WATER STEWARDS January 31,2012

1. WATER STEWARDSJanuary 31,2012 DO IT YOURSELF DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

2. WHY CONSIDER? • No great skill needed to install • No trenching required • No electrical connections necessary • No precise pipe connections to make • Inexpensive to install

3. DRIP IRRIGATION ADVANTAGES • Reduces loss through evaporation • Eliminates runoff • Does not spray leaves, petals, trunks thus reducing fungus potential • Does not waste water irrigating surrounding areas (discourages weeds)

4. ADVANTAGES • Reduces overall time to water a given area • Ensures consistent moisture to individual plants • Works especially well on difficult hillsides • Can be used for small irrigation additions

5. MINOR PROBLEMS • Occasional minor adjustments do to: • Dogs chewing • Children kicking • Spider web clogging

6. PLANNING Planning is essential • Draw a design to include all your plantings under consideration • Determine the size and requirement of each circuit/zone • About 200’ max per circuit Matches your needs to your purchases

8. PLANNING Think “HYDROZONES” • Think drip and/or spray systems • Sprayer systems for closely spaced systems • Drip systems for widely spaced plantings • Regardless, the system selected should cover 50% of the root zone • Think about the soil type in your garden area

12. TOOLS & OTHER BASIC MATERIALS NEEDED • Tools…cutters and punch • Materials : Garden hose? Staking device

13. OPTIONAL UPGRADES • Filter • Timing device • Fertilizer injector …needs anti-siphon valve • All sorts of interesting toys

14. TUBING & FITTINGS • ½” main tubing • 2 wall thicknesses .052 and .060 match fittings to wall thickness • 3/8” main tubing

15. TUBING AND FITTINGS FITTINGS (i.e. connectors) Used to connect pieces of tubing • Fittings are color coded: Red fittings for 3/8” tubing Blue and green for 1/2” tubing • Three insert types • Compression • Barbed • locking

16. EMITTERS & SPRAYERS Emitters let the water drip onto the plant roots Generally come in three sizes ½ gallon per hour 1 gallon per hour 2 gallons per hour Have barbed ends to fit into micro tubing Color coded…color end into tubing Also sprayers in ¼, 1/2, ¾ and full turn Also available as a pre-constructed line with emitters attached

17. SOME ADDITIONAL ITEMS • Punches • Goof Plugs • Stakes

19. INSTALLATION • Each main line (1/2”…large diameters) diameter has a maximum length…200’ • Each micro line (1/4”) has a maximum number of emitters • If possible try to connect emitters directly to the larger drip tubing lines.

20. MAXIMUM TUBING LENGHTS

21. HELPFUL TIPS • Allow ½” poly to sit in the sun • Buy a good punch • Measure twice …cut once

22. Maximum Number of Emitters To determine the maximum number of emitters on each line: • For each ½” line add up the water volume of the emitters…maximum volume of emitters is 320 GPH • For each ¼” micro line maximum volume is 15 GPH

23. FINDING A SUPPLY SOURCE Local • Lowe’s and Home Depot Internet sources • The Drip Store • www.dripirrigation.com • Sprinkler Warehouse www.sprinklerwarehouse.com • Drip Works USA www.dripworksusa.com

24. QUESTIONS ?

26. WATER INFORMATION A typical area of 20’X40’ (800 sq. ft.) requires about 4000 gallons of water per month Garden hoses deliver: Dia. Hose Flow gal/hr Hrs of watering • 1/2 “ 300 13hrs/mo • 5/8” 500 8hrs/mo • 3/4” 600 6.5hrs/mo