Kompakfigs
Well-known member
The only way for me to actually COMMIT to getting a system is seeing pictures of everyone’s system.
ISO Drip Irrigation System pictures
- Thread starter Kompakfigs
- Start date
Below is the best photo I have of my old (admittedly Mickey Mouse) system at my last residence. Caveat #1 - The picture was taken on October 30, 2025, so forgive the shabbiness of some of the leaves. Caveat #2 - This was a rental home so I didn't make things as permanent/orderly as I otherwise would have wanted. Caveat #3 - I improvised this system after moving my trees to this location temporarily during fall to get more sunlight. Caveat #4 - I am much more of a Tinkerer/Improviser type than a Planner/Optimizer type, so you could make this MUCH nicer than my mess with a little bit of planning and foresight. This system is the least complicated you can make it; it just kind of organically grew into what it became. That said, this type of irrigation is really easy to change and redeploy and move around whenever you need to relocate something or add plants or beds. If you're a good planner, you can make really cool setups. Also, if you live in the eastern US, you can run the poly tubing up against the base of a fence or garden bed and grass/weeds will quickly grow to conceal it. You could also put mulch or weed fabric over the tubing or use yard staples to give it a flat, even look. It doesn't have to look as haphazard as mine.
Explanation of the photo: Basically the hose bib comes out of the house at the middle right edge of the photo where the gray plastic hose winch thing is attached to the house. My main garden was up against the fence in the far background to the right of the photo edge. I had a two-pronged separator attached to the hose bib. Separator #1 was connected to my main garden hose.
Separator # 2 was for the drip irrigation. In some order, it had a pressure regulator, anti-siphon, and the irrigation control timer. (I used a really cheap, AA-battery operated time I got from Lowe's--something like this one.) From the timer, I extended the main 5/8-inch poly tube main line, which was then T'ed again into two main 5/8-inch poly tubes, one of which went to the main garden, where it was further split into the various sections as needed. The other end of the main 5/8 poly tube line came out toward the POV of the photo and watered the stuff up against the house. At some point I capped the 5/8 line and ran 1/4-inch poly tubing up against the house, above the crawl-space hatch behind that plastic chair, and then wove it through/around each of my pots. I gave myself a lot of extra tubing at a few junctures, like where it's wrapped around a pot several times, in case I added pots or changed the layout. Then I T'ed off the 1/4-inch tube and connected a feeder tube with emitter and ran one to each pot. (These are the white tubes; the "main" 1/4-inch poly tubing is the black tubes you see.) I always made sure the terminal end of the lines were capped off--if it's not a closed system, water will just rush out the end(s).
This setup did not allow for different zones to be watered at different times--that's above my current pay grade. The lame way to do it would be to add more timers *after* tubing junctions instead of before them, but there are much more elegant ways to create different zones.
Poplee
Well-known member
I have my first drip system in basement so not added yet. I went to Drip Depot and ordered 100' system for trees. Going to use on in ground figs and blueberries. Main line runs the length then 1/4" tube comes out to a Tee. You use a tube with multiple holes and make a circle the size you want. Should have it in by first of June.
Kompakfigs
Well-known member
There is a drip depot store near your location or went on the website.
Ha. This is essentially what I said above, but 90% more efficiently.
DCallahan
Well-known member
Are you asking to see the feeder lines or the distribution point?
Avoid the boxed sets that cut tees in for every set of spaghetti lines, they are nonstandard sizes, look at Toro brand, get orchard tubing that you simply pierce and insert a hose barb. Avoid tees in the system period, they just cause unequal pressure, use the tube to make 90s.
The only tube fittings you should need are the adapter for connecting to the timer and couplings to extend length and fix repairs.
Also I do not have one Pressure compensating emitter in my setup of over 1000 emitters running pots 5 gallon to 25 gallons and it works wonderful. Figure out how to zone your layout and make your zones pressure equalizing
superdave336
Well-known member
Is there a Drip Depot in NC? I only see White City, OR location.
EtchedFicus
Well-known member
I ordered most of my supplies from Drip Depot as well. I went with a 2.5g EZ-Flo fertilization tank and digital timer. I went with three main lines with their own shutoffs. 1 for a raised bed garden and 2 for my figs. For my 5 and 8 gallon pots, I got NetBow drip rings. Pretty much everything else is just standard drippers. I have a 2x8 raised bed and 64 fig tree on this system. My last fig tree is like 3' lower than my first and 6' lower than my raised bed, so I went with PC for all my emitters.
Attachments
I have a spicket on either side of my house.
Each spicket has a timer connected to it.
On the north side of my yard i have 2 outputs on the timer. The first one has a pressure reducer connected to the timer and then to the 1/2" distribution line that runs along my fence. I have 1/4" tubing connected to a star emitter for each pot and then 4 for the bed at the end (im thinking of removing the pressure reducer because the end of the line isnt getting much water out). The second one is a long garden hose which runs to the raised bed at the back of the yard which then connects to a pressure reducer and filter which connects to a T splitter for the 1/2" distribution lines. One side of the T runs to the raided bed and to the bed adjacent to it. The other side of the T goes to the bed in front of the raised bed. All 3 beds then have 1/4" tubing connected to 8 star emitters.
