irrigation system.

Step 1. Wash plastic bottles and remove paper labels, if any.

Step 2. Using scissors, trim the bottoms of the bottles by about 5 cm.

Step 3. Using a hot needle (or awl), make a series of holes in the plastic lids. The amount of liquid entering the soil per unit of time depends on their number and diameter.

Step 4. Place a piece of gauze on the inside of the lid. It will act as a kind of filter and prevent the holes from becoming clogged too quickly. Instead of gauze, if necessary, you can use cotton fabric or nylon.

Step 5. Using a shovel, dig a hole with the diameter of a bottle and a depth of 10-15 cm near the plant (or the place where it will be planted).

Step 6. Insert a bottle with the lid closed into the dug hole. That’s it, the “semi-automatic” irrigation system is ready. Repeat the previous steps with the remaining bottles, placing them near each plant in the greenhouse.

Advice! With this method of placing a bottle in the ground, there is one problem - various debris, particles of earth and plants fall on top. Over time, they clog the holes and it becomes necessary to remove the container and clean it. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first is to place the bottle neck up. In this case, the holes are made in the bottom, and the top of the container is protected from debris by a lid. The second method is a cap made from a 5 liter container, which is used to close the bottle.

There are two more possibilities to improve such a system. First, replace the holes in the lids with store-bought garden drippers - they clog less and deliver moisture to the plants better. Secondly, you can run a hose with branches from the water supply into the greenhouse and insert each of them into the bottle from above. Thus, there is no need to replenish them yourself - you just need to open the valve and wait a while.

In an effort to make their work easier, people have created an automatic irrigation system that includes many components. And he will talk about one of them, the most important one - the hose for drip irrigation.

Timers and controllers for automatic watering

The most important component of automatic watering is a timer or controller, which ensures the operation of the entire system, which does not require the presence of a person, whose participation is limited only to the installation of equipment and its initial configuration.

Important! Most modern timers and controllers for automatic watering of greenhouses are initially equipped with solenoid valves that open and close the water supply to the main line.

First you need to make a difference between timers and controllers for automatic watering. The first are relatively simple electrical and electromechanical devices that allow you to set only two parameters (irrigation frequency and duration).

The controller is a more complex electronic device, where the user, using a set of buttons and a display, sets an irrigation program that includes additional parameters, such as:

• accounting for pressure in the pipeline;
• setting watering cycles separately by day;
• taking into account temperature and humidity.

In addition, many of them are equipped with GSM modules, which allows for remote control using a mobile phone. The difference in functionality and complexity of devices for controlling automatic watering affects the cost - timers are cheaper, controllers are more expensive.

There is one more characteristic that you need to pay attention to - the number of channels. If the plants in your greenhouse only need one watering program for all, purchase the simplest timer or controller with one channel. And in a situation where you need to organize different types of irrigation, multi-channel devices will come in handy.

Important! If for some reason you think purchasing one multi-channel controller is not the best idea, then an alternative would be to buy several simple single-channel timers - you just need to connect them to a common line and set separate watering programs.

Among other things, when choosing automation for a greenhouse, pay attention to the autonomy and type of battery. Most modern timers and controllers use either several AA batteries or one 9 V battery (better known as a “crown”).

Video - Automatic watering for a smart greenhouse: timer

Water tank, pumps and filters for automatic watering

Every automatic greenhouse watering system starts with a water source. In most cases, such a source is an ordinary plastic or metal tank. Of course, you can connect irrigation directly to the water supply, but this is undesirable - too cold water can damage the health of the plants. And if there is an “intermediate” tank, the water will have time to warm up to a temperature comparable to that of the air. In addition, the container acts as a kind of reserve in case of water outage.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the connection of water supply and intake to the tank. The first should be located closer to the top in order to be able to fill the container completely. The water intake should be located at the bottom of the tank, but not at the very bottom, otherwise a large amount of debris will get into it, accumulating at the bottom of the tank.

Important! It would be a good idea to connect a separate tap to the bottom of the tank to clean the container from accumulated debris or to urgently drain water from it. If the container is located near the house, add a rain drain and get another, free source of water.

