Do-it-yourself automatic watering in a greenhouse from plastic bottles: scheme

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Watering plants over a large area, especially in dry weather, requires a lot of time and effort, but not everyone has the opportunity to come to the site every day. Therefore, many summer residents are wondering: how to set up automatic watering in a greenhouse with your own hands?

Auto-irrigation for different irrigation methods

Irrigation methods are divided into three main groups: sprinkling, drip irrigation and subsoil. Watering on the soil with a watering can does not apply to these options. Subsurface irrigation, which can be done using hoses or pipes with pore holes, is ideal for irrigating hedges and garden perennials.

Micro-irrigation or drip irrigation is a system that is convenient for providing the necessary moisture to trees, bushes, pendants. Drip irrigation is the most popular irrigation method among summer residents, as it makes it possible to direct moisture directly to the roots of plants. The method is good for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, but does not replace full watering. Sprinkling -ideal way to irrigate flower beds or lawns. You can set up automatic watering in the greenhouse with your own hands for any option.

Plastic sprinklers

Auto-irrigation is especially helpful with irregular water supply to the site or at strictly defined hours. In this case, it is necessary to water a lot, but it is undesirable from a hose, since a strong pressure of water will wash away the ground at the roots. A standard irrigation system consists of a pump, hoses and sprinklers needed for irrigation. Sprayers or sprinklers can be made from improvised material - simple plastic bottles. Bottles with a capacity of 2 to 5 liters are suitable, in which holes of various configurations are made, depending on the type of sprinkler. A hose is inserted into the neck of the bottle or the hole in the cap. You can glue the halves of plastic pen cases to the holes.

Drip irrigation with plastic bottles

Do-it-yourself drip irrigation in a greenhouse can also be set up in several ways using 1, 5- and 2-liter plastic bottles.

• In the walls of the bottle (not reaching 3 cm to the bottom) it is necessary to pierce several rows of holes in a checkerboard pattern. The number of holes depends on the type of soil and water flow. The bottle should be buried between the plants (preferably when they are planted in the ground) with the neck up to a depth of 15 cm. Watering is carried out through the neck, and water poured manually or from a hose into the bottle through the holes will flow to the roots.
• In the second method, we prepare a bottlein a similar way, but we make holes near the neck. A bottle with a cut off bottom must be buried with the neck down, after screwing the lid. To prevent the evaporation of water, we return the cut bottom to its place by turning it over. Filling the bottle with water is easier then.
• Do-it-yourself automatic watering in a greenhouse can be adjusted by hanging plastic bottles over the ground near the plants so as not to erode the ground. Then the water coming from the hose will also warm up in the sun. Only in this case, holes are made in the lid or near the neck. You can adjust the volume of water poured out without piercing holes by unscrewing the lid. Small holes of 1-1.5 mm will prevent water from escaping too quickly.
• Moisture-loving plants with long breaks between irrigations will help out plastic bottles of 5 liters. Holes must be pierced on one side of the bottle from the bottom to the neck. On the wall on the opposite side, cut a window for pouring water. The bottle is buried in a horizontal position with the holes down and the window up.

Do-it-yourself automatic watering. Diagram

A drip irrigation scheme using plastic bottles can consist of several basic elements, it all depends on the volume of the greenhouse and the number of plants.

1. A barrel or tank of water, preferably black.
2. Crane.
3. Float chamber.
4. Connecting hoses (located underground or on the surface).
5. Plastic bottle dispensers,underground between plants.

Water automatically moves from the water supply or from the barrel to the float chamber, then through the hoses it enters plastic bottles, providing automatic irrigation for the greenhouse. With your own hands, the scheme of such an irrigation system is reproduced quite quickly. Instead of pipe dispensers, you can use a drinking bowl from a plastic bottle on the surface and a canister dispenser with holes buried underground.

How to install an automatic watering system?

