DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM

[3forfree]

After spending 10 days in the hospital, and being fed from an IV I had an idea for a drip system in my garden, I took a plastic bottle and drilled one hole in the bottom and one in the cap. The cap was fitted with 1/4 air line, and the other end got an air valve from my aquarium bubbler. hot glue holds the air line in the cap and makes it waterproof also. the hole in the bottom is so the bottle can breathe. I set this bottle with strings from a shepherds hook over a zuchinni plant and will allow it to be drip watered constantly. Don't know what's going to happen. but will keep an eye on it, and will update as the summer goes along.

 

[Bullitt]

It seems lying in that hospital bed gave you a lot of time to think. That is a creative idea to use a drip system for water instead of medicine.

Did you just set up one of these bottle-feed systems to see if it will work? Do you plan to add more if it works for you?

How long does the it take the water to drip out of the plastic bottle?

 

[donrae]

I can see your inspiration, but wouldn't it be easier to take a 2liter bottle, poke a few holes around the neck, cut the bottom off, bury it neck down about half way up the bottle and just fill the open end with a hose/can? Does the same thing, and less material/labor intensive.

 

[3forfree]

bullitt, donrae,

this is just something that went through my mind, amoung other things, while in the hospital. I don't know how it will work, or if it will work. It is a pita to refill, some of the plants around it seem to be doing better, but I'm going to keep it dripping just because it's there. I'm having issues with my strawberrys now, it's their first year for fruit and the berrys are the size of golf balls, and something is getting to them before I can. I put chicken wire around them and something was still getting in, I put screen over the top yesterday thinking maybe it was birds, I'll look today to see what's going on.

Only one drip system has been set up

 

[3forfree]

The IV drip system is working fine. This small bottle set to drip quite fast only takes about 10-15 minutes to empty. I move it around from plant to plant and they seem to like the amount of water I give them. I've read where it isn't necessary to water every day, just a good soaking once a week, so I've been selective as to which plants I water. One day I will water the zuchini, next day the cukes, etc. etc. a different plant every day. I also read where tomatoes need more water than the other plants so I've started a new drip system using a 1 gal milk jug. I tried one with holes in the bottom but it kept getting plugged with dirt so took another milk jug and drilled a hole about an inch from the bottom and put a piece of air line in it and set the jug near the plant and I can direct where the water goes.You can see under the leaf where the plastic air line is. This one takes a long time to drain. taking the cap off the milk jug lets the water stream out but just cracking it a bit lets it drip and it soaks in better. I'm using rain water and I haven't collected very much so I'm trying to conserve what I have.