How to use drip irrigation in a greenhouse. Drip irrigation in the greenhouse and in the garden with your own hands

Maintaining the required level of liquid in the soil of the greenhouse is a top priority for the gardener. How exactly it will be solved depends not only on the harvest, but also on the health of plants, the laboriousness of the irrigation process, and much more.

This article will give a brief overview of automatic irrigation systems for greenhouses, the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Recommendations are provided on the installation of a drip irrigation system for greenhouses with your own hands: a set of materials, placement features, recommendations for use.

Varieties of automatic irrigation systems

At the moment, in private and commercial greenhouses, three types of automatic irrigation are most widely practiced:

1. Rain;
2. Intrasoil;
3. Drip.

Each of these types has its own technical and operational features. The advantages and disadvantages of these systems need to be considered in more detail.

Automatic irrigation in the greenhouse with a moving irrigation ramp

Sprinkling

Irrigation by sprinkling can occur both from above and from below. However, for greenhouses, the top positioning of the piping system is the most optimal. This type of irrigation is characterized by a small number of pipes, which require a fairly strong pressure. The atomizers themselves can be fixed or rotating, which, despite the complexity of the device, provide a more uniform distribution of moisture over the area of ​​the greenhouse. In the latter case, fewer watering points are needed, but this method can damage young shoots of plants.

Do-it-yourself sprinkling automatic irrigation device in a greenhouse, in the photo is a system with rotary rotating nozzles

• Sprinkler irrigation has certain disadvantages:
• Moisture that has fallen on the leaves on a clear sunny day can cause burns;
• The laboriousness of the process increases significantly; after the end of irrigation, it is necessary to shake off moisture from each plant;
• For branched systems, a very large water pressure is needed, which leads to the need to purchase expensive high-quality pipes and carry out careful installation;
• Inefficient use of water, some of which evaporates and does not reach the root system of plants;
• It becomes impossible to use the irrigation system to apply fertilizer to the soil.

Stationary sprinkler system for automatic irrigation in a polycarbonate greenhouse

Aerosol irrigation system in the greenhouse (drencher)

Such an irrigation system belongs to a variety of sprinkling. It requires an even more powerful engine, since the water delivered through the pipes is pushed through nozzles of small diameter, equipped with atomizers. The pressure in the pipeline in this case can be from 30 to 50 bar.

Aerosol (fog) irrigation of the greenhouse

For do-it-yourself aerosol automatic watering in a greenhouse, deluge sprayers are often used, which are used in automatic fire extinguishing systems.

Drencher nozzle and the result of its operation

An aerosol irrigation system for a greenhouse is quite specialized. It is used primarily in the cultivation of orchids and other tropical plants that grow in moist rainforests. It can be used when breeding seedlings in the ground. Its main advantages are:

• Cooling the greenhouse - reducing the heat load on seedlings;
• Significant water savings;
• Prevention of the formation of a hard “crust” on the soil surface that prevents soil aeration;
• More uniform distribution of moisture throughout the greenhouse;
• Possibility of quick and complete disinfection of the greenhouse and plants.

Subsoil irrigation system

Such an irrigation system is the most time-consuming in its construction; in addition, it requires constant monitoring and significant knowledge in land reclamation.

Do-it-yourself subsoil automatic irrigation device in a greenhouse, photo placement of a perforated pipe on a geotextile lining

However, this method has many advantages:

• Low water consumption;
• The soil is aerated - it is saturated with air microbubbles;
• The atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse remains stable and at a fairly low level. This has a positive effect on the prevention of diseases associated with rot.

There are less labor-intensive hybrid methods for subsurface irrigation using plastic bottles.

Simple schemes for underground irrigation

drip irrigation system

At the moment, it is considered the most progressive. The main advantages are:

• No need for strong water pressure;
• Ease of fertilization;
• Water is delivered “addressally” to the root system of cultivated plants, which reduces the number of weeds on the site;
• A crust does not form on the soil, there is no need for frequent loosening.

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation device in a greenhouse, on the video the installation process from improvised means:

The device of a drip irrigation system in a greenhouse with their own hands, in the photo the use of corrugated pipes

The device of the drip irrigation system in the greenhouse

Details for creating a micro-drip irrigation system

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation in a greenhouse does not require special skills. For installation you will need the following materials:

• Hoses - a polymer product with a thickness of 8 mm is quite enough. This length is enough to organize irrigation at a distance of 25 m from the connection point;
• Various fittings - corners, tees, crosses, plugs. All of these parts have cones on the connections and are easily connected to hoses without the use of special tools. At the same time, they withstand pressure up to 3 atm;
• Pressure reducing devices: anti-drainage valves, reducers, minicranes. Relieve pressure in pipes up to 2 m 1.4 atm. They are used to equalize pressure and more evenly distribute water in the system.
• Tips for delivering water from the main hose directly to the roots of the plant. There are simple ones, for watering one point and labyrinth ones, capable of evenly distributing the water in 3-5 directions.

Mounting Features

Location of parts and finished assembled unit for drip irrigation in a greenhouse

1. Directly in the greenhouse, the layout of droppers and tubes is marked;
2. We mark the place of connection to the water source - where the container for drip irrigation in the greenhouse will be;
3. We determine how much free space is needed to install the rest of the equipment:
4. Controller with timer;
5. Filter.

Attention! The presence of a filter at the entrance to the system is mandatory. Without it, the pipeline and droppers become clogged very quickly. And all the details will have to be thoroughly cleaned.

1. It is necessary to calculate the number of rows of tubes and droppers;
2. We redraw the diagram on a sheet of paper with the obligatory indication of dimensions;
3. In convenient workshop conditions, cutting to size and assembly of the main structural elements are carried out;
4. Installation and connection is carried out directly on site, in the greenhouse.

Video tutorial on assembling the finished kit:

In conclusion, some ready-made solutions

As can be seen from the diagrams and photographs, the drip irrigation system has quite a few specific details, in addition, it is quite difficult to make a controller for automatic irrigation yourself. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase a ready-made kit, and do the assembly yourself.

Complete kit for drip irrigation

Some of the most popular drip irrigation systems for greenhouses are:

AQUADUSYA - made in Ukraine, Cherkasy. BEETLE - Russian manufacturer Cycle. Gardena is a German manufacturer of garden tools and equipment.

Consider the construction of drip irrigation for a greenhouse in a country house using a barrel and a pump.

The modern rhythm of life does not allow to devote much time to dacha work. But to grow a good harvest is possible only under the condition of constant care for the plants. For example, cucumbers should be watered before eleven in the morning and until eight in the evening. To make life easier for themselves, summer residents use automatic watering in the greenhouse. Sprinkler irrigation, subsoil irrigation or automatic drip irrigation in the greenhouse can be done independently.

Types of automatic watering

The benefits of an automatic irrigation system are obvious. They turn the summer season into a pleasure. There is no more need to carry water in buckets or stand with a hose for a long time and wait until the plants in the greenhouse are well saturated with moisture. For example, drip irrigation in a greenhouse is dosed. This means that the plants will receive exactly the amount of moisture that they need. The automatic method of irrigation in a greenhouse in the form of sprinkling allows you to spray water in different directions and at different degrees, and this is necessary for automatic irrigation of plants of unequal height. After all, many summer residents grow several crops in greenhouses at the same time.

Sprinkler irrigation is automatic irrigation in a greenhouse, in which water is supplied from above the plants by means of irrigation with spray nozzles. The principle of operation of the system is simple: the hose is connected to a sprayer, which sprays water over the territory. The only negative point of watering is that a large number of drops settle not only on the soil, but also on the leaves of plants. For many cultures, this is unacceptable.

There are two types of automatic sprinkling in a greenhouse - overground irrigation, when the pipes are laid underground, and air, when they are attached to the upper parts of the greenhouse. The advantages of air sprinkling is the relative ease of installation and operation.

The disadvantage of this system is the use of well-purified water, as well as a constant, good pressure. Open sources such as rivers and lakes are prohibited. Also, this system will require the installation of a cleaning filter.

But the second method of the automatic irrigation system using pipes under the soil in the greenhouse is unpretentious in terms of water quality.

In order for an automatic overhead sprinkler system in a greenhouse, made by yourself, to work without failures, you will also need good water pressure. Therefore, if the pressure is not enough, you will have to additionally install a pump. The disadvantage of such a system is obvious: since the pipes are on the ground, any failure of them is fraught with a long search for an emergency place. To do this, you will have to open the wiring with your own hands.

The most popular method is drip irrigation systems. It allows you to irrigate the plants in the greenhouse only in the root zone, which is the key to a good automatic water supply.

