Drip Irrigation Systems: Efficient Watering for Trees and Shrubs

Drip irrigation is an excellent choice for those without a traditional sprinkler system or a dedicated zone for their trees and shrubs. Similar to sprinkler systems with bubblers, drip irrigation precisely controls water flow and placement, ensuring water goes exactly where it's needed and eliminating waste.

Drip systems deliver water at a very slow rate. This allows you to connect many more trees and shrubs to a single zone compared to bubbler systems, which have faster flow rates and limit the number of trees per zone. Another advantage of drip systems is their ease of installation, as all tubing can be run above ground. Drip irrigation systems offer flexible connection options, too: they can connect to existing PVC pipes of a traditional sprinkler system, convert existing risers to drip irrigation, or even connect directly to a faucet.

Setting Up Your Drip System

If you opt for a drip irrigation system, we recommend exploring the kits offered by RainBird. A basic setup begins at your faucet, where a connection kit is installed. From there, distribution tubing connects and runs throughout your landscaping. Once the distribution tubing is in place, you can install micro-bubblers directly into it and position them on the rootball of each tree.

Converting to Rain Bird Drip Emitters: Essential Parts

If you're looking to convert your watering system entirely to Rain Bird drip emitters, here are the parts you'll need:

Required Components

• ½" Distribution Tubing (100' roll) – Part # XBS100: This forms the main lines of your drip system.
• Mico-Bubbler – Part # SXB-360-SPYK: You can install 1 to 3 of these per tree to deliver water.
• ¼" Tubing – Part # XQ-100: This connects the main distribution tubing to the individual spray stakes.
• Xeriman Tool – Part # XM-TOOL: This handy tool is used to punch holes into the distribution tubing for installing emitters.
• Faucet Connection Kit – Part # FCKIT-1PK: This kit connects your outdoor faucet to the distribution tubing.
• Drip End Closure – Part # EC50/2PK: Use these to seal off the end of your distribution tubing.

Integrating with Existing Sprinkler Systems

If you want to maintain the automation of your current sprinkler system, you can convert spray heads or risers on a particular zone to drip irrigation lines. RainBird offers a conversion kit specifically for this purpose. For trees of varying sizes on the same drip line, you can install one or more micro-bubblers per tree. The flow rate of each micro-bubbler is adjustable, capable of releasing up to 13 gallons per hour.

Achieving Optimal Flow Rates

We favor slower flow rates to prevent runoff, ensuring all water is absorbed by the rootball. If you notice any runoff, reduce the flow rate until it's eliminated. Our flow rate calculator can help you verify that your tree(s) are being watered for the correct duration and receiving the right amount of gallons each time.

Automated Watering

For added convenience, you can install electronic garden hose watering timers. These timers allow you to automate watering by programming the frequency, run times, and start times. They're typically installed directly at the faucet. If you need your faucet for other purposes, a splitter can be installed at the faucet, and the timer can then be installed on one side of the splitter. This provides a dedicated hose for your trees while keeping an attachment free for other uses.