The next element of the system is the pump, when choosing which you need to pay attention to the following criteria:

• possibility of automatic control;
• power - you should not take a unit that is too powerful for irrigating one or two greenhouses;
• water consumption - the pump must provide the required amount of water and with a power reserve;
• resistance of the mechanisms to various chemical compounds - in case fertilizers are mixed with the water during irrigation;
• noise level generated;
• presence of a “soft start” system;
• ease of installation and dismantling.

The filter is an integral part of any automatic watering system. Without it, the system will quickly become unusable due to clogging of drip tapes or sprinklers with various foreign particles.

Based on the design of the cleaning element, filters are divided into three types:

• mesh;
• disk;
• bulk.

The latter type is used in industrial automatic watering for greenhouses and large gardens. The strainer does not reduce the pressure in the pipeline and is therefore ideal for systems where water flows by gravity from a tank located at a certain height. And the disk one has the best performance characteristics. Regardless of the type of filter chosen, install it as the first or second element on the line coming out of the water container.

Prices for drip irrigation systems

drip irrigation system

Automatic drip irrigation - instructions for creating

After analyzing and considering the main components of automatic watering, we will proceed to the instructions for its arrangement.

Let's start with a list of necessary materials and products:

• container with water
• wooden boards and timber or metal profile to create a “tower” for the container;
• pipes or hoses for the main line, diameter - ¾ or 1 inch, variations are allowed;
• a set of pipe fittings for creating turns and branches;
• several plugs for the main pipes;
• mesh filter for water purification;
• timer or auto-watering controller;
• compensated droppers, microtubes with a diameter of 3 or 5 mm and pegs for delivering moisture to plants (can be replaced with drip tape);
• additional equipment - sensors, pump, separate taps for each irrigation line, check valves, etc.

Here are instructions for installing an automatic drip irrigation system.

Step 1. Make a plan. He must take into account the size of the greenhouse, the number of beds in it and the number of plants in each of the beds. In addition, you need to take into account that different crops require different amounts of water.

Step 2. Assemble a support for a container of water from a metal profile or wooden beams and boards. Make taps for the water supply and automatic watering lines, then install the tank.

Step 3. Connect a filter for water purification at the outlet of the tank, and after it - a timer or auto-watering controller with a built-in EM valve.

Important! If the controller, filter, pump and other complex elements of the system will be located on the ground, place them in a technological box. This will extend their service life and protect them from negative influences.

Step 4. Lay a main line on the beds in the greenhouse, and if necessary, make branches using fittings. It is undesirable for pipes or hoses to simply lie on the ground; install them on special supports or pegs.

Important! When working in a large greenhouse, place the line with a slight downward slope. This will make it easier to clean up later and drain the water for the winter.

Step 5. Close the ends of hoses or pipes with plugs. It is shown with a red arrow in the image below.

Step 6. Drill holes in the pipes or hoses of the main line to connect droppers or irrigation tapes.

Step 7 Insert the droppers into the previously drilled holes, install microtubes and pegs to distribute water.

Step 8 Distribute the dripper stakes or tape so that each plant in the bed receives enough water.

Step 9 Connect a water pipe to the container.

Step 10 Perform a test run. To check how well the soil is moistened, dig it at one of the points where the drip peg is located.

Step 11 Set the timer or controller to the desired frequency and duration of watering. If everything works fine, then the automatic drip irrigation system in the greenhouse has been successfully installed.

Video - Do-it-yourself automatic watering in a greenhouse

Automatic watering with sprinklers - instructions for creating

Sprinklers differ from the previous automatic watering system in the way they deliver moisture to the plants - instead of drippers, spray nozzles are used, operating in a certain radius around them. In addition, often the main line for such an irrigation system is located not on the beds, but above them - under the roof of the greenhouse.

Step 1. On a regular piece of paper or drawing graph paper, draw up a plan for the future automatic watering system.

Step 2. Install a water container. In this case, there is no need for support for it - the pressure in the line will be created by the pump.