Drip irrigation in a greenhouse is a conduit. A polyethylene pipe with droppers attached to it must be placed on a flat piece of land, but if there is a slight slope, then the system must be placed across the unevenness. As for droppers, they are of two types - conventional and compensated. The latter are used where an automatic system must compensate for unstable pressure. Such droppers are needed in a plot with a different level (for example, a plot located on a slope) so that there is enough water for all plants. The automatic irrigation system in the greenhouse allows you to irrigate certain beds. To do this, install special taps that turn on and off the watering of the necessary areas. This option is needed for competent automatic water supply of different crops growing on the territory of one greenhouse. The advantages of a drip irrigation system in a greenhouse include the ability to install it with your own hands where there is no plumbing or other sources of moisture. With the help of hoses, you can simply use a barrel, which must be raised 2 meters from the ground. Such greenhouse irrigation systems inhibit the development of weeds and reduce the risk of crop disease.

The subsoil irrigation system is similar to automatic drip irrigation. However, there is definitely a difference. Subsoil automatic irrigation systems deliver water directly to the roots. Delivery of water is carried out using pipes hidden underground, moreover, at a fairly large depth. The subsoil automatic watering method moistens plants only in the root area, without forming a crust on the surface. This allows you to loosen the soil less often and creates a favorable environment for plants.

Also, this method is good because it saves water in the greenhouse. If automatic drip irrigation systems spray water, most of the moisture evaporates. While underground water supply consumes much less water.

Installing a drip irrigation system

The drip tape is the main element of the system. Find a stable place and place a container of water. For example, a barrel. Ideally, if this place is right in the greenhouse. You need to install it in a shelter from the sun so that the water does not bloom. Next, install the system pipe in the selected vessel. Keep in mind that this should be done just above the bottom of the tank, otherwise the debris settling at the bottom will interfere with watering. After that, install a tap with which you can adjust the amount of water. Next, lay a polyethylene pipe along the irrigated area. Opposite the beds in the pipe, it is necessary to make holes and install fittings in them. When everything is done, it is necessary to bring a drip tape to them. It should be noted that each drip tape needs a plug. It is simple to make it: you need to cut off a piece from it and roll it in the form of a ring, and then put it on the end of each drip tape. After finishing work, do not rush to immediately start the system. First check it for leaks and flush. It is good if you install a filter that will guarantee the quality of the water of the drip irrigation system.

An electric pump greatly facilitates the automatic method of automatic watering in a greenhouse using drops. However, it is also a more expensive option for automatic watering. But you are provided with full automation of the process.

Installing a drip tape is not the only way to water your plants with a sprinkler. There is an option to supply water with droppers. In this case, in addition to them, it will be necessary to use hoses.

However, the use of an automatic drip tape is still much simpler and clearer. It will completely replace the entire set of systems with droppers. The only caveat that should be taken into account is that the life of the tapes is only three years. The system is convenient to use for seedlings, when water is supplied exclusively to one point.

To ensure full automation of the drip irrigation system, a controller is used that will work from the network. In an hour, the drip tape may well give out about 600 liters. For water intake, you can use not only a water tank, but also a eurocube: it is sold ready-made and does not require construction, it can be installed in any part of the cottage closer to the irrigation site and make sure that there is always water inside. The Eurocube is made of polymeric materials that are not afraid of external influences, and is reinforced with a metal grill for strength and safety. This is the best option for a small modern cottage with modern equipment.

Automatic sprinkling

In order to mount this irrigation system with your own hands, you will also need pipes with a diameter of 20 mm. The kit will include faucets and sprayers. If the nozzle is chosen correctly, then you will not need a lot of pressure, as the moisture will come out in small portions and not crush the soil. It is also necessary to take into account that the water should be sprayed in the form of drops, and not jet. Otherwise, the roots of the plant will simply rot.

The automatic rain irrigation system called "snail" is popular with summer residents. Water is supplied to the pipe, which is located at a short distance from the soil. The liquid is sprayed in umbrella-shaped droplets and covers a large area.

You can also make a second option called "ring". To do this, it is necessary to roll the hose in the form of a ring of the desired diameter. Further, holes are made in it, which will spray water.

If you do not want to do sprinkling with your own hands, you can use sprinkling machines. By the way, with the help of them you can simply water the plants, both in the greenhouse and outside it.

Subsurface irrigation

Its installation should begin with the preparation of pipes with a diameter of two to four centimeters. You can use thick hoses. The preparation of pipes consists in making two-millimeter pores in them. The second step is to prepare the beds. First you need to remove the substrate. The depth should be 30 cm. Next, fill the surface with gravel and put a plastic film on it. This is necessary so that the water does not go deep into the soil and does not erode its layers. Then you need to lay out pipes or hoses, at a distance of about 50 - 90 cm from each other. From above, you need to put a film on the pipes, the width of which is not more than 20 cm, and sprinkle with the previously removed substrate.

Before planting plants, you should check how well the irrigation system works. To find out, you need to dig up the soil after seven days and see if the subsoil automatic irrigation copes with the task assigned to it.

Watering rules

It does not matter how you organize the watering of plants: using a drip tape, sprinkler or subsoil system. After all, all these modern irrigation techniques will not work correctly if the rules of water supply are neglected.

• Try not to use cold water in the greenhouse. Ideally, let the liquid settle and warm up with sunlight.
• It is necessary to water evenly. A portion of the drops should be completely absorbed, then watering should be continued.
• To keep water in the ground, the holes with crops must be covered with straw, which will not allow the water to evaporate for quite a long time.
• So that the soil does not turn out to be excessively wet, you should check whether it is actually dry before watering. This is easy to do with a metal pin. It must be stuck into the soil next to the plant to a shallow depth. The earth adhering to it will say that it is not necessary to water it yet.
• The composition of the water must be of high quality. Use a filter for cleaning. This is especially true when sprinkling and watering with drops.

You can achieve amazingly high yields by using automatic irrigation that you feel is more efficient and that suits your crops. The main thing is to take into account all the nuances, calculate the amount of water needed for the greenhouse in proportion to the needs of the plants and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bconstruction.

Automatic watering in the greenhouse

In the suburban SNT Raduga, automatic irrigation was organized in the greenhouse. The owner of the plot, Dmitry, wanted to get a good harvest of tomatoes without spending a lot of time caring for them.

The main thing for Dmitry was to organize everything on his own and install everything with his own hands.

To make everything work and work, the engineers of our company helped him.

Customer Feedback

Automatic drip irrigation system in the greenhouse

There are several greenhouses on the site that grow various crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

First of all, it was necessary to make automatic sprinkling for bushes with tomatoes.

The automatic drip irrigation system in the greenhouse with tomatoes was installed by the owner of the site himself with the help of Good Rain engineers.

For automatic irrigation, the ESP RZX Rain Bird controller is used; it allows you to divide the irrigation system into 4 zones and run each separately, saving on the pumping station.

You can also set a different time for each crop on the remote control.

Drip automatic watering in the greenhouse - advantages

What are the advantages of such an organization of crop irrigation in greenhouses?

How to arrange drip irrigation in greenhouses

Everything is very simple:

1. You save time - when you come to the dacha, you can relax more and water less.
2. Automatic drip irrigation in the greenhouse makes irrigation always uniform both in terms of soil saturation with water and in time of day.
3. The American system is reliable and will not let you down - you can go on vacation and the tomatoes will grow by themselves.

Automatic watering of tomatoes

Tomatoes are a very tricky crop to grow.

they require constant attention. To get a good harvest, you need to constantly monitor so that nothing prevents them from growing.

Automatic watering of tomatoes solves the issue with the uniformity of irrigation and the amount of moisture supplied.

In greenhouse conditions, tomatoes are not affected by external pests, and moisture goes exactly under the root, without damaging the leaves and fruits.

Design

For an irrigation device based on hoses for drip irrigation, no special project is required if the system is organized in an ordinary greenhouse in a summer cottage.

Do-it-yourself irrigation system for tomatoes in a greenhouse

In Europe, it is customary to plant plants in greenhouses with a step of 33 centimeters, this is the reason for the distance between the droppers on the hose.

You can make a do-it-yourself tomato watering system, given this fact.

Plant tomatoes in increments of 33 centimeters, then water drops will flow exactly under the root of the plant and you will avoid excessive water consumption.

The irrigation system for tomatoes in a greenhouse can be organized in another way.

For example, you can buy a hose without drippers, lay it next to the plants, and then additionally install drippers for drip irrigation in the tube.

cucumbers

Irrigation of cucumbers can be arranged in the same way as tomatoes.

