Automatic Irrigation: Build the Right System for Your Needs! - Buying Guide
Whether because you will be away for a few days on vacation and do not want your balcony plants to dry out, or because you want something to "solve" your hands, automatic irrigation is for you!
To navigate easier in the guide, it has been divided into 3 main parts: first, we explain how automatic irrigation works, then we provide information about automatic irrigation for different cases, namely for pots (balcony) & for the garden. In the last part, we look at additional features that you can have in the automatic irrigation system you will install.
Part A
How does automatic irrigation work?
Every automatic irrigation system consists of 3 basic components that help with the connection and installation, and the water source (tap or container) from which the water is pumped.
Water source
Tap or a container from which the water will be pumped.
Irrigation controller
[Irrigation programmer][1] It is the "brain" of the automatic irrigation and the intermediary between the water source and the main pipe from which the water is distributed. With the programmer, you can set the time, duration, and quantity of water needed each time. There are programmers that work without electricity, others that work with batteries, and others that work with electricity.
[Irrigation solenoid valve][2] It works in the same way as the programmers, with one main difference: here you cannot program the irrigation. Human intervention is needed every time you want to open it.
Pipes
[Irrigation pipe][3] It is the main pipe that connects to the irrigation programmer or solenoid valve, from which the water is distributed.
[Auxiliary pipes (Blind pipes)][4] They are connected to the main pipe and the irrigation nozzles are usually attached to them.
With the help of a special tool, the punch, you create holes in the main pipe to connect the auxiliary pipes. In the auxiliary pipes, you create holes again to connect the points of outflow, i.e. the points that release water to the plants or trees.
Outflow points - Irrigation nozzles
These are the points through which the water reaches the plant. You will encounter 2 basic types: the [drippers][5], which "target" a plant,
![enter image description here][6]
and the [water sprinklers][7], which spray water in a circular motion, creating the phenomenon of artificial rain (you have probably seen it in parks with grass).
![enter image description here][8]
Other tools & accessories you may need...
[Punch][9]: It is the tool with which you can make precise holes to connect the outflow points or another pipe to the main pipe.
[Irrigation connectors/ fittings][10]: They are applied to the tap and are ideal if you want to create a second water supply from the same tap.
[Other Irrigation Tools][11]: Tools that help with the assembly and installation of the automatic irrigation system.
Part B
Automatic irrigation for different cases
1. Automatic Irrigation for Potted Plants on the Balcony
Do you want to make sure that your favorite plants receive the necessary amount of water when they need it?
First of all, you need to see: Do you have a power supply on the balcony? Do you have a faucet? After answering the above questions, you can see the alternatives you have:
I. Automatic Irrigation on the Balcony without Faucet, without Power
This applies to an individual pot and is recommended for the few days (up to about 7) that you will be away from home. Basically, you have to deal with an individual container that works in a simple way: you fill the container with water, place it upside down in the soil, and it gradually releases water, resulting in the plant receiving water continuously.
![enter image description here][12]
[InnovaGoods Self-Watering System with Container][13]
II. Automatic Irrigation on the Balcony with Faucet & Battery
Do you remember how we described the components of an automatic irrigation system above?You will create this now! The pipes and accompanying tools remain the same. The length, number, etc. may change. The 2 basic components that change depending on the type are the irrigation programmer and the type of nozzle you will choose.
![enter image description here][14]
Best Seller Battery-Powered Irrigation Programmer
You can program watering up to 6 times a day!![enter image description here][15]
[Gardena Water Control Flex 1890-36][16]
For irrigation nozzles, since the space is a balcony, we recommend choosing drippers that will be attached to the system with auxiliary pipes and you can target each plant!
2. Automatic Irrigation in a Garden with Grass (with Faucet & without Power)
The basic structure of the system, as described above, does not change. What changes is the irrigation nozzle, as from the moment we target an area and not an individual plant, we need water sprinklers that create the phenomenon of artificial rain in a circular pattern, and possibly a water programmer that will give us the watering frequency options we want.
![enter image description here][17]
#SkroutzTip
If you want to irrigate both a grass area and potted plants with an irrigation system, you can control the amount of water from the drippers!Part III
Additional Features
Rain Sensor
You can add a rain sensor that is either built into the programmer or exists as a separate accessory. Every time it rains, the sensor automatically stops the programmed irrigation to achieve the highest possible water savings!WiFi Connectivity
Many programmers can connect via WiFi. Most of them have a dedicated application that you download on your mobile and you can control and program your irrigation system from wherever you are!
Now that you have learned the structure and operation of an irrigation system, see its individual parts, choose those that best suit the needs of your garden or balcony, and you will... forget about watering once and for all!
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