skip to main content

Florida Gardening

Converting sprinkler system to drip?

16 years ago

This question is inspired by something Michael recently brought up about drip irrigation systems. I have an inground sprinkler system but as I dig up more lawn and make more mulch beds I want to be able to reduce the watering I do. And I want that little bit of watering to be effective and go to the plants that need it. Can you simply change the fittings on a conventional system and add drip lines or soaker hoses? Has anyone done this?

Kate

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

cycadjungle
16 years ago
I just got in late from the cycad events in California, and could say more, but you need to get a pressure reducing device and an extra inline filter to keep the drips from stopping up. They even sell that stuff at HD.
cindeea
16 years ago
I don't know if this helps Kate, But Gardeners Supply has some interesting drip connections for ordinary garden hoses.
Related Discussions
Question(s) on converting sprinklers to drip
Q
Comments (1)
BR, I am going to agree with those other sites. What about those comments from the other sites did you not believe? Here is why: The flow rates will be different for drip(0.5 GPH) and sprinklers (5 GPH). This equates to over or under watering one of the areas on the same zone because the time to irrigate would be equal. You would have to create separate zones for each type of distributing water. For example if you irrigated all but one sprinkler for the lawn for 4 minutes which is what the lawn needs. You will be under watering the drip area because it has not gotten enough time time to irrigate. Theoretically you can make the flow rates match for the drip (it wouldn't be drip any longer) but it would be very complex and a lot of trial and error. I don't Know how you would do this piecemeal. Maybe other on this forum would know and we can all learn something. JMHO Aloha
...See More
Re-doing yard with lasagna method, when do I replace sprinklers?
Q
Comments (2)
Thanks for the response. I've read negative things on rototilling, tearing up the soil in an unnatural manner, that often can then lead to later over-compaction. I do think it might be simpler to wait for the lasagna method to finish its chemical reactions that amend the soil before planting, and I've seen that approach on YouTube. But our LA County planting guide says we can just plant immediately if we like, and I've also read this on the internet. We have a window of time for this, and we are trying to get it all done by mid-January, including planting. I will double check whether we will actually need ongoing drip irrigation in the long-term, or whether the plants will be fully self-sufficient once they are established. In the former case, we'd probably spend more time putting in a good automatic drip system, in the latter case maybe we would just hand-water or something till the plants are established. So thanks for mentioning that possibility. Ken
...See More
Drip irrigation or sprinkler system?
Q
Comments (13)
My backyard has a new 5 valve sprinkler system on a timer. In areas where plants don't like being watered from above, or are big enough to block the sprinklers from covering, and near groupings of potted plants, I have retrofitted Orbit Quad manifold drip heads on top of the risers. I am switching back and forth between sprinklers and drip whenever it suits me. Consider installing sprinklers before planting and adapting it to your changing circumstances later. I am currently swapping in more thoughtfully distributed drip emitters in an effort to lower my water consumption in a mostly tropical garden, by putting the water exactly where I need it. I mostly use the flag emitters and have not yet had any problems with clogging. Last year I removed all the drip in the frontyard borders and re-installed sprinkler heads on the risers for better coverage after removing a lot of cannas. I am slowly switching to Australian and South African natives and will revert back to drip.
...See More
Converting Rainbird sprinkler to Drip
Q
Comments (6)
Karen, you can combine the micro bubblers and drip emitter tubing in one zone. Add up the flow rates of all the bubblers and emitters. The total shouldn't exceed the amount recommended for a zone with 1/2 inch tubing. That amount will vary depending on the size of the 1/2 tubing you have (there are several sizes of 1/2 inch tubing) . Your bubblers are adjustable so use the max for design purposes. If you have 5 bubblers at 10 gph that would be 50 gph. Then add in the emitter tubing. If you have 10 runs of emitter tubing and each run does 10 gph that would be 100 gph. Your total gph would be 150. You should be good up to about 200 gph
...See More
zozzl
16 years ago
I am wondering that too Kate. It always sounded complicated to me, but it sure would be nice and probably reduce the amount of water used?
mikeyannie
16 years ago
I'm in the process of installing a micro system. I was somewhat intimidated by the system at first, but found it's not complicated at all. Lowes sells all the parts, adapters, etc. (FYI...10% discount for military, active and retired at the store. They don't advertise this much.) I started out hooking one zone into an outside faucet. Now I'm brave enough to tie into an inground zone we no longer use. Our county extension office (Hillsborough) offers workshops on micro irrigation.

The following link gives good info too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Micro irrigation

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Install a Drip Irrigation System

By Marianne Lipanovich

Save time and water with a drip watering system in your vegetable garden — a little patience now will pay off later

LOFTS 5 Innovative Ideas From a Live-Work Space in a Converted Toy Factory

By Annie Thornton

Driven by a tight budget, architects get creative in transforming a couple’s work-focused loft in downtown Los Angeles

GARDENING GUIDES Edible Gardening Essentials: Tips for Traditional Hand Watering

By Marianne Lipanovich

Save the expense and hassle of a complicated garden system with a simple watering can or inexpensive hose add-ons

EARTH DAY Grow a Beautiful Garden With Ecofriendly Greywater

By Greywater Corps

Reducing home water waste means lower bills and a healthier planet. Here's how to set up a greywater home irrigation system that can help

BARN HOMES Houzz Tour: An Energy-Efficient Barn Graces the Nebraska Landscape

By Becky Harris

Passive-house technologies and a rain-harvesting and greywater system conserve natural resources in this weekend country home

ARCHITECTURE 15 Smart Design Choices for Cold Climates

By Laura Gaskill

Keep your home safe and comfortable in winter by choosing the right home features and systems

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Call: Show Us Your Industrial Loft!

Bring on the brick and metal. If you live in a converted warehouse or an edgy loft, we’d love to see it

GARDENING GUIDES Southwest Gardener's March Checklist

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Dust off your gardening tools and get busy pruning to help your trees and plants reach their full potential

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Stunning SoHo Loft

By Becky Harris

Renovation celebrates a former factory's original details combined with new spaces, textures and materials

COLORFUL HOMES My Houzz: A 1904 Georgian Colonial Gets a Personal Stamp

By Hoi Ning Wong

Art with a sense of humor rubs elbows with 17th-century features in a 7-bedroom home in a tony Silicon Valley neighborhood

Sponsored

More Discussions

Diagnosing problems with firespike in Sarasota

5

2024 January : upload your photos of first blooms of season

19

Garden plans for 2024?

6

Greening Satsuma

2

New Blooms Feb./Mar.

26