Inexpensive Irrigation Systems

11 years ago

I am hoping someone can help me with a inexpensive irrigation system for my yard this coming summer. First a little background:

1. Our lot is approximately 13,000 square feet with approximately 10,000 square feet of grass and mulched beds (trees, shrubs and perennials). We moved into the house in 2006 and it was new construction.

2. We are in the process of a two to three year planting plan (this spring will be year two). This plan includes creating large mulch beds filled with trees and shrubs and filled in with perennials and groundcover (see attached photos). Last year we created the beds in the backyard and planted many trees and shrubs. This spring we plan on adding a few trees (replacing trees that didn't survive last year and adding new ones along the back of the lot) and filling in the beds with perennials. We will also be creating beds this spring along both sides of the house.

3. The grass in the front yard was sodded and in the back in sides was seeded. THe backyard was called Deluxe (bought at F&G) and is a mix of the following:
34% Perennial Rye
33% Kentucky Bluegrass
33% Creeping Red Fescue
I believe the front is similiar but not sure. The back has filled in nicely while the front is not so full. I believe the issue with the front is that it faces the west so receives a lot of afternoon sun, and in a lot of areas the builder left leftover concrete and asphalt buried just below the surface (I dug up one strip along the driveway and found chunck of asphalt). The strips along the driveway and the parkway (between street and sidewalk) are almost bare except for weeds during the middle of summer.

Like I said earlier, I am looking for inexpensive solutions to water well. This system would be a temporary (a year or two), as we hope to install a more professional, permanent system. After reading up on the topic over the past few days, I have come up with the following solutions:
-Use the hose bibs (one on each side of the house) as the watering source. Unfortunately the pipe running from the main on both is only 1/2" pipe I think so it does not provide the pressue I'd like. I have run another bib to the garage so I am capable of adding a 1" line if need be but this will add cost.
-Add a timer immediately after hose bib connection. Originally I was looking at the Orbit four valve timer (http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-58872N-Complete-Yard-Watering/dp/B003LY4I2) but it is expensive and only allows for control of two valves from what I understand. Right now I am leaning on a single timer at each bib followed by a four way valve after it.
-For grass areas I am planning on burying hose in the mulch beds where ever possible and under grass in the other areas leading to sprinkler heads. In the past we have used pulsating and oscillating sprinklers. I hate moving the hoses around all the time and never seem to get the 1" of water in an area even after leaving a sprinkler on for hours in one spot.
-For the mulched beds I am debating between soaker hoses, drip lines (seem most efficient and customizable)or Nelson Simple Soaker System (http://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/water-systems/watering-irrigation/sprinklers/simple-soaker-system/p-1921909-c-8661.htm). I've read that drip lines are the most expensive, but I can get 100' of 1/4" tubing for $10. I know I would need emitters then but I still don't see the high price. Soaker hoses run $10 for 75' but only cover 3' width so would need a lot. The Nelson Simple Soaker System looks good but it is $15 for 50' and I'm not sure of how wide an are it covers (the ad claims 12' diameter) and not sure how efficient and durable they are.

I'm open to any and all suggestions. Like I said earlier, I am trying to save money (we have a lot of other landscaping costs) so I probably won't install it all at once either (probably do one system or zone at a time). Thanks in advance!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