Step 3. Sequentially install a pump, a tap for manually shutting off the system, a filter and an auto-watering timer at the outlet of the tank.

Step 4. Lay a highway. When placing it on supports or attaching it to the roof of the greenhouse, make sure that all connections are secure. Don't forget about the compensation loop - it is needed to take into account bends and changes in the linear size of hoses or pipes at different temperatures.

Step 5. Close the ends of the lines with plugs and drill holes for the spray nozzles.

Step 6. Install the injectors. Select the interval between them based on the radius of water spray at the pressure created in the system.

Step 7 Perform a manual test of the system. If everything is in order, set the frequency and duration of watering on the controller or timer.

Video - Homemade sprinkler

Preparing the automatic watering system for winter

It is not recommended to stop using the automatic watering system at the end of the summer season without any preparatory measures - the water remaining in the pipes and hoses can freeze and cause irreparable damage to the highways. Therefore, we will provide brief instructions for preserving such systems before the onset of winter.

Step 1. Shut off the water supply from the source.

Step 2. Drain the remaining water from the container.

Step 3. Open the taps or remove the plugs from the ends of the lines and allow the remaining water to flow out.

Step 4. Remove the dropper pegs from the ground.

Step 5. If you think that there is still a lot of moisture left inside, connect a compressor to the line through a temporary fitting and blow out the entire system with compressed air. Be careful and wear safety glasses when working.

Step 6. Cover sensors and lines.

Step 7 If necessary, remove some of the hoses and complex equipment and bring it into the house.

Have we answered your question?

The first drip irrigation systems appeared at the time of the general craze for orchids at the end of the 18th – beginning of the 19th centuries, for potted indoor plants. In the middle of the last century, drip irrigation along with revolutionized agriculture. Until then, the immediate future in a world where there was less than half a hectare of arable land left per person looked very bleak. By now, the technology of drip irrigation in open ground has developed to the point of being widely used in private farms, and there are more and more people who want to arrange drip irrigation with their own hands. The main reasons are the fairly high cost of installation of turnkey drip irrigation and the ever-increasing shortage of water suitable for agricultural needs.

The main advantages of drip irrigation, as is known, come down to the following:

We emphasize that these are only the main advantages. Drip irrigation at the dacha can also be beneficial for your own consumption by reducing the need for winter purchases of plant products. However, firstly, the cost of a drip irrigation system is still quite high. Only the cheapest drip tape for open ground (see below) will need the amount approx. from 600 rub. per hundred. For a plot of 20 acres, equipment for water treatment and water supply to belts will cost at least another 5,000 rubles. Total - under 20,000 rubles. for a medium-sized “for yourself” farm.

Secondly, do not believe claims that drip irrigation reduces the labor intensity of private crop production. Caring for a drip irrigation system in small areas will take only a little less time and effort than walking around with a hose. Thirdly, caring for plants using drip irrigation differs significantly from that in traditional agriculture. Therefore, further material is built as follows. way: first we will look at how to make drip irrigation in a small area from scrap materials with minimal or no cost. And having mastered all the intricacies of maintaining garden crops “on drips” and having already accurately assessed, in money terms, its benefits in these specific conditions, it will be possible to think about “real” drip irrigation; we will also talk about it.

Cucumbers – a drop at a time

The best way to learn how to maintain open ground plants under drip irrigation is with cucumbers. Their greenhouse and greenhouse varieties are still inferior in taste and other consumer qualities to garden cucumbers; especially gherkins. But, as you know, ground cucumbers can turn brown due to a sharp change in external conditions. Drip irrigation not only gives the plants optimum moisture, but also creates a more or less stable microclimate around the bushes, so it is best to do your first drip irrigation for cucumbers. Having learned how to get delicious, aromatic, crispy cucumbers “on the drop”, no matter what kind of summer it is, you can “plant on the drop” any other well-known crops.