Irrigation lines are also brought under the root and cucumbers grow well.

Plants curl on the net and hang quietly and grow to the desired size.

Sprinkler mode will be different. The automatic watering control panel allows you to program the irrigation of cucumbers separately for any time of the day and duration.

This is what the hose looks like. In order for it to lie flat, it is worth buying drip irrigation pegs that securely fix it on the surface of the earth.

Pegs come in two colors:

In terms of their properties, they are no different.

In order to be able to forcibly turn off zones, ball valves are used.

Such a ball valve is installed on the line and closes the desired section of the hose in order to reduce water consumption.

Tomato watering system

Do you want to grow large red tomatoes, like Dmitry's?

A tomato irrigation system will solve this problem.

Of course, you need a little knowledge about plant care in general, but the Rain Bird system from the USA will save you a lot of time on garden care.

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation in a greenhouse

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation: diagram, video.

Regular dosed watering is the key to a high yield of vegetables. Gardeners solve the problem every season? how to simultaneously grow an abundant crop of tomatoes and cucumbers in a greenhouse, while spending less water and physical effort on cultivating the land.

It is possible to saturate the soil with moisture with minimal labor costs using a drip irrigation system. You can build an irrigation mechanism in a greenhouse with your own hands, using a ready-made kit or picking up hoses, a filter, a drip tape and fittings on your own.

Why do you need a drip irrigation system?

With the start of the use of spot irrigation, the yield of cucumbers and tomatoes both in the greenhouse and in open areas increases by 30%, due to the fact that the micro-drip irrigation mechanism in manual or automatic mode delivers moisture directly to the roots of plants in the right dosage with the required frequency.

At the same time, the roots of plants develop in a small area and the plantings do not thicken.

Expensive drip irrigation systems operate in multi-program mode, have a control unit and a built-in timer.

Crops that are grown in a greenhouse are moisture-saturated plants, they contain moisture from 75 to 97%. As a result, they require a large amount of water to ripen, for example, the water consumption coefficient for tomatoes is 90–150, for cucumbers 100–150. Plants are especially sensitive to lack of moisture during the period of initial growth, when the roots have not yet become stronger.

Both waterlogging of the soil and drought are dangerous, so automatic irrigation is preferable to manual irrigation.

What is a mechanism?

The principle of operation is in the automatic supply of filtered water directly to the root system of each plant through droppers. Spot irrigation is installed in the country house both in open space and in the greenhouse.

How to independently mount a drip irrigation system for greenhouses?

Installation is carried out in 3 stages. Before starting work, consider the required length of the main pipe, tape or drip hose, taking into account the location of the beds and rows of plants in the greenhouse.

It is necessary to take into account the number of droppers, starting fittings and adapters on the prepared scheme.

For convenience, it is better for a gardener to buy a ready-made drip irrigation kit for greenhouses. When choosing a set of drip irrigation systems, the type of control (manual or automatic water supply), the possibility of changing the humidification mode, the size of the covered area and what type of vegetable crops the step of the droppers is designed for are important.

Spot irrigation should be collected in accordance with the instructions attached to the kit.

Stage 1. Materials

To install irrigation in a greenhouse you will need:

1. Drip tape or tube.

Choose a PVC pipe or tape, each gardener decides for himself, based on the financial capabilities and characteristics of the greenhouse. Droppers are built into the drip tape at a certain distance, and holes are made independently in the PVC tube for a point exit of moisture.

The tube is made of polyvinyl chloride, the diameter of the pipe should not exceed 15 mm, in this case the pressure required for irrigation is created. It is desirable to choose a hose of dense black color, light-stabilized.

When using a transparent hose, exposed to sunlight, after a few days the pipe will turn green, algae will begin to multiply inside and this will clog the filters.

A PVC pipe or tape with droppers is responsible for the period of operation of the system and the quality of irrigation.

Their consumption is equal to the sum of the processed areas plus a small allowance for the plug at the end.

Drip irrigation in a greenhouse: systems and reviews

There are 3 types of drip tape: emitter, labyrinth and slot. They differ in the principles of moisture distribution inside, the materials from which they are made and the service life.

Labyrinth drip tape is considered the simplest and most affordable. Inside the tube with thin walls there is a channel in the form of a labyrinth. This structure allows you to reduce the pressure of water and redistribute the movement of the flow.

The owner needs to ensure that the holes in the labyrinth drip tape are located on top, do not turn over.

The slotted system is an analogue of the labyrinth, it withstands significantly greater loads due to the fact that the irrigation channel is located inside the labyrinth.

Drip tape with emitters (microdroppers built into the surface of the tubes at distances of 10-30 cm) is designed for 4-6 service seasons. Compared to other types of drip tapes, the emitter is resistant to contamination due to the flow swirls formed in it.

The thickness of the drip pipe is 0.125–0.375 mm, on average 2 mm. Thick material is chosen for stony soil, where the risk of damage is high.

The average irrigation flow is 1-1.5 l/hour. The distance between droppers for cucumbers is 15–20 cm, for tomatoes 30 cm.

2. Main water supply.
The length of the main hose is equal to the distance of the water tank or well with a pump from the beds with plants. Its diameter is not less than 32 mm. The main is placed directly on the beds and combined with taps and starters. To prevent displacement of the main pipe or hose, it is pressed to the ground using wire clips of arbitrary diameter.

The main wire can be an ordinary pipe for supplying cold water.

3. Fine filter.
The incoming water flow needs to be filtered; without it, soil pollution and foreign objects will quickly disable the device. Irrigation mechanisms are harmed by biological blockages such as algae, silt; mechanical in the form of sand, stones and chemical nature - calcium deposits.

To eliminate blockages, special reagents and regular flushing are used at least once a week. The filter is installed in the main hose.

4.Mini starters, taps, adapters, plugs, fittings.
Using the initial starter in the country, they regulate the supply of fluid to each bed, turn off the unnecessary one, while leaving the rest to work.

This is important for a greenhouse, because plants of different water consumption grow nearby.

4. Droppers.
In the kit there are droppers of different structure, for example, in the form of knitting needles with a sharp end.

A hose from a mini-starter is brought to them, and water penetrates through the needle to the required depth to the roots. There is a compensated dropper, which spreads water flows between neighboring plants.

Droppers are subdivided according to the level of performance - 0.6-3.8 l / h.

The number of droppers corresponds to the number of plants in the cultivated beds!

Stage 2. Cost calculation

The gardener needs to prepare a greenhouse diagram indicating the size of the beds. The dots indicate the location of the plants in the rows. A main pipe is placed along the beds, a hose with droppers is run from it to the beds in such a way that the flow goes to all plants.

They count the length of the main pipe, the sum of the lengths of drip tapes or PVC wires, the number of starting fittings, taps, droppers, splitters. The result will be individual for everyone, since the consumption depends on the size of the beds in the greenhouse, the frequency of planting and the type of material, for how many seasons it is designed, and so on.

Depending on the material, irrigation tapes and accessories are designed for a different number of years of service.

At the end of the summer period, the system is cleaned of blockages, twisted and put away for storage.

Stage 3. Installation and start-up of the system

The pipeline is connected to a water source. The water container must be raised to a height of at least 15–25 cm to ensure pressure and fluid movement. in the country, you can put a eurocube for irrigation - it is more convenient than a barrel and its installation is easier. To calculate the pressure, it must be borne in mind that raising the water tank by 1 meter increases the pressure in the system by 0.1 bar.

The main is placed at the ends of the beds, fixed on the ground and drilled holes for taps or fittings with a diameter of 15 mm. Installing drip tape consists of attaching it to faucets and laying it along the rows of plants. From the opposite end, the tape is closed with plugs or pulled together with wire, rubber band. Optionally, a control unit is installed next to the filter, and water will be supplied in an automatically set mode.

Before the first start, the system must be flushed.

Ten Benefits of the System

1. Due to the uniform injection, the soil is not washed out during spot irrigation, the ecology of the soil composition is preserved, the land does not sag.
2. Irrigation tape is distributed over the ground in such a way that all plants are equally supplied with water.
3. Slowly wets the earthen ball, while the water does not remain on the leaves, but penetrates into the roots of the plants. For tomatoes and cucumbers in a greenhouse, it is important that water does not fall on the leaves during irrigation.

   This causes burn spots on the leaves.

