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Ask The Yard Doctor Irrigation Container Gardening

Drip irrigation for planters and veggie boxes

Nancy Sutherland

last year

New to drip irrigation and not too sure where to start. I'd like to include 4 window boxes, 3 railing boxes and 6 long raised veggie boxes in the back yard (see second photo, outlined in white where they are now). I have hose hookups on both sides of the house.
* Should I use 2 separate systems?
* Will water flow to the top floor boxes be affected where they are up so high?
* How do I know what size hose to use?
* How many emitters per box?
* I've read mixed things, can I winterize the system so I don't have to disconnect all of the tubing over the winter (I live in Eastern Canada- it gets darn cold!)

Comments (3)

Nancy Sutherland
Original Author
last year
Nancy Sutherland
Original Author
last year
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I have a garden with about 10 raised beds totaling ~1000 SF including walkways. It is in the country and I only get there every couple of weeks so I needed an automatic irrigation system. I purchased a six zone irrigation controller and located all the zone valves in an above ground valve box next to my irrigation well. I ran 3/4" PVC lines underground and installed a hydrant valve at each bed. Several beds were served from a single zone because I needed a couple of the zones to irrigate some fruit trees. At each bed I used 1/4" dripline which has drippers spaced at 12". The driplines are long enough to run back-and-forth the length of the bed three times so that I get pretty even watering. Any bed that is not being used can be shutoff at its valve and the other beds on that zone continue to operate. I also have one dripline that I run across a number of individual pots. I originally tried running separate hoses with drippers on the ends of the hoses to serve each pot. However I found that using a single dripline is much more flexible since I am continually adding or removing pots. I originally used soaker hose but found that the hoses only last about a year before they become hardened from exposure to the sun and the water emitted becomes very irregular. They also break easily after they harden. I also found that it is very important to filter the water to keep the driplines from plugging. I started using one of the small dripline strainer/filters which has a small mesh metal strainer to remove particles. However I still had plugging from the small sand particles that got through the strainer. I ended up installing a household type water filter with a replaceable paper filter. It is installed between the well and the zone valves and has worked great. I need to dump the collected sand every couple of months. The system has worked great and I have been able to have a garden under less than ideal conditions considering how little attention I am able to give it. Your needs are probably less but the same concepts should apply.
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I'm using dripline Â 1/4" tubing with laser cut incisions about every six inches ÂÂ I picked up at Ace Hardware. The stuff comes tightly coiled, so it would be impossible to keep it straight unless you pin it down somehow, even if it's been in the sun for a while. As an aside, when we had our backyard landscaped last summer I had them go ahead and run 3/4" line on it's own valve out to where the garden would be. They installed seven ten foot lengths of dripline directly from the buried main line. I turned it on for the first time a week and a half ago when I completed my first square foot box; I noticed this last weekend that the area where the dripline emerged from the ground had become a sodden mess. A plug or three and replacing dripline with normal drip hose and the problem is solved. And I'm actually reusing the landscaper's dripline in my first box, but it still won't stay straight, even after a summer of Southern Arizona heat. Anyway, I've got two short lengths of 1/4" tubing coming off of the 3/4" line going to my box. Each one has a small micro-valve, and then goes to a tee. Out of the two tee's come four ten foot lengths of dripline, that I have coiled throughout the box. I'm still trying to figure out how long to water and, as the summer attacks, I'm sure I'll be adjusting the water duration weekly. It's quite possible I have too much hose in such a small area, but I think it'll work out well, especially once my seeds germinate and I can lay down a layer of straw mulch. One downside that I do see is that I don't have a fine a level of control as I may need later in the season. For example, I've got tomatoes and onions (among others) in the same box, and my understanding is that you're supposed to stop watering onions when the stalks turn brown, something that would be bad for the tomatoes and other veggies. Oh, well, I'm sure I'll figure out something by then ...
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pipersparkz (Houston, Tx - Zone 9a)
last year
Sorry in advance for the long post... I've spent tons of time (and money) on drip irrigation and learned many lessons...

I would separate your front planters and back beds between the two spigots. The water will make it up to the top, but remember these lines are an attractive jet black color that may not look the best on your beautiful house!

Aesthetics aside... The general idea is to have one main 1/2" line along your beds/planters and branching off a 1/4" line at each bed/planter. As you could probably see, there are a number of ways to emit drops from these lines, and if you're going for a "turn one valve-water all planters/beds" I've found it best to use only one type and stick to it as they all emit different quantities in different ways. I have limited photos on my phone, but I can post my setup when I get home today. In short 95% of my setup is 6" spaced drip tube emitters from 1/4" line.

As for freezing... the lines will be fine as their almost indestructible, but the fittings will crack when frozen. you can put flush valves at the end of each 1/2" mainline to drain the water out when you put your garden to sleep for the winter. It should be fine if there's no water in it to freeze.

So you're going to have quite the setup... that's a lot of individual planters and a lot of beds, which means a lot of fittings. Amazon is your friend, but Home Depot is preferable for fittings so you don't have to buy 50 1/2" elbows for $25... I'm not sure if Houzz will let me post Amazon links, but I can show you the fittings I buy.

Stay away from any "Rain-Bird" products as their fittings only fit their tubing.

I'll tell you what I use, though it's all personal preference so take this with a grain of salt and check out a lot of youtube videos to see what other people do...

I have a 4 long planters, 1 raised bed, 2 gardens, and an assortment of fabric pots. The most hassle free method I've found is to use 1/4" drip tubing with 6" spacing (every 6" emits ~0.5 gal/hr). In each bed I run a line every foot, though in hindsight I'd try and squeeze in more like every 6-9". Each section has a valve. This will help tremendously. Put valves EVERYWHERE. There's always a section that just doesn't doesn't need watering that you'll want to close off for a period. In my planters I run two lines, one on each side of the plants. In my pots I lay a circle of the tubing that's cut to include 3 emitters.

The mainline coming out of the faucet needs 4 pieces and will be in the following order:

backflow valve->filter->pressure regulator->adaptor to connect the 1/2" mainline. You'll see this in almost every setup. Below is a markup of what I would do, once again, it's all personal preference. Use this or part of it or none at all. Probably best to start small... then see how you like it.

Here's a few links, any item with a lot of reviews and high-ish ratings will be good enough, JUST STAY AWAY FROM RAINBIRD brand. Best place to get this is from Home Depot's DIG brand. They're perfect and high quality, but almost impossible to find on amazon.

6" spaced 1/4" dripline

Amazon.com : USA Made - Irrigation Drip Line Emitter Tubing 100', 6" Spacing, 1/4" .52 GPH, Color Black (.170 ID x 240 OD) : Patio, Lawn & Garden

you will thank me later for getting these!!!

Amazon.com : 50 Pcs Irrigation Support Stakes for 1/4-Inch Drip Tubing : Patio, Lawn & Garden

you may need more than 50ft

Amazon.com : 1/2" Polyethylene Drip Irrigation Tubing 50' (.600" ID x .700" OD) : Patio, Lawn & Garden

you may need more than 50ft

Amazon.com : Bonviee 50ft 1/4 inch Drip Irrigation Tubing, Blank Distribution Line Water Hose Garden Watering Tube for Garden Irrigation System : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Let me know if you have any questions. I clearly enjoy this stuff and don't mind answering questions ^^;

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