Efficient Watering Made Easy: The Ultimate Guide to Drip Irrigation Systems

In this post, I'll be sharing my experience of setting up a drip irrigation system and planting fruit trees on my property. Before we start planting, we need to ensure that our fruit trees receive adequate water, which is why we decided to install a drip irrigation system.

To begin, we set up the drip irrigation system by running all the lines through 3-inch and 2-inch pipes all the way down to the front of our property. Instead of hiring a company to do it for us, we decided to take matters into our own hands and do it ourselves. My mentor Ben helped me dig the trenches and put in the pipes, while a couple of friends helped me include the pipes in the system.

I am a physics major, so I knew all the formulas for calculating psi flow rate, which helped me to calculate the cost of the project. The total cost of all the fittings, pipe, and equipment was around $5,500, which was significantly cheaper than the $12,000-$16,000 that companies were charging for the same project.

After laying down the PVC pipe and gluing all the pieces together, we flushed the line to get rid of any dirt or debris that may have accumulated in the pipes. Once the pipes were in place, we installed the risers and connected them to the swivels. We also set up the water valves to ensure a continuous flow of water to the trees and vegetable garden.

Once the drip irrigation system was set up, it was time to plant the fruit trees. We contracted with a labor contractor to help us plant the trees, but before we could do that, we needed to connect the drip lines to the swivels on each row. We used 15 rolls of drip tube, each 1,005 feet long, and ran them off of the 3-inch mainline to each lateral line.

Despite some challenges, such as the trencher being difficult to control and the pipes being hard to lay in a straight line, we were able to complete the project successfully. I used my drone and phone to check for any leaks in the system, and the water was flowing crystal clear. It was a satisfying feeling to have done it ourselves and saved a significant amount of money in the process.

In conclusion, setting up a drip irrigation system and planting fruit trees is a time-consuming process, but the rewards are worth it. The trees will have access to adequate water, which will help them grow and produce delicious fruit. Plus, doing it ourselves allowed us to save money and learn new skills along the way.