The most important

Drip irrigation systems come in different types, see below. But even the simplest homemade drip irrigation must satisfy the main condition for all of them: supply water to the plants, and not between the rows, see fig. Otherwise, the plants will get worse, not better; to weeds and pests - on the contrary. In addition, the need for loosening, which injures surface roots, will not decrease, but, on the contrary, will increase. In addition, the wetted soil gets very hot in direct sunlight, so the rows will have to be covered with mulch, and underneath it the unwanted “cultivars” will be a real paradise. In general, one must not hope that the water in the soil will disperse. It needs to go where it needs to go right away; this is the essence of drip irrigation.

About holes

In the first experiments with homemade drip irrigation and then you will need to learn how to make dies in plastic - calibrated and profiled narrow holes for the flow of water. Due to viscous friction in the liquid, they will ensure a fairly stable flow of moisture from one dropper when the pressure fluctuates over a fairly wide range and good resistance of the system to clogging with soil particles.

To form the dies, you will need an electric soldering iron (preferably a soldering pencil with a bronze nickel-plated tip) and a piece of stainless steel bicycle spoke. It is sharpened like an awl and polished (required). The “piercing” tip is attracted to the soldering iron tip with a steel clamp with a screw clamp. Turn on the soldering iron and, when it heats up, tighten the screw tightly, because otherwise, due to thermal expansion, the tip will wobble.

Next you need a piece of transparent garden hose and a plastic bottle. The hose is attached to a hole in its bottom, its free end is bent and pulled together or plugged. The bottle is placed at a height of approx. 1-1.5 m. Then a series of holes are made in the hose with the tip, each time deeper and deeper into the plastic. You need to control how much the tip comes out into the lumen of the hose! How much he got inside each time, we write it down, remember it, and record it in some other way. If, when pulled out, it immediately gets stuck and pulls the plastic, it is poorly polished.

Note: For greater stability of the resulting diameter and profile of the dies, it is advisable to select the temperature of the soldering iron tip using a household thyristor electric power regulator.

To complete the home OCD, we strengthen the perforated section of the hose horizontally with the dies down, and place a beaker under each die; an alternative is an indispensable Russian vessel, a cut glass. We fill the bottle with water and note the time during which 100-200 ml drips from the spinnerets into each measuring container. That's it, now you can make dies for a given hourly water flow, you only need to take into account the wall thickness of the working hose.

We start to drip

Let's start with point drip irrigation systems from dosing containers without water supply networks, as the simplest and cheapest. On large areas they are unacceptably labor-intensive, but on a plot of up to 2-4 acres this has little effect. And don’t think that you’ll have to resort to something high-tech: spot irrigation of small areas of open ground at home is nothing more than drip irrigation from plastic bottles. It can be produced in 3 ways: micro-sprinkling, surface and deep, see fig. Dispensers can also be canisters and pipes. But the former are not wasteful and expensive material, and the capacity of the latter, at optimal depth, is insufficient for the watering rate of most plants.

Micro-sprinkling prevents clogging of the dispenser nozzles with soil, but requires stands for suspension, makes it difficult to fill dangling dispensers and does not allow water to be supplied exactly to the roots. Surface watering requires refining the bottles, which, given the required quantity of tens and possibly hundreds, is very labor-intensive. In deep spot watering from bottles, radical changes have recently occurred that have made it highly effective, see below.

The simplest surface drip irrigation can be organized using plastic containers or 1.5 liter bottles installed in rows between bushes, see fig. The dies in them are made at a height of 3-5 cm from the bottom so that sediment in the water does not clog them. Such irrigation is suitable for moisture- and light-loving crops with fruits located quite high above the ground, for example. tomatoes, eggplants. A serious drawback of this “system” is that mulching of the rows is required; why - see above.

Much better results are obtained by deep watering from inverted and cut bottles, left and center on the trail. rice. Mulch is no longer needed, filling dispensers is more convenient, and evaporation from them creates some kind of microclimate for the plants. However, a small, real revolution in bottle-drip irrigation was made by the appearance on sale of nozzles in threads for bottle necks with ready-made dies, on the right in Fig. They were first invented by indoor gardeners; tips of pastry syringes were used. In addition to other advantages of deep watering, you can stick dispensers into the ground obliquely, delivering water directly to the roots.