lehua49
11 years ago
pm,

Nice professional drawing and plan. First thing if you are going to design your irrigation temporary irrigation is to find out your working pressure and flow rate from your house bibs. If you have no special conditions pointed out by your water supply company and your water line has a pressure regulator in-line before entering your house (usually in your garage), have about 80 psi to your house and 55 psi from your house bibs. Buy a water pressure gauge from the hardware store that goes on your hose bib and measure the pressure. Fill a 5-gallon bucket from your house bib and measure the time it takes to fill up. This info will be the basis for your design. We can help you after you collect that info and post it back here. Aloha
midwestguy33
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks. After doing some research, I am now trying to decide if it might make more sense to just put in a permanent system. I contacted the city and our static water pressure is 63 psi.
Related Discussions
Inexpensive Misting System
Q
Comments (4)
I have setup several small mist and drip systems at my home. Netafim is one manufacturer of emitters (and other irrifgation stuff) that I have used extensively and you should find at most any irrigation related business or website. I have hanging pots around the railing of my deck, I simply ran 3/4" black poly tubing around the outside of the deck railing up under the railing cap, secured with galvenized nails set at an angle to hold the pipe in place (most everything I do is functional but temporary, as I am always tweaking everything until it finely tuned to my liking). At one end the pipe is capped and of course the other end is either added as a zone to my irrigation system or a hose bib or whatever source adaptor is necessary. Once the "mainline" is in place it is simply a matter choosing an emitter of appropriate gallonage, punching a hole in the pipe, inserting the emitter and running some spaghetti tubing to the pot. Of course emitters are optional, nice in that they will provide an exact flow of water, but for outdoor hanging pots perhaps you can save their cost and simply punch a hole into the poly pipe, insert your tubing and run the "system" till water drips from the pots. Emitters are also nice in that they are, largely, pressure compensating, this simply means that every emitter on the line will emit at the same rate, if you simply punch holes and run tubing some (closest to source) will flow more than those at the end of the line, but this may not be an issue for you. I have done it both ways. Mist is just as simple only you'll use misting emitters. Oh, perhaps I should have started with this but, you must filter your water or you will likely have some clogged emitters, these filters are widely available, cheap, simple to install and use, I use the Netafim only because thats what I could get at work for real cheap.
...See More
advice on buying drip irrigation system(m)
Q
Comments (11)
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
...See More
Drip Irrigation System?
Q
Comments (5)
E, I am pretty sure Barbra had Gary convert her Plumeria beds to drip irrigation this last summer. You can buy a "Patio kit" which gives you all the basic components for setting one up for containers at L or HD. (just like Mike said). I think i have one in the garden shed I can bring to the next meeting if you wanted to look at one. Mike, as far as the hose goes...over the holidays I went to an "As Seen on TV" Christmas party and walked out with 100 foot flex hose and bacon bowls. The bacon bowls are the best thing ever and that flex hose is at least in the top 5 gag gifts ever received. It might be an inexpensive solution and it works well. Although I would say the flow or output is not as strong as standard hoses.
...See More
Anyone w/Inexpensive Misting System Plans?
Q
Comments (90)
I have setup something very simple, even I can do this. What you need is a bed with a cover (four corrugated iron sheets and a see through roofing sheet you'll get both for free). Then you need a timer. You take care of the minimum time the timer can do, because not all timers can do times like 10 seconds some start with a minute. The timer works with batteries. At the tap you mount the timer, then either a piece of hose or a black plastic pipe for irrigation into you bed. There are misting valves, which are inexpensive and come in packs of 10. If you do cuttings you buy risers too which are little plastic tubes. All what you do is you push the risers into the polypipe and mount the sprinkler on top of it. Before you do that you get some sticks and thin wire. I place the sticks in the beds were I want the sprinkles and fix the polypipe to it. If the risers are a bit crooked I can fix them to the sticks. This way you can move your sprinklers around a bit. And don't forget and end cap for the polypipe.
...See More
uncle_t
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
If you live on the prairies think trees first before irrigation. For some prairie shrubs and trees draw deep water to the surface and help moisten the lawn (save water bills). I'll take a wild guess that you're in east Montana or west ND? In the prairies trees can also save you heating costs (wind cover).

I used to live in Alberta for many years. Invest in some tree cover first, then plan irrigation.

Regards.
lehua49
11 years ago
pm,

Smart call. Sounds like you going DIY. 63 psi is a little low for street pressure so you want to put a tee fitting into the mainline before it enters your house. Then place a ball valve right after that to be able to shut the entire system off to do maintenance or repairs. If you are in a freezing climate put in next a fitting with you can connect a air compressor to blow out your system in the fall. For the design you will need to determine your flow rate from a hose bib an approximate flow rate even though it is from your house pressure. Does your house have a pressure regulator? This is the beginning, but you realize you are taking on the liability to fix any problems for poor workmanship. If you want to continue I can help you along the way. You needs to decide how you want the irrigation applied from underground and research sprinkler styles, water throw distances, the head pressure and flow rate of each sprinkler and special needs for your plantings. Your tentative layout will determine your water demand for your yards and by knowing the flow rate and pressure you can determine how many zones you will need. Aloha
midwestguy33
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks. This will definitely be a diy project. I bought an Orbits pressure gauge at Menards and it is actually reading about 4 or 5 psi higher at the hose bib than the city said our static pressure is. I am assuming I should just use the lower one supplied by the city.

