Leading a busy life doesn’t mean that you don’t have time to maintain and care for a small container vegetable garden. Keeping your gardens, even a potted plant vegetable garden, properly watered is one of the most challenging aspects of gardening for many.
With the right tools you can keep your vegetables growing consistently even when life gets chaotic in the dog days of summer. One such tool is the drip irrigation system for watering your potted vegetables.
Benefits of Drip Irrigation Systems for Vegetable Gardens
Drip irrigation systems allow you to easily water your plants consistently throughout the summer. More than that, though, they allow you to manage and maintain a larger garden than you might be able to if relying on the ability to water the garden by hand.
The good news is that a good drip irrigation system is not all that difficult to install. According to the Pennsylvania State University Extension Office, crops that are irrigated through a drip system “grow better and with fewer diseases” than crops that are left to their own devices, the whims of nature, and other overhead watering methods.
Sourcing Water for Drip Irrigation
Whether you are a conservationist at heart or not, there are two highly effective sources of water for your drip irrigation system. You can use water collected in a rain barrel or you can use the same water you use for water in your home (city or well water).
One thing to consider when planning your system is the amount of water each plant needs. The system itself delivers a continuous stream of water through each emitter for the entire time it is on.
For this reason it is important to set up the system to accommodate the needs of the smallest plants that need the least amount of water, and then add extra emitters in the larger pots that need greater amounts of water.
Doing this will help to avoid overwatering the smaller pots while ensuring that the thirstier plants have adequate water. It will also help you avoid wasting water throughout the summer by using more than is necessary.
You only need to run the system for about five to ten minutes per watering. In dry and hot climates you may need to run the system a few times a day. But it’s great to have irrigation options available so you can enjoy fresh, healthy vegetables throughout the growing season.
Don’t let your questions about drip irrigation systems remain unanswered. Contact Irrigation Outlet with all of your irrigation system questions today.