Other options

In addition to bottles, they sometimes try to use medical droppers for targeted individual drip irrigation, see next. rice. However, the consistently positive long-term results of such experiments are unknown. reasons due to the fact that medical droppers are disposable equipment:

• The thinnest filter gets clogged very quickly.
• Remove the filter - the needle becomes clogged with soil a little slower.
• The flow regulator clips quickly burst, the wheel pins come out of the grooves and the adjustment stops altogether.
• Hoses also quickly become cloudy, become slimy inside, and swell; the lumen of the hose is reduced, and then the tubes generally creep apart.

In addition, honey an IV costs money, and not very little. And if the medical staff, contrary to the strictest prohibition, does not destroy them after use (droppers for medicines cannot be disinfected), then who knows what patients were given them. And wouldn’t any of them share their ailments with you through a dropper...

On fairly large areas, up to 6 acres or more, surface drip irrigation from relatively available materials can be arranged, as shown in the figure:

Irrigation lines (irrigation tapes) are made from a PVC garden hose with a caliber (clearance diameter) of 3-8 mm, it is relatively inexpensive. The dies in them are made as described above. The holes in the bottoms of the buckets are drilled along the outer diameter of the thread on the neck; Such a spout is tightened with a standard plug; perhaps with a thin rubber seal. The holes in the plugs for the hoses are 1-1.5 mm smaller than their outer diameter, then seals will not be needed here. For a weekend home, this is perhaps the optimal solution: the entire system can be easily deployed, and before leaving it can be rolled up and hidden.

Note: a similar type of system, but much less expensive in all respects, can be built for growing seedlings at home, see video below.

Video: drip irrigation for seedlings at home

Throughout the area

We have already come close to drip irrigation of fairly large areas from pressure water supply sources with water supplied through pipelines. A water-tube drip irrigation system is built according to a complete and simplified scheme, depending on the value of the initial pressure: with a normal pressure of 0.7-3 bar or a low-pressure of 0.1-0.3 bar. A pressure of 1 bar corresponds to a lift of the pressure tank of 10 m, i.e. in low-pressure systems, raising the pressure tank 1-3 m above ground level is sufficient. This greatly simplifies the installation of both the system itself and the pressure tank; the costs for them are correspondingly reduced. But it is difficult to ensure high-quality watering of beds longer than 10 m in a low-pressure system, and technically impossible for beds longer than 20 m.

Note: We do not consider high-pressure irrigation systems, for example, mist irrigation, because making them with your own hands is unrealistic, and the cost of construction is very high.

The design of both drip irrigation systems is shown in Fig. top left and top right respectively.

In both cases, a squeegee (bottom center) is connected to the water supply source (water supply, general pressure tank, submersible pump in a well or borehole) - a device for preparing irrigation water, monitoring and regulating its flow. The squeegee, in addition to the shut-off valve, must be equipped with a special filter, because additionally unfiltered water will immediately damage the entire system. The main pipeline(s) with an optionally installed fertilizer solution injector are connected to the runoff, and distribution pipelines (drip pipes, irrigation tapes or just tapes) laid on the beds are connected to the main line. The tapes are equipped with droppers that carry out the actual watering.

Note: the design of individual elements and methods of installation of low- and normal-pressure drip irrigation systems differ markedly, see below. The reason is the varying degree of influence of viscous friction of water in pipes; in low-pressure systems it is relatively higher.

About pipes

Main pipes and, most often, tapes are made of low-density polyethylene (HDPE) and are sold as HDPE pipes or simply HDPE. “Low pressure” in this case characterizes the production technology of this plastic: at low pressure with the participation of a catalyst. HDPE pipes are inexpensive and very resistant, with a service life of over 40 years. However, when heated to more than 60 degrees, catalyst residues (cadmium) can be released, which is why food-grade and household polyethylene is more expensive and high-pressure.

