Some plants need to be watered frequently, which takes time that many may not have available. If you notice that your garden is "thirsty" and you don't have time to wet it, you can install a drip irrigation system. Commercial ones are quite expensive, but you can build your own, simple and inexpensive, using plastic bottles. Recycling the bottles also allows you to help the environment, as well as being able to save.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Slow Release Sprinkler
Step 1. Get a plastic bottle
Two-liter models are best suited, but you can also use a smaller pot for small plants. Clean it thoroughly with water and remove the label.
Step 2. Drill 4-5 holes in the cap
Unscrew it and place it on a piece of scrap wood. Use a drill or a nail and hammer to drill it in several places; the greater the number of holes, the faster the water flows. When done, put the cap back on the bottle.
Do not make any openings that are too small, otherwise they can become clogged with earth
Step 3. Cut the base of the bowl
For this you can use a serrated knife or a sharp pair of scissors; remove the last 2-3 cm at the bottom of the bottle. If there is a line left by the mold around the circumference of the bowl, you can use it as a guide.
Step 4. Dig a hole in the ground
It should be deep enough to bury the bottle halfway. Proceed by digging about 10-15 cm from the stem of the plant; if you are working near a well-established plant, be careful not to sever the roots.
Step 5. Put the bottle upside down in the hole
If you have not already done so, screw the cap tightly, turn the container upside down and place it in the hole in the soil; at the end, it compacts the surrounding soil.
You can bury the sprinkler at a greater depth, but you must make it protrude from the surface for at least 2-3 cm; in this way, you prevent the earth from entering the container
Step 6. Fill the bottle with water and insert its same base upside down into the opening
Place it on the surface of the liquid so that it can hold all the dirt, which would otherwise sink and clog the sprinkler. Let the plant do its job. Build lots of sprinklers based on the number of plants you care for.
Method 2 of 3: Quick Release Sprinkler
Step 1. Get a bottle
The best model is the two-liter model, like the soda one, but if you need to water a small plant, you can use a smaller one; clean it thoroughly with water and remove the label.
Step 2. Drill holes along the sides
Make them in the lower two thirds of the container; their number is your personal decision, but remember that the more you make them, the faster the water flows. If you need to water only one plant, only prick one side of the bottle.
- You can make the holes with a nail or a metal skewer.
- You may need to heat the item over an open flame first.
Step 3. Drill more holes in the base
They are very important, because they prevent the water from collecting and stagnating on the bottom. If the base of the bottle is shaped into several sections (as is often the case with two-liter sodas), you need to drill a hole in each zone.
Bottom plastic is typically thicker; maybe you need a hot drill or nail to pierce it
Step 4. Dig a hole in the ground near the plant
It must be deep enough to accommodate about two thirds of the bottle or at least to the point where the cylindrical part begins to take on a dome shape.
Step 5. Insert the sprinkler into the ground
If you only drilled the holes on one side, rotate the container so that they are facing the plant; gently compact the earth around the container.
Step 6. Add the water
Remove the cap first and use a garden hose to fill the bottle; you can also use a funnel to simplify the process. Do not screw the cap back on, otherwise the water will not flow.
- If the liquid comes out too quickly, you can close the bottle a little; the more you tighten the cap, the slower the flow.
- You can also cut off the top of the bottle, turn it upside down and use it as a funnel.
Method 3 of 3: Adjustable Sprinkler
Step 1. Make a hole in one side of the bottle
It must be large enough to accommodate a rubber seal and aquarium hose. For this you can use a drill with the appropriate bit or a nail.
- The opening should be 5-8 cm from the base of the bowl.
- If you have decided to use a nail, heat it on an open flame first; enlarge the hole with a utility knife.
Step 2. Cut a small segment of aquarium hose
You just need a 5-8 cm piece that you will need to connect the valve to the bottle.
Step 3. Insert a small rubber gasket around the tube
It must be large enough to fit into the hole, but at the same time it must fit around the duct. If it's too big to stick to the tube, you need to cut off a small section of it and then wrap the rest.
Step 4. Insert the gasket into the hole and adjust the pipe later
You have to insert them into the opening you made on the side of the bottle, so that 2-3 cm of the duct is inside the container, while the rest should appear on the outside.
Step 5. Seal the perimeter of the gasket
Purchase a tube of silicone for aquariums or other similar leaks and apply a small strip of sealant around the joint between the seal and the bottle. You can use a stick or toothpick to smooth the silicone; wait for it to dry.
It may also be necessary to seal the joint between the pipe and the gasket
Step 6. Insert the aquarium valve into the other end of the tube
You can purchase this item at any pet store or online; it resembles a faucet with an opening on each side and a knob on the top. Usually, one of the two openings is pointed; you have to insert the blunt one into the tube.
Step 7. Cut off the top of the bottle if desired
This is not a mandatory step, but this simplifies the sprinkler filling process. You can also partially cut off the top, so that it remains connected to the rest of the container with a sort of "hinge"; by doing so, you can close the opening a little.
Step 8. Drill some holes on the top edge to hang the sprinkler
Use an awl and make 3-4 holes, making sure they line up to form a triangle (if there are 3) or a square (if there are 4).
If you want to place the device on a table above the plant, fill the bottom with a layer of gravel of about 2-3 cm to make it more stable
Step 9. Thread a wire or sturdy twine through each hole
Get 3-4 segments of wire or twine and insert them into each opening you made; gather them on top of the sprinkler and tie them all together at one end.
If you are building a stand-alone sprinkler, skip this step
Step 10. Prepare the sprinkler by filling the water bottle
Hang the device on a hook above the plant, closing the aquarium valve first, to prevent water from flowing.
You can also place it on a table or wall above the plant
Step 11. Open the valve by adjusting the water flow if necessary
If the liquid does not reach the plant due to an obstruction, cut another pipe segment by attaching one end to the pointed opening of the valve and rest the other end on the ground.
- The more you open the valve, the faster the flow.
- The more you tighten the valve, the slower it is.
Advice
- If you are watering fruit trees, herbs or vegetables, use bottles without bisphenol A, as they do not release chemicals like normal ones.
- Slip the bottle into a nylon stocking before placing it in the ground; in this way, the holes do not become clogged and the water can flow.
- Fill the bottle as needed; the dose depends on the water needs of the plants, on how much they suffer and on the climate.
- Some plants, such as tomatoes, need much more water than a single two-liter bottle can provide; in this case, you need to build several drip sprinklers.
- Consider adding fertilizer to the bottle every few weeks.
- If you cut the bottom portion of the bottle, you can save it for the seeds to germinate; drill some drainage holes, fill it with potting soil and add the seeds.