4. Water does not evaporate from the soil surface, therefore, it does not create excess moisture in the greenhouse. At optimal temperature and humidity, diseases of vegetable crops develop less.
5. Do-it-yourself watering takes much more time and physical effort than an automated irrigation system.
6. When growing plants in greenhouse conditions, the yield increases by 2–3 times due to accurate “smart” moistening. Water is not wasted on neighboring areas, paths.
7. With the help of an irrigation system, large greenhouses or open spaces are treated.
8. The drip irrigation method is able to "make" a good harvest even on "difficult" soils, for example, heavy or overly loose.
9. The automated system allows you to simultaneously perform several hydraulic operations: moisten plants, apply top dressing, use protective agents in the required dosage.
10. Water savings in comparison with the conventional method of sprinkling (sprinkling) is more than 50%.

Conclusion

Do-it-yourself watering has long ceased to be the only solution for gardeners. The automatic irrigation system, despite the initial investment, pays off quickly, frees up the forces of summer residents for other work.

The traditional way of watering greenhouses in summer cottages is a watering hose, which has to be moved from garden to garden.

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation in the greenhouse will help to simplify the work and reduce the time for caring for plants. With it, you will increase the yield of plants and save yourself from unnecessary work, while spending a minimum of money. Making a drip irrigation system with your own hands is not difficult, but you need to be patient, think through the details and make the necessary calculations.

Benefits of drip irrigation

Watering during the hot and dry summer months is vital for plants.

Having correctly organized the drip irrigation of the greenhouse in the summer cottage with your own hands, having carefully thought through the design of the automatic irrigation system, you will soon experience the many advantages of drip irrigation:

• a drip irrigation device will significantly increase yields;
• drip irrigation in the greenhouse allows you to directly moisten the root zone of the plant, while eliminating the ingress of water on the leaves and fruits;
• due to local irrigation, the number of weeds is reduced and their further spread in the aisles of the greenhouse is excluded;
• economical use of water.

  You can save up to 50% of water, effectively increasing crop yields. This factor is especially important for regions with problems with water supply;

• by installing a special container in which water from the general water supply system will accumulate, you can water the greenhouse with warm settled water. In this case, you can create an optimal environment for the plants, since the water for irrigation will be the same temperature as the ambient temperature;
• increasing the efficiency of liquid fertilizers, their absorption by plants becomes much higher;
• the device of drip irrigation of the soil does not allow the deterioration of the soil due to its compaction and preserves the fertile soil layer;
• this irrigation system eliminates the need for a drainage system;
• greenhouse vegetables and flowers are grown with the least amount of labor: all efforts are reduced to opening or closing the tap.

System design

The design of the irrigation system consists in a detailed study of the geometry of the site, drawing up a layout of plants in the greenhouse and marking the irrigation zone.

After that, you need to calculate the volume of water consumption for each of the zones separately, as well as calculate the performance of the water supply source. Next, you need to draw a pipeline diagram and, based on the results of the calculations made and in accordance with the project, purchase the necessary components.

Selection of connection elements and organization of drip irrigation

In order to provide drip irrigation in the greenhouse, it is necessary to organize a slow supply of water through pipes from the tank, which must be installed at a height of approximately 2.5 m.

First you need to choose the location of the pipes in the greenhouse. Distribution pipes are installed on both sides of the water tank, which is connected to the water supply using detachable connections. Near each plant, a special hole is made in the pipe for the nozzle, through which water will flow to the root system.

To adjust the flow rate of the liquid, in order to prevent waterlogging of the soil, use a crane or an automatic sensor.

In summer cottages, special tubes of small diameter are usually used to equip greenhouses with a drip irrigation system. Fittings are purchased for them, with the help of which it will not be difficult to connect all the components of the irrigation system with your own hands. However, for this it is necessary to study the plan for planting the greenhouse with plants and create a drawing according to which a single irrigation system will be assembled.

During installation, various types of connecting elements are used: tees, plugs, couplings.

Water penetrates directly to the roots of greenhouse crops with the help of special tips (droppers). They are divided into internal - built into a hose or pipe, as well as many types of external ones (drippers with adjustable or unregulated water supply, pressure-compensated and non-pressure-compensated structures). To install external droppers, it is necessary to make holes in the pipe with a diameter of 3 mm using a special tool.

For do-it-yourself equipment for automatic drip irrigation systems in a summer cottage, you need to use special devices: controllers, solenoid valves, sensors.

Irrigation system installation

Based on the drawing of the drip irrigation system, holes are marked in the distribution pipes, which should be located in the same plane.

When drilling, it is recommended to fix the pipe rigidly. Fittings (fittings) and seals are installed in the holes obtained. After that, the pipe is connected to a water source, while remembering to install a special filter. The disk filter serves to significantly extend the life of the drip tape. It is also highly recommended to flush the pipe from chips that form when welding holes.

After completing all the preparatory work, you can begin to fix drip tapes on the pipe and supply them to each plant.

Which drip irrigation is best for a greenhouse: an overview of different systems

A special tape is a thin-walled tube, which, when liquid is supplied, acquires a rounded shape. Plugs are installed at the ends of the tapes for drip irrigation.

Trial run of the system

When installing a drip irrigation system with your own hands, a mandatory step is its trial run.

It consists in the sequential opening of taps and uniform moistening of the soil. It is also recommended to monitor the performance of droppers.

With a quality organization of a do-it-yourself drip irrigation system in the country, the plants in your greenhouse will receive moisture in sufficient quantities and at the right time, and the positive results of your work will not keep you waiting! Drip irrigation will become your reliable assistant in the summer cottage and will last more than one year.

Greenhouse conditions: how to install an automatic irrigation system in a greenhouse with your own hands

self-watering

Everyone who has a dacha or a garden plot knows what self-watering is and how important it is to provide plants with timely care. It is necessary to provide them with the opportunity to freely absorb sunlight, a sufficient amount of heat, as well as regularly fertilize and water the soil.

However, it takes quite a lot of time and effort to water regularly, and besides, you need to strictly follow the schedule and the amount of water.

Therefore, every summer resident, to one degree or another, thinks about how to do it in such a way as to automate this process, because in the country, first of all, you want to relax and unwind.

Self-watering system

There is a solution! This is a self-watering system that you can do with your own hands in the country.

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation in a greenhouse - the task is simple, the effect is colossal

In modern gardening stores you can find everything you need to collect it.

Today, there are two types of automatic irrigation - this is sprinkling and drip irrigation.

When sprinkling, plants are watered from above using special spray nozzles that spray water.

Such a system is used for both greenhouse and other garden plants, lawns.

The most profitable drip self-watering. It is used for flower beds, bushes, vegetable gardens, as well as greenhouses. Special hoses with holes are laid along the beds, and from each hole water slowly flows to the roots of plants.

Self-watering for a greenhouse

Before you do self-watering in a greenhouse with your own hands, you need to understand what it should consist of and buy the necessary parts.

In order for the process to be automatic and uniform, pressure must be created inside the system.

For this you will need:

1. Water supply tank;
2. Mechanism for water supply (solenoid valves, controller for them);
3. Plastic pipes of small diameter;
4. Fittings for pipes;
5. Droppers;
6. pump and float valve.

How to self-water your greenhouse

First of all, draw up a plan for the location of the tubes in the greenhouse and determine the number and distance of the holes for the drippers from each other.

Cut a light-tight garden hose that is no more than 1.5 millimeters thick into pieces that fit the plan.

Connect the parts together in the desired sequence using fittings.

Using an awl, pierce holes and insert droppers into them.

In order for them not to jump out under the pressure of water, you need to make holes of such a size that the droppers enter them with effort. The designs of some of the droppers provide for the distribution of water through microtubes for 2-4 plants.

Locate a container of any size above ground level hoses.

You can fill it by hand, or connect it to a water supply (well). In this case, it is necessary to equip the container with a float valve that regulates the level of its fullness.

Use a pump to supply water from the tank to the hoses.

Equip the tubing lines with ball valves if you want to open them manually, or with solenoid valves.

In this case, you will have to purchase a controller to regulate their opening and closing.

But, if you want to get a high-quality result without significant labor costs on your part, and do not have the desire to do everything yourself, use the opportunity to order a turnkey self-watering system for a greenhouse right now.

Allow to provide timely ripening of crops. This is possible due to the optimal temperature conditions, normal lighting and proper watering. At the same time, it makes sense to build drip irrigation in the greenhouse with your own hands. Such a device saves time and labor resources. Full watering is essential when growing plants in greenhouses. After all, evaporation in such a space is much more intense than in natural conditions. Let's find out what are the benefits of drip irrigation, as well as how to organize it at home.

Drip irrigation inside the greenhouse allows you to provide an optimal level of humidity for each plant

Let's figure out how to make drip irrigation. In this case, it is advisable to perform automated irrigation. When deciding how to properly water, you need to take into account that different crops require different amounts of water.