Drip irrigation systems are assembled from HDPE pipes for laying in the ground, black with a longitudinal blue stripe. Pipes for internal distribution (green) in a temperate climate can withstand 5-6-10 seasons. PVC-reinforced irrigation hoses are not suitable for the construction of stationary irrigation systems, because... do not withstand constant exposure to the external environment for more than 1-3 years. The caliber of main pipes is taken within the range of 12-40 mm for areas of 6-40 acres with an aspect ratio of 1:1 to 1:3. The caliber of the tapes is 16-75 mm for their length limits of 10-100 m.

Low pressure

Low-pressure systems are suitable for summer cottages or personal plots of 6-20 acres. It is possible to make low-pressure drip irrigation from HDPE pipes with a wall thickness of 0.5-1 mm on simple fittings with a tension connection, bottom right in Fig. When designing them on slopes, it is necessary to route the highways horizontally, and run the tapes from them along the slope. This will to some extent compensate for pressure losses in the belts. Often in this way it is possible to obtain a uniform flow rate from cheaper and more reliable uncompensated drippers, see below.

Normal pressure

Installation of normal pressure drip irrigation systems is made from HDPE pipes with a wall thickness of 2-4 mm. When they are powered from a common pressure tank in the attic of a one-story house, a booster pump can be embedded into the main line. Normal pressure pipelines are assembled on fittings with pressure, bottom left in Fig. The tapes are removed from the main line using start connectors, which perform the functions of tees-branches and pressure reducers. Through start connectors with taps, tapes or areas are connected, the pressure in which should be significantly lower than the normal pressure; in this case, a greenhouse, a short single bed and a garden.

How to install drip irrigation yourself using ready-made components, see the video tutorial. And we will further deal with some essential details, following the flow of water.

Video: how to assemble a drip irrigation system with your own hands

Tank

The supply tank of the irrigation system must be opaque or protected from light to avoid the development of unicellular algae in it (water blooms), which instantly clog both the filter and the droppers. In addition, the water in the tank should not heat up in the heat: watering with overheated water is detrimental to plants. For these purposes, the tank in the open air is covered with a galvanized screen or wrapped with metallized thermal insulation, for example. folgoizol.

The lid of the tank must be tight with air drainage to prevent dust and spores of microorganisms from entering it. The source for connecting the drainage is made at a height of 10-15 cm from the bottom, and the sediment is periodically pumped out or drained. As for the volume of the tank, it is calculated based on the plants’ water needs, the expected average monthly rainfall in the area and the frequency of filling. In general, in Central Russia, a cubic tank is enough for 6-12 acres for a week.

Controller and kick drum

An irrigation controller is considered an unaffordable luxury. This is true for devices from approx. for $2000 for greenhouse farms with a productive area of ​​hectares. But there are also household irrigation controllers on sale for less than $50-30. They allow you to set the time and duration of watering. Slightly more expensive models are equipped with a soil moisture sensor and skip watering if there is already enough moisture in the soil. It is also possible to equip it with a precipitation sensor, which allows watering to occur when it rains. With such a controller, it is quite possible to build a maintenance-free greenhouse “from weekend to weekend” 3x6 m with a storage tank from a 200 liter barrel. However, we will return to drip irrigation of greenhouses more than once.

Filter

A drip irrigation filter is generally designed in the same way as a tap filter, but should provide finer filtration without clogging too often. The most commonly used irrigation water filters are trace. types:

1. Mesh ones are the simplest and cheapest, but they get clogged quickly. The cartridges in them have to be changed at least once a week, or even after each watering, depending on the initial water quality. If the water hardness exceeds 16 German degrees (the maximum permissible according to sanitary standards is 29 degrees), they completely fail instantly.
2. Disc ones are somewhat more expensive, but the cartridge needs to be changed 2-3 times a season, or even not every season. Most commonly used.
3. Turbine (centrifuge filters) are the most expensive, but they purify water even from a puddle. No consumables are required; cleaning involves unscrewing the drain plug and draining the sediment.

Fertilizer injectors

There is no opportunity to touch on the subtleties of agrochemistry, but in this case they come down to one thing: It is incorrect to pour liquid fertilizer into the tank. Plants intended for food should be fed in portions during watering. That's why a fertilizer injector is needed; no - bring them into the beds by hand.