• First, you will need to draw a site plan with beds and the number of plants that require do-it-yourself drip irrigation from plastic bottles. The plan must indicate the location of pipes, hoses, droppers and valves. A vegetable garden on a sloping terrain will require horizontal placement of pipes and inclined drip hoses. The pipe connections marked on the plan will allow you to count the number of plugs, tees, taps and connectors.
• Secondly, the water supply system is being considered. The lack of water supply can be replaced by a tank installed at a height of up to two meters. For the main water supply, plastic pipes are more suitable, through which water can be supplied with any concentration of fertilizers. The type and brand of equipment needed will affect the overall cost of the irrigation system. It is advisable to use filters for fine water purification so that droppers and drip hoses do not become clogged. The filters will need to be cleaned after a certain period of time.
• Third, choose the installation methodpipes. The most economical is laying in the ground. If necessary, you can hang them on supports, but it is advisable to take opaque pipes and hoses so that the water does not bloom. Buried pipelines must have thick walls. Installation is carried out after all the beds are formed.
• Electric self-powered controllers will help to establish uninterrupted automatic watering with your own hands in the greenhouse or on the site.
• The system must be flushed before use. Why do they remove the end caps, let water in until clean water comes out.

Auto watering with storage and plastic bottles

Do-it-yourself automatic watering in a greenhouse is easy to set up based on a simple and affordable scheme.

1. Water tank with faucet.
2. Accumulator made from a canister, mounted at an angle.
3. Funnel, which can serve as the same canister or plastic bottle.
4. The base where the funnel and accumulator are fixed.
5. Stops for the drive on the base.
6. Filling pipe with holes.
7. Counterweight.

Canisters of 5 liters are ideal as a material for a future funnel and drive. To do this, cut their upper parts at the right angle. The storage tank is also installed at an angle, attached to a wooden plank, and a counterweight is attached to its other end. Stops and a funnel are fixed on the base. The drive will rotate on the axis from one stop to another. The funnel opening is connected to the pipefor watering.

Automatic watering from hoses

Do-it-yourself automatic watering for a greenhouse can be made in another way. The circuit will consist of a pump and hoses. Automation must turn on the pump at the same time. In a rubber hose, it is necessary to make through holes with a hot awl at different angles every 30-35 cm. The hose with holes is laid through the greenhouse and connected to the pump. To prevent clogging of the holes, you can stretch the hose over the boards or over the film.

Irrigation Rules

Do-it-yourself automatic watering in a greenhouse, photos and diagrams of which are quite easy to find, saves a decent amount of time. When using an automatic irrigation system, it is important to consider watering rules for different types of plants.

• Abundant watering (1, 2 times a day) is preferable to frequent, but insignificant, which is especially harmful to plants in dry weather. On average, 10 liters of water released from the irrigation system per 1 m² will moisten the soil to a depth of 10 cm. roots, 25 liters per 1 m2 are required^2.
• Irrigation rates are determined depending on the composition of the soil. For example, light and sandy soils need more frequent watering than clay soils, and less plentiful. Experienced gardeners always take into account the depth of the roots.
• To get a good harvest, vegetable crops are watered at a certain time, taking into account the norms. A period of intense growth until mid-summer should be accompanied byplentiful watering. The development of plants during this period will depend on the availability of water. During fruit ripening, excess moisture, on the contrary, is harmful.
• The water temperature is also important, it is recommended 10-12 degrees, but not lower. The sharp contrast between the temperatures of the upper layer of soil and water is detrimental to plants. Ice water will weaken the seedlings, causing them to go into shock, so it is better not to water directly from a well or a well, but to use water from storage tanks.
• To create pressure, the tank is placed above the ground at a height of up to 3 meters. If there is not enough pressure to use sprinklers, a pump can be installed. Water emitted from pressurized sprinklers has time to warm up before it reaches the surface of the earth.
• If the soil looks wet, it's hard to tell if you need to water. A simple way will help: dig a hole up to 30 cm deep in the garden, if the soil at this depth is not moist or dry, then you need to water it.

Conclusion

Setting up automatic watering in a greenhouse with your own hands from plastic bottles is quite simple. The advantage of this method of watering is sufficient moistening of plants with less water consumption. A dry soil surface with root irrigation will prevent the development of weeds, rot and fungi. In hot weather, the crust does not form and you do not have to loosen the soil often.