It is important to know how much water is needed, and which plants need it, because oversaturation of the soil can lead to the opposite effect and soil depletion. This will make the weeds grow faster.

The drip device has the following features:

• In order for the plant to develop properly, it needs a sufficient amount of air. What conventional watering does not provide. If the root does not have air movement, then the culture will not develop as it should;
• liquid penetrates directly into the root of plants;
• the optimal ratio of air and moisture contributes to the proper development of plants, which makes it possible to do without fertilizers.

The photo shows spot irrigation, which includes drip lines that extend to all row lines. Similar lines are made using a plastic pipe or drip tape with holes. At the end of such lines, plugs or flushing taps are attached.

You also need to decide if a special filter is needed. With the help of a reducer and a valve valve, the water supply is regulated.

How to assemble irrigation structures also depends on the required volume of the irrigation tank. To correctly calculate the capacity, it is necessary to multiply the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site by 20 liters. It is this amount that is needed to moisten one square meter.

How much you need to water depends on which crops you are irrigating. For example, cucumbers and tomatoes require completely different conditions. For tomatoes, high humidity is harmful, since such vegetables become infected with fungal and bacterial diseases. Therefore, dry air is maintained in greenhouses, for which ventilation is often arranged. But for cucumbers, you need to create a high level of soil and air moisture. With a lack of moisture, the leaves can begin to wither quickly.

Here's how the drip irrigation design works:

• water passes through the filter. At the same time, it is cleaned of debris, large debris inclusions and dust;
• since the container is located on a hill, the water penetrates by gravity into the main pipe, and then through the hoses;
• a valve is placed near each plant through which water penetrates the soil.

For your information! For better watering, you need to place the plants at a distance of 30 cm from each other.

Related article:

Types of irrigation: different systems

Now let's figure out what are the main types of drip irrigation. Each system has certain disadvantages and advantages. Here are the main options:

• For automatic watering with separate droppers, branches are brought to each plant. At the same time, the irrigation radius should be small, since such unfolding takes a lot of time. The main elements of such systems are microtubes, through which the liquid passes to the root system. For installation in a greenhouse, splitters, special valves and racks for fastening microtubes are used;

• drip tapes are used not only for plants, gardens, but also for trees. In this case, the sprinkler pipes are placed in parallel. Such irrigation methods do not have such a long service life as individual spray droppers. For automatic watering of the fields, each tape has holes through which water flows. One end is placed at the tank, and plugs are mounted on the second. This ensures that the liquid flows out against the desired roots.

Also, when choosing an irrigation system, it is necessary to consider different types of hoses, types of sprinklers and sprinklers.

Drip irrigation: the pros and cons of designs

There are different options for watering plants in the open field, but they are not always suitable for greenhouses.

The drip system has the following advantages:

• increasing the yield of different crops;
• water is distributed in certain dosages, which ensures the economy of this design;
• you can create a fully automated process;
• the threat of erosion of the soil layer is reduced;
• there is resistance to different climatic features;
• the possibility of uniform distribution of fertilizers is provided;
• improving the quality of cultivated crops;
• it becomes possible to irrigate large areas at low pressure;
• Ease of Management.

There are other important benefits as well. For example, saving water allows you to ultimately reduce the cost of the final product.A drip kit installed in a greenhouse significantly reduces the consumption of water and fertilizers. The optimal amount of moisture must be observed for some crops, especially for tomatoes. You can buy different devices for dosing watering.

All the advantages and disadvantages of different irrigation options are presented in the table.

Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of different irrigation options

Variety of watering	pros	Minuses
Root	It is done with a simple watering can. At the same time, fertilizers can be applied.	The complexity of the procedure, as it requires a large amount of time
Watering in the beds	Ease of watering, as you just need to lay the hose, and the liquid will spread itself.	Inconvenience when moving between trenches with plants.
Sprinkling	Uniform process of water supply, as well as the ability to adjust the pressure.	Too complicated installation. The formation of high humidity in the greenhouse, which can provoke the appearance of various diseases.
drip method	You can adjust the water supply. Ease of use and water saving. Fertilizers are evenly distributed in the process.	The complexity of installation and the high cost of individual elements.

What does drip irrigation consist of: the main elements of the device

To independently build a drip structure, you need to buy individual elements.

All parts are connected in series to each other:

• disc filter;
• main pipe;
• a mechanism for enriching water with nutrients;
• drip tapes;
• start connectors for connecting drip tapes;
• splitters for drip tapes;
• tape caps.

Tape for drip irrigation: application features

A drip tape is a hose through which water moves. In this case, the liquid is purified using different filters. When determining which tape is better, certain characteristics must be taken into account. It is important to calculate the length of the drip tape, as well as the thickness of its walls. The operating conditions depend on these parameters. The distance between the tapes also matters. In this case, the best tape depends on the timing of the maturation of plants.

You need to know how to mount the tape with your own hands. A drip tape is installed on the pipe, which is tightened with a special nut. To perform the installation of a similar design, fittings are used. It is with their help that branching is carried out.To perform tape irrigation, such a structure must be mounted so that the holes in it are placed on top.

Watering tape may be different. Here are the main types of drip tapes:

• outdated technology is labyrinth type tape. A continuous labyrinth is formed along the entire length, along which water moves. This option can be purchased inexpensively;

You can watch a video about this technology:

• slotted tape more reliable than the labyrinth. It also has a labyrinthine canal inside. In this case, it is necessary not only to decide how to lay this element, but also to apply a special filtration system;

• according to the reviews, the production of the emitter type refers to modern solutions. Irrigation is done using flat drippers. Emitter tape creates streams that move water.

To purchase such an element, you need to know how to properly lay it and how much such a tape costs. The drip system is completely dependent on the quality of this element. An important indicator is the price. The Tuboflex system deserves special attention, its cost varies between 2500-3000 rubles.

Start connectors for drip irrigation: how to use

To make functional drip irrigation, you need to buy a starter connector. Installation for the tuboflex system is carried out as follows. Using a marker, the surface of the main pipeline for the holes is marked. At the same time, connectors and a starting crane are mounted to them. First, seals are placed in the holes, and then start connectors.

It is worth considering the principle of operation of the device with a crane. Such a connection scheme allows for manual adjustment. This is important if your greenhouse has different crops with different watering needs.

Irrigation drippers: manufacturing technology

For drip irrigation, you can build a structure with your own hands. You can see how to do this in the video below:

It can be a collapsible and compensated model, as well as an adjustable design with water supply control. The drip irrigation system provides uniform pressure on different sections of the hose. In this case, uniform watering of plants is carried out.

You can use medical droppers. Watering indoor plants can be done from a plastic bottle.To make droppers in greenhouses, you first need to install a container and fill it with water.It is also necessary to put a hose and. It is important to calculate how much water you need. For a bush of tomatoes, 1.5 liters per day is enough, and for cucumbers - 2 liters.The dropper can be made in the form of a tape. This option is suitable if watering is designed for different crops. For example, for flowers and vegetables.

Before installing droppers, you need to do some calculations. If external compensated drippers are installed, then in order to determine the water consumption, the soil is checked for depth after an hour. The price of the structure also depends on this indicator.

Types of drip irrigation: prices and purchase features

A drip irrigation system is a durable and reliable option. Operational terms can exceed 10 years. To equip the tape structure for greenhouses, a watering tape is used, which has many holes, as well as a wall thickness of up to 200 microns. Such a hose is attached to the water supply at one end, and a plug is placed on its other end. When water enters, the liquid comes out of the holes.

When deciding which system to choose, one must take into account that the irrigation supply cannot be regulated. This option differs from spot irrigation, since it will not be possible to bring watering to individual points.

An automatic mechanism is most often combined with a hydraulic valve. In this case, a controller with a timer is used, with which you can even set the exact time of watering.Knowing how such a system works, you can mount self-watering systems with your own hands according to the same principle.

Let's take a look at the best irrigation systems that have an automatic. To determine which option is best, you need to consider them all:

• watering with sprinklers. Such a kit allows you to provide an irrigation radius of up to 20 meters. In this case, pipes made of polypropylene are used. Sometimes polycarbonate structures are used. This irrigation design increases soil and air moisture;

• used for irrigation special drum devices. They are mobile devices. Plants are watered on an area of ​​20 square meters;

• used for large areas wide-swath systems;

• applied to several greenhouses microsprinkling. Watering can be done from a barrel. In this case, a special flexible hose is used.

A home-made watering device, with the right calculations, will provide high-quality spot watering. In this case, water consumption can be minimal.Where you can buy such designs depends on the characteristics of irrigation. Our review of individual models will help you choose the best option.