Firstly, water must be supplied to the injector in 2 parallel branches, each designed for full flow. In addition to inlet valves, they also need valves in front of the injector, allowing the branch to be cut off from 2 sides. If there is no boost pump in the system, then it is better to install 2 leads, then a tee, and an injector immediately after it.

Why such difficulties? First, suddenly the single squeegee becomes completely clogged, and a concentrated solution of fertilizers flows to the plants, causing them to “burn.” And with partial blockage and a drop in flow, nitrates will be deposited in fruits, bulbs and roots. Therefore, the branches of the paired flow are periodically cut off, and in the branch that is undergoing maintenance, the filter and the pipe lumen are checked and, if necessary, cleaned.

Second, The fertilizer injection scheme for drip irrigation depends on the type of system and the method of feeding it, see figure:

In low-pressure systems, simple injectors with a mini tap are used, pos. 1. When powered from a water supply system that provides a stable “household” pressure of 1.65 bar (1.85, 2.05 bar, etc. in countries and regions with varying degrees of water supply), use the diagram in pos. 2. In systems with a booster pump - circuit with overflow, pos. 3, otherwise pressure surges at the pump outlet will “throw” water into the fertilizer tank. When powered from an autonomous water supply system with unstable pressure - a circuit with a low-power solution pump, pos. 4. It is turned on either from the irrigation controller, or manually according to pressure gauge readings.

Note: in the latter case, and in general if the pressure in the water supply is unstable, if the irrigated area is not very large, it is better to turn all drip irrigation into low-pressure using a regular toilet flush tank, see fig. The standard drain is plugged, and the squeegee is connected at the level of the waterline of the float raised until the water supply stops. The pressure in the irrigation system will then be very stable.

Tapes and droppers

These are the key elements of the system, so, as they used to say, they should be given the utmost attention. Micro-perforated irrigation tapes, or oozing hoses, pos. 1 and 2 in Fig. The dies are pierced with a laser. Due to the absence of pressure losses on the fittings, the length of oozing hoses in low-pressure drip irrigation can exceed 50 m. However, due to excessive evaporation from a large total surface of artificial dew and sensitivity to dust, they are of little use for open ground, but for drip irrigation of a greenhouse, a oozing hose is almost perfect option.

Note: sometimes oozing hoses are called integrated drippers, but the latter can be of a completely different type, see below.

In labyrinth drippers, part of the water flowing through the pipe enters a winding channel, and from there it drips out. Labyrinth droppers built with tape (item 2) are good because they are cheap (plus savings - no additional fittings are needed) and because they provide a relatively stable droplet flow rate over a fairly wide range of pressure fluctuations in the pipe. This is explained by the large influence of viscous friction in the labyrinth. In addition, holes in the tape for them can be punched even with an ordinary stationery hole punch (see below for more details). But salts are deposited quite quickly in the labyrinth, which disrupts the functioning of the system; Frequent tightening and pulling of the hose for cleaning is not only labor-intensive, but also soon leads to the need to change the entire tape.

Most often, external drippers are used for surface drip irrigation, pos. 3-8; on pos. 3-5 – integrated, or dropper-emitters. They are:

• With smooth flow control.
• With fixed flow rate (1-2-3-4 l/hour).
• Both of them – with compensation for pressure losses and uncompensated.

The basis of the loss compensator is a silicone membrane (item a in the figure on the right). It bends when the pressure increases and partially blocks the main flow through the dropper. Therefore, it is necessary to regulate it on a tape with compensated droppers at minimum pressure in the line, or starting from the far end of the tape. As for the design of the flow regulator, a flag type is more convenient, but flag droppers are more expensive than those with a dial regulator, approx. by 5%. When purchasing tens/hundreds of units, this is significant.

At pos. 6 – outlet dropper. Allows you to lay the tape between the rows, which makes it easier to care for both the plants and the irrigation system, but drip irrigation with outlets will be quite expensive: additional ones are needed. tees (many) tubes.