I did the bucket test and came up with just over 10 gpm. However, if I use the calculator on irrigation tutorial I come up with 18 gpm (1" copper pipe). Not sure if the 5/8 water meter is affecting it.
lehua49
11 years ago
pm,
Your answer begs the question because if your house has a pressure regulator (didn't answer question), your hose bib pressure would be lower than your street pressure. Unless two things, 1st your water company was mistaken and your street pressure is in the 80 psi range or 2nd your pressure regulator isn't working and your water company was mistaken. My recommendation is if your hose bib is in the 55-60 psi range you can hook up to the hose bib as your source. The size of the pipe/hose bib coming from your house doesn't make difference in the flow rate. Depending on your zone demand it make a difference how fast the water travels through the pipes. If the speed of the water is too fast then you can get noise when you turn on and off your house faucets(water hammer noises). Two values that limit the number of heads in a zone are the pressure and flow rate. Each irrigation head or orifice use a portion of the flow rate and each head or orifice uses up some pressure. The heads at the beginning of the lines get better flow and pressure than the one toward the end of the water line. You know need to research the type of heads you will use and find their flow rate for 60 psi pressure. Each zone can use up to 80% of your source flow rate (10 gpm) with a 1" mainline pipe size. If you use the 18 gpm (max for 1" line), your water will make noise and it will hurt your system when the auto valves open and close. You could use 12 gpm if you prefer. Nothing is exact. One more thing do not combine lawn with beds. A zone should have like type of plants to set a proper duration for the zone. That is enough for now. Time to plan your system. Aloha
midwestguy33
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks everyone for the advice. We've decided to start adding drip irrigation first (hooking it up to the hose bibs) and then adding the hard-piped sprinkler system later this year/next spring. We will set the drip irrigation in the large mulched beds of trees, shrubs and perennials and set them up so that they can be added to the hard-piped sprinkler system when it is installed. How should we setup such a system? Should we run a regular garden hose from the bib to the mulch bed (area where we plan on running the drip line into the sprinkler system in the future)? What kind of tubing/piping should we use as the laterals?

Below is a rough draft of the system as I envision it:

1. Close to the hose bib run a small piece of hose attached to manifold/shut-off valve that branches off into a number of different connections. One of the branched lines will be for general use and the other(s) will be for the drip irrigation.
2. After the manifold valve, a pressure reduced and filter will be installed. I don't plan on a backflow valve as the hose bib has an anti-siphon feature.
3. A section of garden hose from filter and pressure reduced to start of mulch bed (drip irrigation).
4. Laterals running along edge of mulch beds (or down the middle). Not sure if laterals should be PVC,poly tubing, vinyl tubing, or PVC flex tubing . Laterals will be 1/2" I think.
5. 1/4" tubing running from lateral to plant. Not sure if I can run 1/4" to more than one plant or not. Also not sure what tubing to use ( poly tubing, vinyl tubing, or PVC flex tubing, drip tubing). I plan to use maually placed emitters at each plant.

Please let me know if this plan makes sense. I don't mind spending extra money to make the system the most efficient and durable that it can be. Any and all suggestions are welcome!
midwestguy33
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
After research, I am wondering if it would be better to use microsprayers rather than emitters? Some of our beds are rather wide and long (25' wide by 75' long for example - see pictures above) and will be filled with perennials along with the already planted shrubs and trees. These beds are a work in progress (I've planted over 150 containers of perennials using the winter sowing method which I plan on planting this spring). I think the microsprayers might give me better flexibility and be less maintenance then the emitters. However, I am concerned about the disease/fungus issue with the microsprayers and not sure how much less efficient the microsprayers are. Any and all suggestions/comments are welcome!
whitecap
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well, since you asked, I will confide that I found drip systems very unsatisfactory for watering landscape plants in beds. Connections frequently fail and emitters frequently fail to perform as expected, even when they're not stopped up. I see them used in nurseries, but there the lines aren't concealed, making it much easier to detect system failures, and the plants are in containers. I've found soaker hoses much more satisfactory. The new flat ones (I think they're made of woven PVC) are much more flexible and durable than the rubber ones. You have to use a pressure regulator with them. You can use some lines for frequent and others for infrequent watering. You can also place small plants along the lines where it seems the water might otherwise be wasted.

Inexpensive Irrigation Systems

Comments (9)

lehua49

midwestguy33
Original Author

Related Discussions

uncle_t

lehua49

midwestguy33
Original Author

lehua49

midwestguy33
Original Author

midwestguy33
Original Author

whitecap

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Inexpensive Irrigation Systems

Comments (9)

lehua49

midwestguy33Original Author

Related Discussions

uncle_t

lehua49

midwestguy33Original Author

lehua49

midwestguy33Original Author

midwestguy33Original Author

whitecap

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

midwestguy33
Original Author

midwestguy33
Original Author

midwestguy33
Original Author

midwestguy33
Original Author