Table 2. Average cost of drip irrigation

Drip irrigation for the greenhouse Zhuk: characteristics

This system is known for its functionality and efficiency. You can use a greenhouse or greenhouse kit. A similar watering kit can be used for a greenhouse or for an open area.You can buy a similar design in the company Cycla LLC , which is engaged in its production.

The installation of the greenhouse option involves the processing of 60 plants. With it, you can process a room with an area of ​​​​about 18 sq.m.A model from a barrel will cost about 1.8 thousand rubles, and an option for a water supply system - 2.5.Installation of a greenhouse structure can be performed in various ways. You can use the automatic option with a timer.

Drip irrigation AquaDusya: device parameters

The AquaDusya system is designed for 50-60 plants. You can purchase an automatic start option or a non-automatic model. There is also a semi-automatic mechanism. The advantages of such equipment include the ability to work on batteries, small dimensions of the structure. You can install the machine and other variations yourself. At the same time, the Start design can water efficiently without the presence of people. There is an option to connect not only to the water supply, but also from the barrel. The price will depend on this.

Drip irrigation in greenhouses: user reviews

When choosing which watering is best for a greenhouse, it is worth exploring all the options and reviews. It will help you choose the best option rating manufacturers.

Review, Zhuk system

Vladimir, Ryazan:“The advantages of the equipment include high-quality materials and assembly. Includes water meter, filter and timer. Can be watered from a barrel. Of the minuses, I would like to note that the water meter tube in the package is so bent that it never straightens out to the end. But in general, the design is wonderful. Works like clockwork."

Reviewed by Gardena

Alexander, Penza:“I have been using the gardena drip irrigation model for several years now. The construction is of high quality. Good watering area at normal pressure. Don't forget to clean your injectors regularly. You also need to insert a mechanical filter and drain the water in a timely manner.

Feedback AquaDusya

Alina, Krasnodar:“Last year, my husband bought the Aquadusia system on the machine. Bought a greenhouse kit. At first they wanted to choose a German watering design, but the domestic version also does a good job and at the same time has a lower cost. The installation of the structure was not difficult. The area of ​​​​our greenhouse is 40 squares, and next to it is a tank of 50 liters. Droppers are evenly distributed over the area of ​​the greenhouse. My husband and I are happy with this system. The result is a rich harvest."

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation system for a greenhouse

Drip irrigation allows you to well process the root system. Such a device for a greenhouse allows you to maximize the useful qualities of the soil layer.

Since automatic equipment is quite expensive, it is better to figure out how to do homemade watering.The organization of such a structure is not so complicated. Water passes through the capillary path and enters each root system of plants.

Installation is carried out using brackets, self-tapping screws, plugs, adjustable wrenches, as well as scissors for cutting pipes.To create high-quality self-watering, you need to find medical droppers, connectors, nozzles, drip tapes, pipes and switch taps. A modern watering system involves the use of a timer. It is better to choose elements made of plastic, which, unlike metal, do not rust or clog.

If you do not know how to install the structure yourself, then start with a plan in a greenhouse or in a greenhouse. Variants of such layouts can be seen in the photo. The schema must contain all the important parameters. The source of water must be identified. When organizing drip irrigation, it is necessary to note the capacity to which the pipeline will be connected. In this case, spot watering can be performed without your participation.

If micro-irrigation is installed, then a filter system will be required. Such a device may be located between the water source and the desired line. The dot option is used for tomato seedlings. Since in this case, excessive moisture is very harmful. For tomatoes, an intrasoil irrigation option is also used.

Connecting the hose to the main pipeline can be done using special fittings. The filter is most often mounted in the supply pipe.

Installation of drip irrigation

When deciding how to organize irrigation in a greenhouse, it is necessary to draw a system drawing. The scheme is drawn up after carrying out the necessary measurements, taking into account the scale.

How to properly build a drip irrigation system depends on the calculations. Here's what to calculate:

• the total length of the drip tape;
• number of start connectors;
• the number of T- and L-shaped splitters;
• number of fittings and plugs.

The organization of the structure after the calculations involves an increase in the number of consumables and drip tape by about 15%. Also, after the calculations, a barrel for irrigation is also selected.

To determine how to install irrigation elements, you need to note where crops with different water requirements will be placed. In this case, the installation should be carried out in separate zones.

Now consider the step-by-step installation of the irrigation structure. For manufacturing, you will need a liquid tank, a main pipe, medical droppers, filters, fittings, plugs and a ball valve. It is better if the water tank is at a certain height, for example 2-2.5 meters. In this case, you need to take care of the stand.

Table 3. Installation of drip irrigation

Image	Installation steps
	It is necessary to make holes for the exit of water in the tank. First, a hole is made for installing a ball valve. This element is mounted using a coupling and a seal.
	Holes should be made in the hoses where droppers can be placed.
	A hose is connected to the faucet. This can be done with branch fittings.
	Hose branches are laid between the rows.
	At the end of the main pipes, it is necessary to put plugs, which will prevent the spread of water.
	Remove the needles from the droppers, and leave the rubber tips.
	The tips are inserted into the holes made in the hoses.
	The tips of the drip parts are stuck into the soil next to the plants.
	Then you need to open the tap and check how the structure works. With the help of the adjusting wheel, you can control the flow of liquid into the soil.

Main pipe for drip irrigation

A main pipeline is being made in the greenhouse, which supplies water from the source to the start - connectors. Before choosing which pipe is better, you need to calculate the length of all pipes.

As a main pipe, it is better to use polyethylene pipes. It is necessary to determine what diameter is needed for such highways. For example, a HDPE pipe should have a diameter of 32 mm. A smaller diameter is not suitable, as a 16 mm hole is drilled in the pipes for start connectors. Used for drilling. How to make a similar design with your own hands depends on the materials.

You can also use structures made of PVC pipes, polypropylene pipes or metal-plastic pipes. All such options are in good contact with water, and also do not interact with the chemical components of fertilizers.

When choosing a country option, an important parameter is the price.Tees are mounted on the branches of the lines, and a drip hose or tape is connected to their lateral course. Sometimes a oozing hose is chosen.

These elements are attached to pipe fittings using metal clamps. A crane is installed on each distribution line, with which you can turn off the lines.If you do not want to choose individual elements from plastic pipes, then you can purchase ready-made kits with which summer watering is performed.

Venturi injector

For fertilization, a special fertigation unit is used, also called a Venturi injector. A similar device for fertilizers can be bought or made by yourself. The principle of operation of such a mechanism is to mix water with fertilizers. Installation of a similar design is necessary for the gradual supply of fertilizers into the main pipe. Such a feeding unit consists of a hose, a filter and an injector.

To decide how to choose such a device, you need to know its characteristics. To install a drip irrigation design, a preliminary calculation is required. This takes into account the scheme of the device.

Features of the installation of a similar design can be seen in the video below:

To make a homemade mechanism, you must comply with the following conditions:

• direction of fluid movement. On the purchased version of the injector there is an arrow indicating the correct direction;
• movable flow through the injector;
• inlet pressure indicator, as well as the difference between outlet and inlet.

Most often, such injectors are made with. They are made of plastic, which is resistant to various chemical fertilizers. A special adjustment allows you to reduce water consumption at the inlet, as well as turn off part of the irrigation system. There are different options for such designs, for example, 1 inch or 2 inches.

Drip irrigation filter

Different types of filters are mounted on the pipe after the feeding unit and before the start connectors. How to install and how to connect a similar design with your own hands can be seen in the video:

Installation is carried out taking into account the direction of water flow. It is important for the system how the filter element will be installed.To install filters in the main pipe, special couplings with adapters are used.

When deciding which filter to choose, you need to understand their purpose. They are designed to protect against breakage and blockages of some elements. If there is no filtration system, then the garden hose, dispenser or pump will clog faster. In order not to waste time thinking about how to clean such parts, it is better to take care of the filters.

The cartridge depends on the filtration option. It is the main filter element. It is he who determines the design option: sand, gravel or cyclone.There are stations that combine deep and coarse cleaning. You can make a homemade version.

Automatic watering in the greenhouse

You can install an autonomous drip option for watering the beds with your own hands. An automated system is able to function without your participation. To create an auto irrigation, you need to purchase a water tank, for example, for watering from a barrel, a timer, a controller, a hose and a pressure regulator. Automation can be purchased.

Full automation implies uninterrupted water supply. The water tank is located at a distance of 0.5 m from ground level. A pipeline is connected to it, passing to the fertigation unit. An important component of automatic watering is a special controller.

