Landscaping is one of the most important activities for owners of country houses. Properly established plantings can provide good yields ??irrigation system, as not in all climatic conditions natural watering brings desirable results. The type of irrigation system is also important in the correct organization of water supply, and materials, used to create it.
The irrigation system in the backyard can be made of different types of pipes
What can be the irrigation system in the country?
The type of laying of irrigation communications is affected, in the first place, climatic conditions in the region. Depending on the chosen type of irrigation system, the choice of components and the order of installation work will change. There are several ways to organize an irrigation system:
- Installation of drainage systems. This method is used, if perennials predominate on the site, which do not require periodic diversion of water. Such water pipes are laid once and for a long period of time, therefore perforated systems will not be suitable for country sites with a kitchen garden, which involves a seasonal change in the location of the beds.
- Irrigation by sprinkling. Water supply to the site is carried out by means of a pipeline of various designs. A special spray is placed on the end segment of the water supply, that provides uniform hit of water on beds.
- Drip irrigation technology. The most economical and convenient way of irrigation. Drip irrigation system minimizes unproductive water consumption, which is especially important, if a water supply meter is installed on the site. The design and type of pipes is selected individually for each site, depending on the characteristics of the crops growing on it. The required intensity and frequency of watering is selected.
- Surface method of watering. Technology, used mainly in arid regions. Special ditches are dug for water supply.
The use of surface irrigation can be considered only as a compulsory measure with specific climatic conditions. In general, this method has many disadvantages - due to its application in the structure of the soil there are irreversible changes, which leads to the ingress of air into the root system of plants.
The most common method of watering - the use of spray nozzles, dressed at the end of the water pipe
Used pipes for irrigation in the country?
If in the last century the only available option for the organization of any water supply, including watering, there were metal pipes, now the list of materials has become much more significant. You can select the following types of pipes for watering, each of which has its own characteristics:
- Watering pipes made of steel. Strong metal pipes, the main disadvantage of which is the high susceptibility to corrosion processes. That should also be taken into account, that less purified is usually used for watering, than drinking, water back in steel lines fast enough (for 5-7 years) overgrowth of the inner walls of the highway is formed. This may require complete or partial replacement of the water supply line, especially if a pipe with a small diameter was initially chosen for it.
- Pipes from metals, not prone to corrosion: copper, stainless steel. Owners of pipelines made of these materials should not face problems, inherent in steel highways. But in homesteads copper pipelines and stainless steel systems are not used because of the very high cost.
- Plastic pipelines. Polymer pipes are an ideal option for creating irrigation water supply. Plastic is very light, not prone to any biological and atmospheric factors (except for polypropylene pipes, low pressure polyethylene, whose structure is destroyed due to ultraviolet light).
Types of plastic pipes, suitable for irrigation systems, there are several:
- Polyprolene pipes. Strong and rigid pipe, made of polypropylene, can be an excellent basis for a country irrigation system. It is worth considering, that the lack of flexibility in this material entails the need to use additional elements (corners, tees) for the organization of turns. Polypropylene pipes are connected by diffusion welding.
Importantly! Since ultraviolet light negatively affects the state of polypropylene, it is desirable to organize protection of the pipeline from sunlight. В такому випадку зрошувальна система буде служити набагато довше.
- Polyethylene pipes. HDPE - more elastic, than polypropylene, material, but also has high strength. Polyethylene withstands low temperatures, therefore the system from this material does not need warming: the pipe does not burst, if water remains in it in winter. Polyethylene products can be thick-walled or thin-walled. The first type is used for main irrigation, the second - for the device of drip tape irrigation.
- Products from polyvinyl chloride. Have all the advantages of plastic structures: easy, hard, but quite elastic. They can be used as a ground, and for underground plumbing. One of the positive qualities of PVC is the ability of the material to self-extinguish when ignited. Truth, polyvinyl chloride pipe is not best suited for operation at low temperatures: under the influence of frost the plasticity of the material decreases.
- Metal-plastic irrigation water supply. An excellent combination of strength of metal pipes and lightness of plastic structures. Metal-plastic products do not require welding and threading to make connections. However, don't forget that, that metal fittings are still used to connect metal-plastic water pipes (mostly brass), which sooner or later corrode.
Today, light polymer pipes are used in irrigation systems, which are not inferior in many characteristics to steel
One of the important parts of irrigation water supply in the country can be called flexible hoses. They provide convenience and mobility when watering large areas of the garden by hand. Laying of stationary lines from flexible hoses is undesirable, as the soft material reacts negatively to the constant exposure to ultraviolet light and high temperatures. Flexible hoses are also not suitable for laying in the ground: in this case, the tube is very often squeezed by the load.
