I'm going to have more container plants this year and I'd like to set up some way to water them automatically to make sure that they get enough water. I've seen little black tube thingies going to containers at some of the hotels and businesses I've been at. Can anybody tell me what they are called and how they work? We have an existing sprinkler system on a timer and I'd like to be able to connect it to that somehow if possible. Can it be done? The guy at the hardware store told my husband no.
Irrigating Container Plants
The guy at the hardware store is a bafoon.
if you have an extra slot on your irrigation controller you could set up another valve.
hook the selanoid valve up to the main line, run the pipe to where the drip needs to be (general area). Have a 3/4inch male adapter hooked up to the line, attach the main drip hose (I use 18mm blue stripe) Run the drip line under or behind all of your potted plants, get the appropriate emitter, connect to distribution tubing and place in the containerized plant.
ohh and if you do not have an extra slot on the controller, you can put the drip valve wire as a tag along with another station as drip doesn't use a ton of pressure. Of course the downside is the drip would only run when the other station ran. Or just skip the vavle and hook the drip up to your faucet.
fine materials available from www.dripworks.com
best of luck,
if you have any specific questions, ask away.
Thanks! I figured there had to be a way. My guess is the guy either didn't know or didn't have what we needed. Right now I am hand watering my pots but when it gets hotter that will be harder to keep up with. It gets pretty hot here in the summer and potted plants have to be watered often.
i used a drip system last summer [even had mini-soaker hoses too] and it helped tremendously. i'm going to add more this year!