Materials for drip irrigation

To decide how to make a drip irrigation system with your own hands, you need to choose the right materials. To organize irrigation in a greenhouse, you will need the following materials and tools:

• HDPE pipes with a diameter of 40 mm;
• plugs for pipes and a valve for the greenhouse;
• filtration equipment;
• container, water tank;
• nozzles and other control valves;
• shutoff valve sets;
• watering tapes;
• that's what you need from the tools - drills, drill, rubber seals, awl, silicone sealant.

The design of drip irrigation can not only be bought, but also constructed from improvised materials. Here are some design options:

• drip irrigation with medical droppers. You will also need hoses and adapters with connections. How to equip such structures depends on water consumption. If there is a water supply system on the territory, then the channels are connected to it, and if it is net, then the water is supplied from the barrel by gravity;

• a quality irrigation system can be made from plastic bottles. Holes are made in the walls of the container. Water passes to the root system through bottles;
• spot watering of plants is often used. This option may contain an injector.

Such structures are best placed under the covering material. Drip irrigation may or may not have a pump.

Article

A bountiful harvest requires a combination of several factors: warmth, sunlight, and watering. Plants should receive moisture regularly and evenly. If the residence on the site where the greenhouse is built is unstable, it is necessary to arrange an automatic water supply system. By organizing drip irrigation in the greenhouse with your own hands, you will solve this problem in the most effective way, because this method of irrigation is economical and beneficial for plants.

What is

The main advantage of the drip irrigation system is the supply of water in small portions directly to the root zone. This method does not provoke the formation of an earthen crust that prevents the penetration of air. Moisture, which many plants do not tolerate well, does not get on the leaves and stems, this reduces the risk of damage by pathogenic microbes and burns due to the lens effect. Drip irrigation is suitable for greenhouses located far from a water source or with low pressure in the plumbing system.

The advantages of the system include:

• process automation;
• economical water consumption, leading to a decrease in the cost of the crop;
• high efficiency of moisture supply;
• preservation of the soil from erosion;
• the ability to cover a large area of ​​the greenhouse;
• reducing the growth rate of weeds;
• ease of installation and maintenance.

Consider how to make an automatic irrigation system in the country. As a storage tank, a container of several tens of liters is used, installed on a platform 1.5–2 meters high. This will allow the water to move through the pipes by gravity. The water level in the tank is controlled by a float and rises as it is used up. If there is no connection to the central water supply or a well with a pump, the container is filled manually. Be sure to have a lid - it will prevent flowering and water pollution. The liquid in the tank has time to warm up before watering, so it comes to the plants warm.

The disadvantage of drip irrigation is the clogging of the system: small diameter holes are easily clogged. To avoid such problems, a fine filter should be installed after the tank. The device is mounted according to the manufacturer's instructions, according to the direction indicated by the arrows on the case. During operation, the filter is inspected and washed.

The distribution of highways and drip pipes in the area requires a preliminary plan. It will help determine the places where pipes and droppers are laid out, calculate their footage and the number of connecting fittings, and the volume of the storage tank. The size of the accumulator is calculated by multiplying the volume of water required to moisten one m 2 by the area of ​​the greenhouse. For different varieties of plants you need from 15 to 30 liters. water per 1m 2.

For highways, it is preferable to use plastic pipes made of polyethylene, they do not corrode and are inexpensive, water can be pumped through them with the addition of fertilizers. They are laid along the furrow in the center of the site or along the perimeter and fixed with holders. A tap is installed at the end of the line, with its help the system is flushed.

Irrigation with drip tapes

An easy-to-manufacture and install irrigation system is obtained from drip tapes with a diameter of 16 mm. They can be purchased ready-made or made from an old hose by making small holes in increments of 20-30 cm. This is the optimal distance that allows you to moisten the plants in the garden, even if the dropper does not fall exactly on the bush. If the greenhouse area exceeds 30 m 2, you will need a pipe with a cross section of 25 mm. The tapes are laid out in rows and connected to the main via a start-connector. To install the connecting fitting, it is necessary to drill a hole of the required diameter in a plastic pipe and insert a rubber seal. The start connector is fixed with a clamping nut.

A plug is made at the opposite end of the drip tape. To do this, you need to roll the strip 2-3 times and fix it with a previously cut ring from the same pipe. Such a system will deliver the same volume of water to all plants. To make the adjustment, install taps in the area with seedlings that do not require intensive watering, and turn off the fluid supply at the right time. If the owners cannot regulate the intensity and frequency of watering, it is necessary to install a controller to automate the process. The device is located after the tap, through which water is supplied, and the filter. It runs on batteries. Cyclic moisture supply provides optimal conditions for the growth of seedlings.

The system can be supplemented by installing separate droppers for each plant. To do this, splitters with two to four fittings are inserted into the tubes located on the rows, on which microtubules are put on for irrigation. Through them, water is directed to the root system of the bush. In areas of a large area, it is not advisable to install such elements; it is enough to lay tapes with holes.

Drip pipes will last 2-3 years, there is a risk of damage to thin plastic material by garden pests. Inexpensive components and easy installation allow you to replace damaged elements as needed.

Automatic irrigation systems

You can quickly install the irrigation system using a ready-made kit. Depending on the manufacturer, it includes a different set of elements, but the main ones: a pump, a controller, connecting hoses, droppers, tees, fittings, a dosing valve, brackets and pipes - are in all automatic systems. For laying the pipeline, an opaque plastic is used to prevent water from blooming. The storage tank is not included and must be purchased separately. The purchase of such a system is justified if the farm does not have a pump for water supply. It allows you to organize the correct automatic watering of plants.

When the problem of filling the tank has already been solved, it is wiser to make a combined version of the drip system, acquiring only the necessary parts, otherwise using improvised means.

Drip irrigation using plastic bottles

Automatic watering with plastic pipes and droppers is not the only actual way. Cheaper irrigation is made from plastic bottles. The use of recycled material helps to reduce the cost of manufacturing the irrigation system. In small containers, water heats up to a comfortable temperature faster than in a tank and flows warm to the roots of plants. The device of the simplest automatic irrigation system is available to every gardener.

There are several options for installing watering bottles.

Digging into the ground. This is the easiest and most affordable way. To work, you need a capacity of 1.5-2 liters. In its cover, 2 (and for clay soil 4) holes are punched with a thin nail. The bottom of the bottle is cut off, leaving a small fragment so that it does not fall off. The bottom will become a lid that protects water from evaporation and pollution. At a distance of 15 cm from the planted plant, a hole is dug 10–15 cm deep, a container filled with water is placed in it with the neck down. The bottle is set at a slight angle up to 45 degrees and buried. As water is used up, it is poured through the hole in the bottom. The watering device is carried out with care so as not to touch the roots of the bush.

Another method requires making two or three rows of small holes with a diameter of 2 mm, placing them in a checkerboard pattern closer to the bottom of the bottle. The container is placed in the hole between two plants, it will be a source of irrigation for two bushes. Such a system is optimal for watering tomatoes, it allows you to protect plants from moisture in the air, which provokes the spread of phytophthora and other diseases. With the help of watering from a plastic bottle, mineral plant nutrition is performed.

Hanging a bottle with improvised means. A two-liter bottle is taken, a hole is punched in the lid, the bottle itself is filled with water. To install it near the bush, you will need a stick or a metal rod. A container is screwed upside down to the rack with tape or wire, its lid is directed to the root. The stick is driven in with a hammer next to the plant. Water will slowly, drop by drop, irrigate the bush.

A two-liter container and an empty ballpoint pen will become an irrigation system for a bush for 3-4 days. The bottle is installed with the neck up or down, this does not affect the quality of humidification. If the container is at the bottom, then a hole for the rod is pierced at a height of 2-3 cm. A thin tube is plugged on one side with a match cap, and the other end is inserted into a bottle of water. The junction for tightness is covered with plasticine. At a distance of 3–5 mm from the outer edge, a hole is pierced in the rod with a needle. The intensity of watering depends on its diameter. If you want to spend the minimum amount of liquid, the hole is made in 2 mm, if necessary, it can be increased. When installing a plastic bottle upside down, its cap and neck are buried in the ground. The hole for the rod is pierced at a height of 5 cm from the ground.

These methods are simple and cheap, but they will not replace full-fledged irrigation; it is difficult and irrational to install individual bottles near each plant over a large area. This method is not suitable for clay soil, which will quickly clog holes.

Drip irrigation is the most rational way of moisturizing, it saves resources and fully nourishes the plants in your greenhouse.

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Foreword

When plants constantly require moisture, it is best to arrange micro-drip irrigation in a greenhouse to avoid high water consumption and excessively high air humidity.

