 | Low: DIY Kits Run $15-$90 |
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 | Medium: DIY Custom Sets Run $40-$100+ |
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 | High: Hiring a Professional Runs $1,000-$3,000, Designed and Installed |
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| Also referred to as trickle irrigation or micro irrigation, drip irrigation targets specific flowers, vegetables, shrubs and trees without watering any of the surrounding area. A drip system applies water slowly and directly to the root zone through a plastic tube and/or PVC pipe. While an automatic sprinkler system is commonly used for watering a lawn, drip irrigation is efficient and effective at watering selected plants where they need it the most. | | |
| Typical costs: | - Pre-packaged drip irrigation kits start around $15 -$90 for a basic setup for a small area (approximately 100-250 square feet) and can run $100 -$500 for a higher-quality, more complex kit that will water a larger area.
- Buying the individual parts to design and install your own do-it-yourself custom irrigation system to water backyard landscaping and/or vegetable/flower beds can cost anywhere from $40 -$100 in materials per 100 square feet, depending on how many watering lines are needed and how complex you make your system, according to ThisOldHouse.com. That works out to $200 -$500 for materials for a 20x25-foot area (500 square feet).
- Hiring a professional to design and install a drip irrigation system for your landscaping and garden beds can run $1,000 -$3,000 or more for a typical home, depending on location and the complexity of the drip system.
What should be included: | - Because drip irrigation delivers water slowly and directly, almost no water is lost to evaporation. While lawn sprinkler systems are 50-70 percent efficient, drip irrigation is more than 90 percent efficient. Drip irrigation works well for perennial borders, shade gardens, hedges and vegetable gardens.
- A typical home drip irrigation system includes a water valve, a backflow preventer (to avoid contaminating the main water supply), a pressure regulator, a filter, a tubing adapter, drip tubing, emitters (which slowly release water from the drip tubing) and end caps. The system may also include a timer, so the watering is turned on and off automatically. IrrigationTutorials.com provides an overview of a basic drip irrigation system, as well as explaining the basic parts of a system.
- Installing your own drip system can be time-consuming, but does not require a lot of skill. Lowe's provides video instructions for installing a basic drip system.
- Check with your local planning department for any related regulations; many areas require the use of a backflow preventer to avoid contaminating the main water system.
Shopping for drip irrigation: | |
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Article updated December 2008 |
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