Drip Irrigation System Buying Guide

Drip irrigation is a low-pressure, low-volume lawn and garden watering system that delivers water to home landscapes using a drip, spray or stream. A drip irrigation system keeps roots moist, but not soaked, all while using less water than other irrigation techniques.

You can hide most of the drip irrigation parts under a layer of mulch, as long as you keep any parts that emit water on top of the mulch to prevent clogging. The system can also run on top of the soil or mulch, allowing the plants to conceal it as they grow and spread.

While a drip irrigation kit uses less water than underground sprinkler systems or lawn sprinklers, watering of any kind may be restricted in some areas. Learn your local water regulations before buying and installing any irrigation system.

• Minimal evaporation and overspray as well as lower water use for lower cost and better water conservation
• Direct connection to the hose spigot without the need to cut into the home water line
• Supply lines that can sit on the ground or under a layer of mulch, eliminating the trenches that underground systems require
• Flexibility as your plants grow and spread
• Customization for containers, raised beds, vegetable rows or shrubbery
• Exact delivery, preventing the distribution of water where it's not needed or where it can encourage weed growth
• Prevention of an overly moist environment that promotes fungal diseases
• Gentle, precise watering that minimizes runoff and erosion

Buy components from the same manufacturer to ensure compatibility, or buy an entire drip irrigation kit and work your way up to a customized system.

Soaker hoses are the simplest way to create drip irrigation. These garden hoses have tiny holes along their length to allow water to drip out. While it's an initially cost-effective option, it uses more water than a drip system in the long run.

Kits combine the components you need for specific applications. You can find kits to create systems for vegetable gardens, flower beds, container plants and landscape plants like trees and shrubs. Some kits allow you to expand the system as your irrigation needs grow. Other kits provide repair parts or let you convert pop-up sprinklers for drip irrigation.

Backflow preventers or anti-siphon devices prevent the irrigation system's water from re-entering your water supply and contaminating your drinking water when the system is turned off, which is a requirement in most areas.

Pressure regulators or reducers make your home water pressure compatible with the drip line irrigation system. Without these devices, the typical home water supply has too much pressure for a drip irrigation system.

Filters prevent debris from clogging the tubing and emitters. Some pressure regulators have built-in filters.

Flexible tubing transports the water. Black or brown coloring allows the tubing to blend in with soil and mulch. Ultraviolet (UV) resistance protects the tubing from deterioration caused by the sun.

Fittings connect system components.

Stakes secure tubing and support emitters to prevent them from being clogged by soil, debris or bugs. Some stakes have built-in emitters.

Risers elevate emitters above the tops of the plants.

Timers turn the water on and off at times you set. Timers can prevent overwatering, minimize wasted water and allow your system to function as an automatic watering system. Some can connect to home automation systems to control from a computer or smart device. Certain smart devices can even regulate watering schedules based on weather activity and provide reports on water usage, making them ideal smart home solutions.

Hole punches create insertion points in the tubing to connect emitters or smaller-diameter tubing.

Cutters make clean cuts in different sized tubing. Some cutters can also function as hole punches.

Plugs securely stop up any holes you punched by mistake. Plugs also allow you to move emitters without replacing the tubing.

Emitters insert into the tubing and discharge the water into the soil or onto plants. A gallons-per-hour (GPH) rating indicates the flow rate. The flow rate you need will vary depending on the type of plants you're watering and your soil type. Emitters have a rating for the maximum water pressure they can accept, noted in pounds per square inch (PSI). Pressure-compensating emitters deliver a constant flow rate even if the water pressure varies. Turbulent flow emitters feature a design that helps prevent clogging. Drip irrigation systems can include drippers, bubblers and misters.

Here are some tips to keep a system running smoothly:

• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and use. A drip irrigation system won't be effective or efficient without correct water pressure and tubing length. You should know how many emitters a system can support, how to space them properly and whether you can combine different types.
• A stopped line or plugged emitter can shut down a drip irrigation system. Flush the lines to clear debris after installation and before you begin using the system in the spring. You should also flush the system and clean filters regularly, especially if your water supply contains a lot of minerals.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for draining and winterizing your system before the freezing weather arrives.
• While drip irrigation systems offer flexibility, a single system may not work for all of your plants. Make separate zones to accommodate plants with different watering needs. Lawns need a different watering method. See Watering Tips for more information.
• Drippers with lower flow rates work well in clay soil, which drains slowly. A wider network of drippers, sprays and bubblers with higher flow rates is effective in sandy soil, which drains more quickly than clay.