Sometimes I feel like some of the things our family does would qualify in the list “You might be a ______ if…”; You can fill in the blank…redneck, crazy woman, frugal gardener, whatever. Our diy irrigation system for the garden probably qualifies us as one of those things.
Ensuring that your garden gets adequate water is one of the struggles that many gardeners face. Very few people have time to hand water a large garden during the heat of the summer which is why garden irrigation is so important.
There are a lot of ways to set up a garden watering system and the what works for one gardener may not work for another. And what you start with may not be what you keep year after year.
I struggle to keep our garden watered, we don’t have water near the garden so we use water hoses and hand water. We’ve tried using sprinklers and they broke. We also struggle with powdery mildew on our squash plants which is mostly due to the leaves getting wet.
For years, we’ve used a milk jug irrigation system in some of our beds. Basically, we poke holes in milk jugs and bury them. That way when we water we just fill up the jugs – the plants get a deep drink and the leaves stay dry.
You can use a nail or a drill with a super small drill bit to make the holes. I like to put two milk jugs in each 4X8 garden bed and cover with mulch. When I water I put the hose in the top of the milk jug and let it fill up while I harvest or weed. Actually, I let it overflow and really saturate the bed.
These do need to be replaced every year as the plastic will eventually break down, so I pull them at the end of the season and recycle them. This isn’t a perfect system, but it’s free and is a good interim step while you get a more permanent system in place.
DIY Garden Irrigation Systems to Save Water
This is a list of diy garden irrigation systems to help conserve water in the garden. These are all relatively low cost and can be easily made.
Drip System Irrigation, How to design the simple low tech easy way.
Homemade drip irrigation system using black drip line pipe or pvc.
How to Install Drip Irrigation
Good tips on how to install drip irrigation. Even if you're not going to use real drip irrigation, this has some good information you can glean for diy irrigation systems.
Do It Yourself Bucket Drip Irrigation
If you have some old buckets available, this is a great idea. You can usually get free food grade buckets from the bakery in your local grocery store.
DIY Automatic Garden Watering System
This waters overhead so think twice before building it if you have powdery mildew.
DIY Drip Irrigation System: Irrigate from Rain Barrels by Gravity Feed
Irrigate directly from your rain barrels and really conserve water.
How to Install Soaker Hose Irrigation System
Soaker hoses are really great for diy irrigation systems. Here's how to install one.
Irrigation System for Raised Bed Garden
If you have raised beds consider using this method of irrigation.
Build Your Own Self Watering Containers
If you are growing your garden in containers, make self watering containers to conserve water and have healthy plants.
10 Ways to Reduce the Need for Irrigation in Your Garden
Setting up a diy irrigation system is just part of the answer, you can also reduce the need for irrigation.
Sheri
Monday 19th of April 2021
I am considering using the buried milk jug watering system in my vegetable garden this year - how close to the jugs do the plants need to be to benefit? Would it reach plants that are 2 feet away, or do they need to be closer?
Angi Schneider
Wednesday 21st of April 2021
The plants that are 2 feet away will still get benefits. I use 2 per 4'x8' bed. We've recently changed out the milk jugs for pvc and I actually like it better. The milk jugs are free but they only last one season. The pvc will last for years. We cut the pvc into 15" lengths and drilled holes into the bottom half. We used a zip tie to tie on some landscape fabric to the bottom and then planted them.
Sarah
Tuesday 26th of November 2019
So many cool ideas. I am learning a lot about these irrigation systems. Thanks! Definitely referring back to the resources later.
Jenn Summers
Saturday 15th of June 2019
This is such a clever idea! I might need to try this in my hard to reach spots of my large flower bed!
Angi Schneider
Sunday 23rd of June 2019
Thanks! It's been super helpful to us.
Trina Welch
Friday 14th of June 2019
This is a fantastic and very cost effective way to water! I love it.
Michelle James
Wednesday 12th of June 2019
This is such a great idea and what a timesaver! Part of my problem with planting is I tend to get lazy by mid summer and don't water enough. Thanks so much for the inspiration!