Tips

DIY irrigation system

How to make a do-it-yourself irrigation system

Before preparing for the construction of a do-it-yourself irrigation system, it is necessary to check the water supply. While the law does not prevent the use of water from the aqueduct for such use, it is equally true that its use partially contravenes common sense, which would suggest using other sources for this purpose. In some regions, and at the municipal level, ordinances are periodically published in relation to the availability of water for civil use, therefore irrigation use could be periodically prohibited. In any case, it is therefore advisable to design a system for collecting rainwater. This can be easily arranged by building a tank that can be buried or left above ground,

Water supply

It must be said that the collection of water can be done by channeling those coming from the slopes of the roof. In this case, the large collection surface will allow the tank to be filled in less time. If you do not have the possibility to channel the gutters, it is possible to build a small shed in correspondence with the bin and take advantage of building a small shed for tools. In this way, even if not very large, the surface will be able to collect enough water to supply the plant. Other sources of supply can be represented by the possibility of digging a well but generally this solution is quite expensive.

Types of plant

Once ascertained which source to use, it is possible to design the system. The type of design provides for the burial of the pipes and therefore it is necessary to draw up the bill of materials required by providing for the purchase of the connection joints, curves and all the accessories necessary for laying the pipes. The irrigation system can also be built on the surface and this is the case with capillary irrigation systems. This type of plant is more suitable for watering vegetable gardens when direct water fall on the foliage can be a source of vegetable disease. The capillary irrigation systems exploit the branching of a series of pipes, with a reduced section, equipped with small holes from which the water drips drop by drop,

Do-it-yourself irrigation system: Centreline programamte

Since all irrigation systems require a pump, it will be advisable to provide a power connection. The location of the pump must be arranged so that it is covered and it is advisable to install a panel for the positioning of the safety switch upstream of the pumping apparatus. Flow and pressure must be carefully designed so that all sprinklers are reached by sufficient pressure. It is advisable to reduce the section of the pipes by proceeding towards the ends of the system to distribute the pressure loss due to the presence of several sprinklers along the pipe, or to resort to a sectioning of the system in several branches to better distribute the load on the pipes. On the market there are control units to program the watering of the land. This kind of device, through a solenoid valve, opens the water flow at pre-established hours, allowing you to wet the garden even in the event of prolonged absence. It is always advisable to proceed with watering early in the morning or in the evening while it is not advisable to do it during the day.