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In this video I'm going to show you how to install a drip irrigation system which is
a low cost, effective way to keep your garden watered. There are three easy steps to installing
your drip irrigation system. One is to plan it, two is to dig it all out and get all your
connections right, and three is to connect it to a water source and make sure it's all
working.
The tools and materials you'll need to install your drip irrigation system are; the shovel,
secateurs, and the tape are for actual installation. We have pegs to hold the pipes down, clamps
to hold all the fittings together, a connector for the tap, an inline filter, and the pipe.
This one's purely to run from your water source to the irrigation system, and this one is
the actual irrigation system. It's an inline drip system.
Safety is very important in any DIY situation. In this case you'll need gardening gloves
to make sure there are no cuts and abrasions from digging in the garden and knee pads for
kneeling.
To start with we need to plan what sort of irrigation system you need. There are two
basic types: above ground watering or below ground watering. The irrigation system we
are installing is a drip system. It's a little bit more water effective than a spray system
due to the fact that it waters the roots of the plant rather than spraying over the top.
The first thing you need to work out is exactly how much pipe you need. It's a lot easier
to measure the outside of the garden bed rather than trying to weave in and out of any plants
or obstacles that are in your way. So, just lay your tape at the front of the garden bed.
Get your rough measurements because the pipe comes in various sizes, so that way you can
have a little bit over rather than a little bit under.
When laying out the pipe, same as measuring, it's a lot easier to lay it in front of the
garden bed. Rather than let it coil out that way it's a lot easier to walk the hose backwards.
That way you're getting rid of most of the kinks as you go. Once you get to a corner,
depending on how sharp the corner is or whether you need a join, you can cut it there. So,
then you can start again from the other side. In this instance it's a fairly slow corner
so we'll be able to work straight around.
Once you've rolled your pipe out through the garden bed it's always good to cut a little
bit longer to give yourself that little bit extra room rather than fall a little bit short.
When you are physically cutting the pipe the weeper holes that are here are 300 intervals.
You want to cut just past there but being still aware that you have to put an endcap
in. Then repeat that process depending on how many garden beds you need to irrigate.
Once you've laid your drip line through your garden beds you then need to figure out the
shortest path from your water source to your garden beds, then proceed to dig the trench.
You can leave your poly pipe from your water source to your garden above ground, but digging
a trench is a lot more user friendly and it's out of mind out of sight.
Once you've done the trenches and you're ready to go we just need to position the drip line
through the middle of the garden bed so when we run our water source through into the drip
line we're all ready to go. You then need to install your fittings. This one's a T-fitting,
so it can go both ways through the garden bed. You then need to cut your weeper hose
making sure that there's no weeping hole close to the joint so it doesn't weep from the joint.
Once you've cut the pipe simply insert the pipe on either side wiggling it on to get
it all the way up to the fitting. Then the water source. All fitted. And then clamps.
Simply open the clamp over using the back of the secateurs just to give them a little
bit of a pinch.
Now we have to connect to our water source. In this instance a tap, which is nice and
easy with a snap on connection which is designed specifically for the 30 mil. Also, we're going
to install an inline filter into the drip system to stop any debris and small bits blocking
up the irrigation system. This needs to be cleaned at least once every 12 months. Just
hold the filter up to the pipe. Cut one end. Slide the filter on. Measure the other end
where you need to cut it. Put the clamps on. And you're line's ready to be tested.
We just need to flush the system through to make sure any debris that got into the pipes
while we were building it is all out. Put our endcaps on. Make sure you clamp it. Backfill
all your trenches. Lightly cover the sprinkler system with mulch.
That's it. All done for your low maintenance, easy to maintain irrigation system. Simply
turn the tap off and on to water your garden. For more information drop into your local
Bunnings Warehouse and see one of our friendly team members.