I'm setting up a drip irrigation system for my garden and I'm trying to figure out how many emitters different plants will need. For instance, how do I decide on the number of emitters for a single tomato plant? And if I plant rows of carrots or lettuce, can I just run one tubing line down the center and expect both sides to receive adequate water? My soil is mostly clay, which I believe allows for good horizontal spread of water, but I'm confused about the emitter quantity for rows of carrots compared to tomatoes.
2 Answers
You can adjust as needed based on how your plants look! Typically, larger tomato plants might need more than one emitter because they have a bigger root system. If you're seeing drooping leaves, that's a sign to add more emitters. Keep it flexible!
I just installed the Rainbird 1/4" drip line with emitters every 6 inches. I ran it down the middle of each row, and it worked like a charm! I used about 300 feet for my setup, and everything gets watered nicely. If you're planting in pairs in a row, one line in the center should do fine. I tested the output and got about half a gallon from the emitters in 30 minutes. Just be sure to run it depending on your sun exposure and rainfall!
That's awesome! What zone are you in, and what kind of soil do you have?
So true! Just trying to find the right balance. Do you recommend how close the emitters should be to the plant? Is a foot away okay?