Raised Beds: Irrigation
Is drip irrigation right for me?
As a custom gardening company, we understand that many people love the idea of having a backyard garden but don’t have the time or desire to devote hours to watering it themselves.
If you can relate to these statements, drip irrigation is the solution for you!
- I’m not good at keeping up with watering.
- My plants seem healthy, but my garden isn’t “flourishing.”
- I don’t have the time to water my garden every day.
- I’m not sure if I’m under-watering or over-watering.
- I have to find someone to take care of my garden when I want to go on vacation
- I want more time to enjoy and share my garden, without all the hassle
Benefits of drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation is a great solution for anyone who wants a healthy garden without the hassle. Irrigation is especially important in raised bed gardens, which dry out faster than in-ground gardens. Although plants may survive with less-than-ideal watering, providing deep watering ensures that plants receive everything they need to thrive and produce.
Drip irrigation delivers a slow, steady supply of water directly to the roots of plants. This prevents accidental overwatering or under-watering, and minimizes water loss due to evaporation and runoff. It takes a lot more water to properly soak a garden than most people think. (Perennial plants in particular require deep watering.) Unless you can spend half an hour or more with a garden hose each day (let alone a watering can!)
Drip irrigation is the most time, resource, and cost-efficient way to water your garden. It will also help prevent issues that affect the health and flavor of edible plants.
How Our Process Works
It may seem intimidating, but using an automated drip irrigation system is simple and completely hands-off for our maintenance clients. Our drip irrigation systems are as easy to use as an alarm clock! Once your system is installed, it is a “hands-off” process that requires minimal time and effort to maintain.
Design
During your Initial Consultation, our designer will assess the condition of your garden hose spigot, and determine the optimal path to the garden. For raised beds, the visible elements will be the timer at the spigot, a valve at each bed, and drip lines neatly running the length of the bed every 12 inches, and fastened at the ends. Irrigation for perennials will also be planned for.
Installation
For new gardens and garden renovations, the main line tubing is installed beneath the pathway material and routed into each bed from the inside. The drip tubing is installed near the end of the project, on top of the soil. The timer is set up at the hose spigot, with a splitter to keep one hose bib available. The automatic timer is programmed, and the system is tested directly after installation.
Testing
For clients enrolled in our full-service maintenance program (whether weekly, biweekly, or monthly) our team of professional gardeners will adjust, inspect, and repair your timer and tubing as needed to maintain optimal health. For clients who choose self-maintenance, the automatic timer is simple to adjust and the irrigation system as a whole is easy to repair as well. We’re always just a call away.
irrigation bottom line
At Backyard Eats, our goal is to make the process of growing homegrown food as easy and rewarding as possible! With drip irrigation installed in your raised bed, here are five benefits you can expect to transform the way you garden:
- Healthy plants without stress or disease
- Ideal conditions for maximum harvest
- More time enjoying your garden, and less time watering it
- Peace of mind when life gets busy
- Less wasted water (protect your wallet and the planet)