Best Irrigation Set-ups for Raised Bed Gardens
A raised bed watering system is an efficient solution for watering the plants in your garden’s elevated areas. If you have a raised garden at home, installing this system will help you save time, water, and energy when gardening.
However, it’s ideal for homeowners to include an irrigation setup when planning to have raised garden beds in the first place.
In this post, we will walk you through the best practices in setting up a successful irrigation system and highlight the benefits you can expect from this investment.
How To Set up a Raised Bed Garden Watering System
The best irrigation set up for raised gardens is hands down a drip irrigation system. Not only will drip irrigation lines save you water (and time if you’re used to watering your garden manually), but drip lines bring the added benefit of delivering the proper amount of water straight to the root system of your plants.
Drip irrigation systems for raised garden beds typically include the following parts:
Mainline Tubing: This tube carries the water throughout your irrigation system. It connects to the water source and the other tubing in the system.
Dripline Tubing: This type of tubing has small emitters or holes along its length. The water drips out of these holes and into the soil around your plant’s root system.
Emitters: Emitters are small devices that release water onto your plants. They are placed along the dripline tubing at the base of each plant.
Transfer Barbs: These parts connect the mainline tubing and dripline tubing.
Screen Filter: This part connects to your main water source. It removes large particles such as sediment to prevent them from clogging your emitters.
PSI Regulator: This part controls the water pressure in your system. It is placed between the screen filter and the mainline tubing.
Elbows: These parts change the water direction of your mainline tubing.
Y-Connectors: These split the mainline tubing, so you can run two lines of tubing from one water source.
Valve: This part is used to control the water flow to each line of tubing.
End Cap: This part is placed at the end of your tubing to prevent water from leaking out.
For those interested in installing their drip irrigation system the DIY way, here is a quick guide to ensure a successful irrigation setup.
Dig a Trench: Your mainline will be underground around your raised beds. Ensure that your garden beds are level.
Prepare All Parts: Arrange the parts according to where they will go.
Attach Parts: From your main water source, use an elbow to direct the mainline tubing to your raised bed garden. Then, attach a Y-connector to redirect water to other beds. Attach the valve, which will need another elbow to connect more mainline tubing. Finally, put an end cap.
Install Dripline: Use transfer barbs to connect the mainline with the dripline tubing. Then, use the emitters on the dripline to deliver water to your beds. Be sure to put an end cap on your tube.
Why Do I Need to Install a Raised Bed Watering System?
Installing a raised bed irrigation system offers several benefits:
Efficient Watering: Drip irrigation allows you to deliver an exact amount of water in a specific area. Precise watering also helps you conserve water. This way, you can avoid overwatering your plants and compromising their health.
In addition, drip irrigation waters plants at the base, ensuring that the roots get all the nutrients. When you minimize watering the leaves, you help prevent mildew and diseases.
Time-Efficient: You can save time with a drip system installed in your raised garden. Having a system to do your watering eliminates the time you spend hand watering your plants, which can take hours depending on how many plants you have.
Likewise, you can automate your system to deliver water when needed. Finally, drip irrigation results in less weeding to make you more time-efficient in your gardening efforts.
Cost-Efficient: The fact that you save water with a drip irrigation system means that you can also save money. With an irrigation system for your raised bed garden, you can use between 30% and 50% less water than traditional watering methods.
Thus, you can make significant water bill savings. In addition, high-quality materials will last for years — as long as you install them correctly and maintain them properly. You can easily replenish what you spent on your system with your water bill savings.
FAQs
Here are some common questions to serve as advice in helping you manage a successful raised bed garden at home.
Should I Water My Raised Beds Every Day?
How often you should activate your raised bed watering system will depend on the season. Hotter months may require you to water your beds at least once or twice a day — preferably early in the morning or the evening. Meanwhile, cooler months can require watering every other day.
You must also factor in the rainy season when watering. During these months, you can go weeks without watering your raised beds.
The kinds of plants you have in your raised beds will also determine how often you must water them. For instance, seedlings will need watering twice a day until they are big enough.
How Long Should I Run My Drip Irrigation System?
Your system should be able to handle at least half an hour of run time without any runoff. When installing your drip irrigation system, make sure that it is flexible enough to adjust emitters when needed. You may need to add more emitters or change their locations in the landscape to prevent overflow.
How High Should My Raised Garden Bed’s Soil Be?
Normally, eight inches to a foot high is adequate for an effective raised bed. You can adjust its height according to your drainage needs and plant preferences. Some plants may need dry soil to grow, requiring you to limit your irrigation system’s activity.
Let Professionals Install Your Raised Bed Irrigation System
To make the most out of your investment, you need to plan correctly and ensure your irrigation system is set up to deliver water in the most efficient manner. Having a professional install your system will guarantee a successful installation and an efficient raised garden watering system for years to come.
If you’re interested in installing a drip irrigation system, we will be glad to assess your garden and determine the best approach. Get in touch with our irrigation experts for a free installation estimate today!