Are you concerned about watering your garden this summer?
It can be difficult to keep plants watered on hot days, and it’s even more of a concern when you’re planning on being out of town.
Having a drip irrigation system can help keep your plants alive and thriving even when you aren’t around or aren’t able to water them as they need.
However, drip irrigation systems are costly if you buy them from a store. Instead, I’m going to share ideas with you on how you can build a DIY drip irrigation system.
Here is a selection of DIY systems you can choose from:
1. DIY Drip Line Irrigation
This system looks rather fancy for a DIY project. If you want something which appears quality made, this is a great system for you.
They decided to go with drip irrigation emitter tubing and connect them to an outdoor spigot on a timer. This takes a great deal of the work out of it for the gardener and should last for years to come.
2. PVC Drip Irrigation
If you’re working on a limited budget and are new to the DIY scene, PVC pipe could be your best bet when creating your own drip irrigation system.
This tutorial walks you through each step of the creative process. Plus, PVC works wonderfully whether you have a large or small garden.
3. $50 or Less Drip Irrigation System
This irrigation system can be adapted for both large and small gardens. The idea is to have a rainwater barrel at the top of the garden.
Put netting over it to stop debris from getting in the water and clogging the PVC pipe. From there, the PVC pipe is run from the barrel all the way around the garden to water adequately.
4. The Drip Irrigation Bottle
I love this idea because it works for small gardens, houseplants, and window boxes. If you travel during the warmer months, you may grow concerned about how your plants will survive under the heat.
You no longer must worry. Instead, place a 2-liter bottle in the ground upside-down next to your plants. Cut the bottom out and pour water into the bottle. It will drip and water your plants as needed.
5. Drip Irrigation for Potted Plants
If you grow a container garden, you may have noticed the soil in the containers dries out faster than it does in a traditional garden.
What should you do? Consider this DIY irrigation system which is designed specifically for potted plants. It connects directly to the outdoor spigot and could be placed on a timer to make things even easier.
6. The Plastic Bottle and Rope Irrigation System
If you like to upcycle items you’d otherwise toss in the garbage, you’ll love this DIY irrigation system. You utilize plastic water bottles we’re all guilty of using at some point or another.
The video walks you through how to insert the rope into the bottles. The rope serves as a wicking system which will drip water onto the soil and keep your plants well-watered, whether indoors or out.
7. Watering Wick for Indoor Plants
If you’re headed on vacation and need a simple irrigation system, consider purchasing 50 feet of rope or watering wick.
Place the wick in a large pot of water and the opposite end of the wick into potted plants. This will keep your plants well-watered while you’re away.
8. Milk Jug Drip Watering System
This is a simple DIY drip irrigation system anyone can create even on the most meager of budgets. Save your leftover milk cartons and rinse when finished.
Use a drill to put multiple holes in the milk jug. Dig a hole and put the milk jug in the ground next to your plants. When finished, cover with dirt but leave space for the spout to be easily filled. It will secrete water as needed in the garden.
9. Balcony Drip Irrigation
Do you use your balcony for a container or window box garden? It can be difficult to keep plants watered adequately when there are smaller quantities of soil in your gardening method of choice.
Instead, use this DIY drip irrigation system. It comes from a bucket, you can either fill or allow it to catch rainwater. From there, the hoses are hooked to the bucket and will gravity feed water to the plants when you turn the nozzle.
10. Olla Gardening
If you haven’t heard of olla gardening before, prepare to have your mind blown. Ollas are basic clay pots. You place them in the ground next to your plants.
However, you must leave the spout sticking out of the ground to easily fill them with water. Water will secrete through the walls of the clay jar and water your crops.
11. Gravity Drip Irrigation for Potted Plants
This is another inexpensive and easy DIY set-up for a drip irrigation system. It would work well for patio or balcony gardening.
They used plastic soda bottles and hung them on the wall of their balcony. The bottles are filled with water and run through plastic piping into the potted plants.
12. Dual Watering Irrigation System
This is a unique and affordable DIY system. It’s a dual watering system because part of it is an irrigation system while the other is a soaker hose system.
It works well in raised garden beds. The tutorial gives you a list of what it takes to create it and offers pictures to help with the configuration.
13. DIY Soaker Hose System
Soaker hoses are easy to use and do a fantastic job of watering, in my experience with them. This tutorial will walk you through how to utilize soaker hoses.
Plus, it shows you how to install them and how to water by different zones. If you need a DIY solution which will last for a while, this could be your set-up.
You now have 13 different DIY drip irrigation systems to choose from to water your garden when you aren’t around to do it or to take some of the load from your shoulders.
It also helps to water your plants from the bottom instead of overhead because it keeps the foliage of the plants from becoming wet.
Pick the set-up which would work best for your gardening method and make it yourself to save both time and money.