On the south side of my yard I have 3 connections. 1 is direct to a 1/2" distribution line to my blueberry bed on the side of my house where again I have 1/4" lines connecting to star emitters. Second line connects to a garden hose where i have a greenstalk tower with a 1/2" tube that runs vertically to the top of the tower to dispense water into the reservoir. It has a disconnect at the bottom that I use to switch the hose to a regular garden hose handle when I need to manually spray something. The 3rd line is a garden hose that runs to the back of my yard that connects to a 1/2" distribution that runs through 3 raised beds each with 8x star emitters connected via 1/4" tubing.
Happy to give you a tour next time you're in my neck of the woods!
Each spicket has a timer connected to it.
On the north side of my yard i have 2 outputs on the timer. The first one has a pressure reducer connected to the timer and then to the 1/2" distribution line that runs along my fence. I have 1/4" tubing connected to a star emitter for each pot and then 4 for the bed at the end (im thinking of removing the pressure reducer because the end of the line isnt getting much water out). The second one is a long garden hose which runs to the raised bed at the back of the yard which then connects to a pressure reducer and filter which connects to a T splitter for the 1/2" distribution lines. One side of the T runs to the raided bed and to the bed adjacent to it. The other side of the T goes to the bed in front of the raised bed. All 3 beds then have 1/4" tubing connected to 8 star emitters.
On the south side of my yard I have 3 connections. 1 is direct to a 1/2" distribution line to my blueberry bed on the side of my house where again I have 1/4" lines connecting to star emitters. Second line connects to a garden hose where i have a greenstalk tower with a 1/2" tube that runs vertically to the top of the tower to dispense water into the reservoir. It has a disconnect at the bottom that I use to switch the hose to a regular garden hose handle when I need to manually spray something. The 3rd line is a garden hose that runs to the back of my yard that connects to a 1/2" distribution that runs through 3 raised beds each with 8x star emitters connected via 1/4" tubing.
Happy to give you a tour next time you're in my neck of the woods!
Attachments
All my parts I got from Lowes.I have a spicket on either side of my house.
Each spicket has a timer connected to it.
On the north side of my yard i have 2 outputs on the timer. The first one has a pressure reducer connected to the timer and then to the 1/2" distribution line that runs along my fence. I have 1/4" tubing connected to a star emitter for each pot and then 4 for the bed at the end (im thinking of removing the pressure reducer because the end of the line isnt getting much water out). The second one is a long garden hose which runs to the raised bed at the back of the yard which then connects to a pressure reducer and filter which connects to a T splitter for the 1/2" distribution lines. One side of the T runs to the raided bed and to the bed adjacent to it. The other side of the T goes to the bed in front of the raised bed. All 3 beds then have 1/4" tubing connected to 8 star emitters.
On the south side of my yard I have 3 connections. 1 is direct to a 1/2" distribution line to my blueberry bed on the side of my house where again I have 1/4" lines connecting to star emitters. Second line connects to a garden hose where i have a greenstalk tower with a 1/2" tube that runs vertically to the top of the tower to dispense water into the reservoir. It has a disconnect at the bottom that I use to switch the hose to a regular garden hose handle when I need to manually spray something. The 3rd line is a garden hose that runs to the back of my yard that connects to a 1/2" distribution that runs through 3 raised beds each with 8x star emitters connected via 1/4" tubing.
Happy to give you a tour next time you're in my neck of the woods!
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Kompakfigs
Well-known member
Everything and anything that will help me pull the trigger on a system sooner rather than later.
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Kompakfigs
Well-known member
Man, you are all set to grow figs with ease.I have a spicket on either side of my house.
Each spicket has a timer connected to it.
On the north side of my yard i have 2 outputs on the timer. The first one has a pressure reducer connected to the timer and then to the 1/2" distribution line that runs along my fence. I have 1/4" tubing connected to a star emitter for each pot and then 4 for the bed at the end (im thinking of removing the pressure reducer because the end of the line isnt getting much water out). The second one is a long garden hose which runs to the raised bed at the back of the yard which then connects to a pressure reducer and filter which connects to a T splitter for the 1/2" distribution lines. One side of the T runs to the raided bed and to the bed adjacent to it. The other side of the T goes to the bed in front of the raised bed. All 3 beds then have 1/4" tubing connected to 8 star emitters.
On the south side of my yard I have 3 connections. 1 is direct to a 1/2" distribution line to my blueberry bed on the side of my house where again I have 1/4" lines connecting to star emitters. Second line connects to a garden hose where i have a greenstalk tower with a 1/2" tube that runs vertically to the top of the tower to dispense water into the reservoir. It has a disconnect at the bottom that I use to switch the hose to a regular garden hose handle when I need to manually spray something. The 3rd line is a garden hose that runs to the back of my yard that connects to a 1/2" distribution that runs through 3 raised beds each with 8x star emitters connected via 1/4" tubing.
Happy to give you a tour next time you're in my neck of the woods!
View attachment 23005View attachment 23006View attachment 23007View attachment 23008View attachment 23011
Kompakfigs
Well-known member
He must’ve meant the website.
Yep the center pot in each section along the fence is dedicated for a fig that ive got still on my porch. Just waiting for them to mature a bit and then will transplant them.
Franfig
Well-known member
Kompakfigs
Well-known member
Maybe my 10-15 gal pots get the ring emitters.
Poplee
Well-known member
Website
DCallahan
Well-known member
So pictures are hard to put a system into prospective when they can span such a large area.
My question for you is, How much time a day or week do you spend watering? Would you like that amount of time to do other things with your figs, garden, or life? That is the true value in an irrigation system. And when you get a system in, we can revisit the time and productivity question about whether you should add fertigation.