I recommend DripWorks. If you e-mail or fax them a diagram of your garden or deck, they'll recommend a system and sell you everything you need. I suspect you'll need something like this: a filter and pressure regulator; 1/2" "mainline" tubing to circle the rail or floor of your deck; 1/4" tubing leading from the mainline to each of your planters; one or two emitters for each pot; fittings for the mainline corners; a male hose end and cap; a female hose start and plug; tools and connectors; and some extras. They're very easy to set up once you get the hang of it. I would suggest a timer, too, and a "Y" hose adapter with shutoff valves so that you can attach another hose to the same faucet.

I had some real problems at Home Depot and Lowe's finding the right parts to expand my existing drip irrigation system. I finally gave up and ordered parts online from The Drip Store. I've used them twice so far and am impressed with their selection and service. From what I can tell 1/2" tubing comes in two thicknesses. If you use connectors that go on the outside of the tube, it doesn't matter which thickness you have. Apparently HD and Lowe's only sell drip fittings that attach on the inside of the tube and their fittings were too large for the thickness of my existing drip tubing. So I had to resort to buying exterior connectors from the The Drip Store - and they've worked perfectly. Here is a link that might be useful: The Drip Store

Hi Teeka: I just recently installed a drip/micro system and still have some of the receipts. Our home came with an inground sprinkler system but in the interest of saving water and selectively watering flowers, I just installed the drip system. Initially I bought 1/2" poly with in line drippers. However, it's stiffer and I found I had gaps because the "bends" had to be large to make turns, etc. But, all is not lost. I've since bought regular 1/2" poly and drippers and misters to use with it. Where there's a gap that I want to remedy in the in-line dripper system, I've just added misters or extra in-line drippers and am happy. I'm using components of the "Mister Landscaper" system available at Lowes because there is a Lowe's very near me and, as expected, I've had to run back there for "more" of various parts. Ignoring the poly with inline drippers, let's say I started with just regular 1/2" poly (which is what I did convert to). I ran this from my water source around my house just laying it on top of the ground (my beds are along the house). I didn't want to blow out the drippers because of high pressure and wanted to keep the line clean so the drippers wouldn't clog, so at the head of the line I installed a filter (about $10) and a 25 PSI pressure regulator ($7.56). Whereever I wanted to water a plant I either installed an inline dripper ($7.56 for a package of 10) or a stake assembly ($3.13) with a small full circle spinning mister ($3.77 for 5). The stake assemblies are above ground and come with a small amount of 1/4" poly so you can attach them to the 1/2" poly feeder line. There were places where I needed more 1/4" poly line than was provided on the stake assembly so I bought a small roll of 1/4" vinyl tubing (? price) and connectors (again, receipt gone) to extend the secondary line and place the stake where it was needed. The stake assemblies do not come with any type of mister so you must buy these separately. There are various types (depending on the spray pattern you wish). The one thing I did which I would advise against was being too quick to mulch so as to "finish" the job. It's easy to see where the elevated misters are watering because the mulch is wet. But the inline drippers and their wet area are covered by mulch so I've had to probe through the mulch to find the drippers and see where it's wet. I should have waited on the mulch, run the system and evaluated the water pattern, corrected whatever needed correcting, and then mulched. I did not attach a timer to the system, thinking I would just turn it on when the plants needed it. However, now that I'm going to be away for several days I'm sorry. I'll revert to the regular in ground system to keep my garden alive. When I return from my trip, I think adding a timer will be in the cards. Home Depot also has these type systems from DIG corporation. Their web site is http://www.digcorp.com I also read that irrigation supply stores have components for drip systems. I didn't do comparison shopping. I hope that the gas money I saved by only having to go to the nearer store, compensated for whatever I may have saved elsewhere. June Here is a link that might be useful: Mister Landscaper

I use the irrigation drip and love it. From time to time a dripper will get clogged, all you have to do is take it off and let the water rush through the opening and then put it back on. I have learned the hard way not to use any of the spray nozzels, just go with the 1 gallon per hour pressure compensating drippers. I wouldn't actually use a kit, just get the 1/2" main line tubing, the 1/8" tubing that reaches to each individual shrub, and the 1/8" soaker tubing for perennials. Then get enough 1 gallon PC drippers to reach all of the shrubs and you are set. I've got them everywhere, the oldest set is 4 years old and still working. The most used ones are in the rose gardens, one is 3 years old, the other is 1 year old. I turn them on once a week for a few hours or so during the heat of the summer. The roses love it. Many other shrubs don't need that much water. The only big problem I've had is that every once and a while some critter will knaw on the 1/2" line trying to get to the moisture. This results in a fine mist being shot out of the line every time the water is turned on. It's easily fixable, just cut the line and take out the knawed part and put a 1/2" connector in to connect the hose. M