Pos. 7 – a dropper with the possibility of micro-sprinkling, which is necessary for strawberries. For such tapes at the sources, switchable chokes or start connectors with taps are needed: first they give full pressure, and when the bushes are wetted from above, they lower it to a drop under the roots.

Pos. 7 – dropper-dispenser for deep watering. These are applicable on unclogged, highly permeable soils; as a rule - artificial, for example. filling with expanded clay in greenhouses with container culture. For deep drip irrigation in ordinary soils, drippers with 2-4 outlets and tips immersed in the soil are used, see next. rice.

About the installation of droppers

“In the company style,” holes for droppers in the tapes are punched with a special hole puncher-insector, which allows you to cut through only one wall of a thin-walled pipe by weight. Install the emitter droppers using mounting pliers (on the left in the next figure) using rubber seals, in the center and on the right.

It is believed that otherwise it is impossible to ensure the tightness of many joints for a long time outside of production conditions. However, those who like to think and tinker often place emitters on tapes according to the following mini-instructions:

1. The pipe section is heated to approx. up to 50 degrees, but without allowing the plastic to soften, using a household hairdryer or scalding with boiling water;
2. Immediately, in a warm pipe, drill a hole with a diameter along the neck of the emitter pipe;
3. Immediately push the dropper pipe into the hole. As the pipe material cools, it contracts and tightly grips the pipe.

There is nothing prohibitive in this technology: hot tension fit is widely used in industrial production, incl. for particularly critical units. But remember: the guarantee of tightness of many connections made in this way is only your skill and accuracy.

Note: The standard spacing for installing dropper emitters is 30 or 50 cm.

Garden tapes

Garden drip irrigation tapes are laid by encircling the bushes with a “snake”, figure eight, etc., and the trees – in circles, see the figure on the right. Therefore, they require thin-walled flexible tubes. In normal pressure systems, in this case, a start connector with a tap is required before the source into the tape, or, better, a throttle-reducer in front of the tap.

Drops in greenhouses

The use of drip irrigation for private farms in moderately humid climates is most economically profitable in a greenhouse. For example in Fig. Drawings of a drip irrigation system for a 6x3 m greenhouse and specifications for 2 options of components for it are given.

The costs of creating drip irrigation in a small greenhouse, given per unit of its productive area, are much lower than for open ground, and productivity is also much higher. Therefore, drip irrigation for greenhouses is quickly gaining popularity, and complete sets of their elements, including a controller, are available for sale for standard-sized greenhouses, on the left in the following. rice. The price of the kit is significantly lower than when purchasing components at retail. An additional plus is that conscientious sellers provide a guarantee on everything except the relatively inexpensive hose. Therefore, the system can first be tried on dry in a separate area, assembled, made a test run, and then, if everything is in order, installed on site.

For drip irrigation in a greenhouse, you need a controller with a soil moisture sensor, otherwise, due to the small evaporation to the outside, it is very difficult to avoid acidification of the soil and all sorts of misfortunes to the vegetation. But what if the greenhouse is not electrified? Make an autonomous power supply? And if it is not yet serviced regularly, automation of watering is inevitable. With my own hands, because Turnkey automatic watering systems are very expensive.

One solution to this problem is shown in Fig. The basis is a solar battery (SB) at (15-18) V (possibly homemade) with an area of ​​1-1.5 square meters. m and a 12V 65A/h car battery. The battery can be recharged simply through a 10A diode, because The short-circuit current of the SB is only slightly greater than the current contained in the battery. Buffer water tank – 200 l barrel.

It is better to use a 12V submersible pump. The 220V pump can be turned on via a household inverter 12VDC/220V 50Hz AC. To avoid draining the pump by the siphon effect, the barrel must be buried in the ground. For the same purpose, an electromagnetic shut-off valve is installed on the supply pipe in front of the flow meter/controller, electrically connected in parallel to the pump. That is, if the pump is 12V, then the valve needs a 12V valve, or both at 220V.

In this system, a reverse siphon effect is also possible, which will pull water and ground back, causing the drippers, pipes and filter to become clogged. The remedy against it is a check valve immediately behind the controller, if you look at the water flow.