What is micro-drip irrigation and why is it needed

No matter how moisture-loving garden crops are, when watering it is very difficult to calculate the amount of water poured onto the beds so that it is no more and no less than necessary, but just right. With an excess, a lot of moisture evaporates from the surface, which means that it is wasted. It is much more efficient to supply water directly to the roots, without watering the aisles and gaps between plantings, for which the microdroplet method was developed. In small but continuous doses, moisture enters a certain area at the roots, immediately absorbed by the soil and irrigating only the roots.

This method has several advantages over conventional watering. Firstly, by simply spraying water over the plants with your own hands, you flood everything around, and a large amount of liquid is absorbed by a relatively thin layer of soil, without getting deeper to the roots. Accordingly, more and more water is needed, which is why puddles form on the surface, and the soil is oversaturated with moisture, which displaces air, which is also necessary for the roots. In addition, falling on the leaves and stems, individual drops become natural lenses, collecting the sun's rays into bundles, which causes burns to the plants.

The device for dosing can be either the simplest, made with your own hands from a hose, or include various technical elements. For example, in most cases, a high-quality filter is needed so that the dropper nozzles connected to the main tubes do not clog. Also, for automatic water supply, a special dosing controller is needed, in which a valve is installed that opens at certain intervals. Where it is impossible to let the water flow by gravity, you will definitely need a pump.

In your greenhouse, micro-drip irrigation will affect the development of plants even more beneficially, since moisture does not spread along the leaves away from the root. Particularly effective are complex systems with adjustable water supply to each dropper. After all, different varieties of the same crop can grow in the same greenhouse, requiring different amounts of moisture in the soil. By adjusting each drip tip, you can set a specific output of water, from 1 liter per hour to 15 (if necessary). Or you can leave the injectors to work normally.

The root system of the plant always reaches for water, and thanks to micro-drop irrigation, the roots do not grow, intertwining into a compact lump in the zone of moisture supply.

What are the types of automatic drip irrigation systems?

If you want to purchase a ready-made kit for soil drip irrigation, you should familiarize yourself with the existing models. Sets are tubular and tape. Both are based on hoses, but in the first case they are rigid, and in the second they are elastic, which, when rolled into coils, look like ribbons. Tubular can be both with built-in output channels-capillaries, and with external ones. Nozzles for rigid tubes are mounted in special sockets or connected by hand by docking with hose sections. In the tape version, only capillary holes are used.

Now let's turn directly to the configuration of systems. Here, options are possible, each of which is selected individually, based on performance requirements. Some models are suitable only for small flower beds and small greenhouses, others are able to provide, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich reaches tens of square meters. It all depends on the volume of the distribution tank, the diameter of the pipes and the total output power of the droppers on each supply line. In other words, if long, large diameter hoses with a large number of outlets are used, the water pressure will drop at a certain distance from the tank.

The simplest kit that you can assemble with your own hands consists of a tank, fittings for connecting a hose and a filter. At the same time, the container is placed on a specially prepared elevation, not lower than 1.5 liters from the ground, which ensures sufficient pressure in the system. Further, through a short hose connected to the bottom of the tank with a fitting, a filter and supply pipe sections connected by tees to distribution pipes are connected. The central row is connected to the hose from the tank by means of a crosspiece, to which transverse segments are connected, connecting the supply pipes to each other. Holes are pierced along each "sleeve" at certain intervals, through which water oozes. All distribution hoses are plugged at the ends.

A more complex system, in addition to the tank, filter and hoses, is equipped with a controller with 2 timers, where the start and end times of irrigation are set, as well as external droppers stuck into the ground. The device itself is started by pressing a button and works until it is turned off or until the capacity of the AA batteries is exhausted. Expensive systems are equipped with full-fledged computers that require an electrical connection. Otherwise, the principle of operation is the same - water enters the hoses by gravity from a container placed on a dais. Moisture flows from hoses through elastic tubes into droppers, through which it is dosed into the soil. If the irrigation area is large, natural pressure will not be enough, a pump will be required.

Types of nozzles and other devices for drip irrigation

When it comes to metered irrigation by the microdrop method, many people imagine rare or frequent drops of moisture falling on the ground. However, there can be much more options than how often small portions of water will be measured through capillaries. The easiest way to get the desired result is to pierce holes in the hose. But for convenience, external droppers-nozzles are used, which are either through-holes (they are stuck into holes along the length of the hose) and end ones - instead of plugs.

Among other things, the nozzles are collapsible and monoblock, that is, the first ones can be repaired with their own hands in the event of a breakdown by changing individual parts, and the second ones must be completely replaced. According to the principle of operation, droppers are divided into adjustable and unregulated. The former are equipped with a small valve that can be opened completely or to a certain extent by selecting the intensity of watering, while the latter provide a constant dosage of water. Thanks to compensating nozzles, drops fall at a predetermined interval, regardless of the pressure in the hose or pipe.

If you want to do micro-drip irrigation of plants with your own hands, in addition to the nozzles listed above, other devices for dispensing water can certainly come in handy. In particular, drip irrigation includes nozzles for six-jet sector spraying, the diameter of the moistening zone of which reaches 40 centimeters. Linear horizontal sprinklers are very interesting, intermittent jets from which hit in 2 opposite directions or in one, narrowly directed at 1-5 meters. For wide beds, a sprinkler will be a good solution, which sprays water with intermittent drip jets upwards so that they fall on the plants in a canopy, simulating rain on a plot of up to 50 meters.

Appliances will also be useful, without which automation in the supply and distribution of water on the site is impossible. First of all, this is a soil moisture sensor, which will ensure that the soil is not oversaturated with water or does not dry out too much. Among the latest technical innovations, rain sensors should also be noted, which turn off the system as soon as precipitation falls on the ground. However, both controllers can only be connected to a special computer responsible for turning on and off at a given time or, as already mentioned, according to sensor signals.

How to install a semi-automatic drip irrigation system

Semi-automatic means a constant supply of water to the distribution hoses, without the need to fill the tank yourself. Here you can go in two ways: connect a hose with a filter embedded in it and a controller directly to the water supply through a special valve that significantly reduces pressure, or bring the pipe to the tank with your own hands. In both cases, you do not need to buy a pump, since water will be constantly supplied to the system due to its own pressure in the water supply. Moreover, the first system can be purchased ready-made, in any configuration.

When connecting to the water supply, the faucet must be connected with a short piece of hose to a special pressure reduction unit, since excessively strong water pressure can knock nozzles and plugs out of the system. Such a block may have a filter inside, which makes it possible to obtain highly purified water. Next, a controller or computer with a built-in water flow shut-off valve is connected, and only then the entire system is connected. To save on a computer, you can connect a water pipe to the top of the tank and provide a float valve to cut off the water supply as it fills up. At the bottom, a hose with an embedded filter is attached, and, if necessary, a controller.

The easiest way to drip irrigation for a greenhouse

All of these options have a price, and often a lot. For those who want to get relatively cheap micro-drip irrigation, it will be easy to do it yourself using ordinary plastic bottles. The number of them should correspond to the number of plantings that you are going to water, or, in extreme cases, one for every two plants. Next, you have two paths. The first one is the simplest. Cut a large hole in the bottom of each bottle (it is better to take 1.5-2 liters), and pierce several small ones closer to the neck; on the one hand, if you plan to water 1 plant, or on both sides. Then you simply bury the bottles near each plant or between neighboring ones with a close landing and fill it with water.

The second way is more difficult. In addition to bottles, you will need a hose, which is divided into sections along the length of the beds with a small margin and a capacity of 20 liters (or more). If the water is supplied directly to the greenhouse, we put the container near the tap at the beginning of the beds, and to fill it we use a separate hose, while the segments of the second are attached to the bottom and stretched along the beds. Next, in the walls of each eggplant near the bottom, carefully cut out 2 opposite round holes slightly smaller than the diameter of the hose, with scissors or a special nozzle for a drill. In the hose, at intervals equal to the step between the plants, we pierce holes, we also pierce bottle caps.

It remains to squeeze the elastic tubes into plastic containers, arranging them so that the holes are inside the eggplants. We stick metal rods or long pieces of cable with an aluminum core at least 8 millimeters thick along the plantings into the beds, bend their tops with a hook, and then gently bend the ends upwards again. We get convenient supports for laying the hose through the air, their height should be sufficient so that the caps of plastic bottles do not reach the ground about 5 centimeters. Next, we adjust the size of the inlet and outlet holes in each node so that the eggplants do not have time to fill with water and hang the system on supports so that drops fall near the plants. We plug the ends of the hoses with plugs.