Needed a irrigation system last minute, didnt really like what I was seeing on Amazon, so I put this together in one afternoon.
What you'll need:
1/4" OD | 0.170" ID Polyethylene Tubing (Home Depot 25ft) $4.16
1/4" OD Push-To-Connect Union T (for 4 plants need 3 junctions)(Home Depot) $4.93/each
1/4" OD Push-To-Connect End Cap (for 4 plants need 4 caps)(Home Depot) $4.27/each
Programmable Timer with ability to adjust to minute (Century FD60-U6)(Amazon) $12.99
Submersible Pump with nozzle that the tubing will fit on (I used the VicTsing SL-381 from Amazon) $8.49
Bucket/Container for water (5 gallon bucket at Home Depot) $3.25
Small rope/twisty ties (used the twisty ties from the 25ft of tubing) Free
Total cost: $70.69
Drill a small hole in the top of the end cap. I used a 5/64 drill bit and pliers to hold the end-cap while drilling for safety. This is necessary because otherwise the system will not get up to pressure quickly, which means that the first juncture and lowest part off the main feed in the system will dump water out of before the rest of the system can be pressurized. This will lead to one plant getting over-watered, and the other plants getting under-watered, or no water at all.
Assembly is super easy. Cut the tubing to the lengths you need. Depending on the pots youre using, drill holes in the top of the plastic pot to feed the twisty tie through to secure the watering nozzle and tubing to the pot. use the T connectors where necessary, and connect to the submersible pump in the bucket of water. The tubing fits tightly in the smaller nozzle from the above mentioned submersible pump. Depending on the size of your plants, your watering time may be different. Run the system for a minute and adjust watering cycle as needed.
Its a good idea to make sure the bucket is below where the plants are. If not, when the pump shuts off, a vacuum effect may form and the water will continue to drain from the feeding bucket and into to the plants resulting in over-watering/large mess.
Completely modular system that be expanded or simplified quickly to meet your needs. Easy to get parts from any hardware store. Simple system to keep plants alive while out of town, or can be used to help automate your current system. You make it what you want it to be.
Happy growing
What you'll need:
1/4" OD | 0.170" ID Polyethylene Tubing (Home Depot 25ft) $4.16
1/4" OD Push-To-Connect Union T (for 4 plants need 3 junctions)(Home Depot) $4.93/each
1/4" OD Push-To-Connect End Cap (for 4 plants need 4 caps)(Home Depot) $4.27/each
Programmable Timer with ability to adjust to minute (Century FD60-U6)(Amazon) $12.99
Submersible Pump with nozzle that the tubing will fit on (I used the VicTsing SL-381 from Amazon) $8.49
Bucket/Container for water (5 gallon bucket at Home Depot) $3.25
Small rope/twisty ties (used the twisty ties from the 25ft of tubing) Free
Total cost: $70.69
Drill a small hole in the top of the end cap. I used a 5/64 drill bit and pliers to hold the end-cap while drilling for safety. This is necessary because otherwise the system will not get up to pressure quickly, which means that the first juncture and lowest part off the main feed in the system will dump water out of before the rest of the system can be pressurized. This will lead to one plant getting over-watered, and the other plants getting under-watered, or no water at all.
Assembly is super easy. Cut the tubing to the lengths you need. Depending on the pots youre using, drill holes in the top of the plastic pot to feed the twisty tie through to secure the watering nozzle and tubing to the pot. use the T connectors where necessary, and connect to the submersible pump in the bucket of water. The tubing fits tightly in the smaller nozzle from the above mentioned submersible pump. Depending on the size of your plants, your watering time may be different. Run the system for a minute and adjust watering cycle as needed.
Its a good idea to make sure the bucket is below where the plants are. If not, when the pump shuts off, a vacuum effect may form and the water will continue to drain from the feeding bucket and into to the plants resulting in over-watering/large mess.
Completely modular system that be expanded or simplified quickly to meet your needs. Easy to get parts from any hardware store. Simple system to keep plants alive while out of town, or can be used to help automate your current system. You make it what you want it to be.
Happy growing
