5 simple steps to set up your own drip irrigation system for your garden

Conventional irrigation wastes water and can leave plants thirsty. Though drip irrigation systems are a good solution, they can be pricey. Why not make a simple drip system yourself? These five steps will show you how.

Conventional watering, whether with a sprinkler or by hand, sprays water over a large area. If you have a standard garden with rows, this means that a lot of your water is wasted when it falls between the rows where it doesn't help your plants.

Drip irrigation waters slowly, allowing the water to soak in thoroughly. It wastes less water because you water only the plants, not the space between them. As an added bonus, it keeps leaves dry, which can cut down on fungal diseases.

If you have a container garden, a small number of raised beds or a very small garden, you can make a simple drip system with nothing more than a few supplies.

• Empty two-litre bottles
• A thin nail, yarn needle or sharp knife

• To begin, turn your bottle upside-down
• Use your nail, needle or knife to make six to eight very small holes in the bottom, spacing them fairly evenly

Test out the bottle by filling it with water and holding it over the sink. The water should drip out very slowly at a rate of one drop from each hole every two to three seconds.

If it drips out more slowly, pour the water out and enlarge the holes a tiny bit until you get the rate of flow you want. If it flows more quickly, discard the bottle and try again.

• Once your bottles have the proper drip rate, decide where you're going to place them, choosing locations as close to your plants as possible
• Bury the bottles to a depth of 10 to 12 centimetres

• Fill the bottles with water and put the caps on loosely to prevent evaporation
• Don't screw the caps on all the way or the water won't be released

• You’ll need to refill the bottles periodically, though you shouldn't have to do this more than once or twice per week

Bottle irrigation works best with plants that are spaced far apart such as tomatoes or cabbage. If you have smaller plants that are closer together, you'll have to use more bottles per row or square metre.

This system, while low-tech, works quite well. The number of irrigators you need varies according to the type of plant and the weather, so watch carefully the first week or two and add more bottles if necessary.