Rules of installation of plastic pipes for watering in the country
The list of necessary tools and parts depends on that, from what material the pipes selected for carrying out an irrigation water supply system are made. Working with plastic pipes involves the presence:
- plastic pipes of the desired length with a diameter of 25 mm to 30 mm;
- fittings or couplings for connection to a water supply source (enough 1 pieces);
- plumbing plugs on the site (necessary for that, so that in the off-season the system does not get garbage);
- ball valve - will need at least 2 pieces, one will be connected to the beginning of the water supply, the other - to the end;
- tee - if you need branching into several water hoses;
- corners - if the system is mounted from inflexible (polypropylene) pipes, and in a design there are rotary segments;
- adapter-nozzle - in that quantity, in which there are hoses.
Also for installation of a country water supply system from plastic pipes the pipe cutter - the special tool can be required, which allows you to quickly and evenly cut the pipes into pieces of the required length. In the absence of this tool, cutting can be done with a sharpened hacksaw, and clean the edges of the product. You will need a linen cloth or FUM tape to seal the threaded joints.
Connecting parts of different configurations and purposes will be needed to create an irrigation system
Installation of watering pipes and hoses can be carried out by the person, who do not have special skills and knowledge in this field. Whatever the material of the pipes, the main condition for optimal operation of the water supply system is the correct connection of the hoses to the central system and their installation in place, where watering is required.
Drip irrigation - what it is and what are its advantages?
Not all owners of suburban areas manage to organize the frequency of watering so, that all crops receive the required amount of water daily. Many plants need regular watering, and even a few days of drought in the hot summer period can lead to the death of all plantations. Drip irrigation system will be effective in this case, which is constant, as needed, delivers fluid to the plant in small quantities (literally - drop by drop, hence the name of the system).
Drip technology is also sometimes called capillary - by analogy with the principle of location and operation of capillaries in the human body.
It is interesting! You can also dissolve the necessary fertilizers in the drip irrigation system, which will come in the right quantities directly to the root of the plant.
One of the main problems, which is often encountered when using the traditional method of watering with or without spraying, - is the wetting of the leaves of the plant, as a result, they are exposed to the sun to an even greater extent. The use of drip technology does not have such a disadvantage - the leaves of plantations with it remain dry.
Due to the clearly dosed amount of fluid, which reaches the root of cultures, it also minimizes the risk of disease, caused by excess moisture.
Drip irrigation is economical, but a very effective system of providing plants with moisture
What is needed for drip irrigation?
Drip irrigation systems are widely available, fully ready for connection and further operation. But such a design can be assembled yourself. There are many methods of creating a drip irrigation system: even such improvised means are used, like plastic bottles.
When choosing a pipe for drip irrigation, it is best to focus on polypropylene products. Polypropylene pipe can be replaced by a polyethylene structure, but the first option is considered the most economical.
Drip irrigation also requires a very carefully designed system. It is not enough to just drill holes in the pipe at the same distance, as the water will be distributed unevenly: at the beginning of the sleeve the liquid will pass under strong pressure, and at the end of the pipe the liquid will only drip.
so, the following details will be required to create a drip irrigation structure:
- emitter watering tape;
- caps for a drop tape;
- pipe fittings;
- hose coupling;
- strainer;
- plastic (polypropylene) pipes;
- fittings for butt joints of pipes with pipes.
Another element, without which not only drip water supply is impossible, but also any other type of watering, is a source of water. A well can act as a source of water supply on a country site, water supply or a separate tank. If it was decided to use a container of water (tank, barrel), then it should be placed at a distance of at least 1,5 meters above the ground. The higher the barrel, the higher the pressure and pressure. So, barrel with attached tape at height 10 m will spend at least 3-4 liters of water per hour. The water supply barrel must be closed, so that debris particles do not contaminate the irrigation system.
A thin flexible pipe is suitable for drip irrigation, and water supply drops will be provided by special tips
The filter for water purification will also be useful for the device of watering system. Mesh, vortex or disk filters help to prolong the service life of watering hoses: if the water is too hard, their replacement is inevitable for several years after installation. The simplest and inexpensive strainer is suitable for the drip system. It is necessary, so that the size of the cells in the grid does not exceed it 130 micron.
Regardless, what type of irrigation structure was chosen, it is important to follow the technology and sequence of installation. After connecting all the elements of the wiring diagram, a leak test should be performed, to ensure efficient and secure operation of the system.