Watering from plastic bottles. Drip irrigation from bottles: all the pros and cons

You don’t have to go to the dacha after work every day to water your cucumbers or peppers. After all, there is a very simple solution that requires free plastic bottles.

This method is well known, but there are tricks that will provide your plants with water for a week before your arrival.
In a 5 liter bottle we make punctures in the lower part with a thin needle. A little water will leak into the small hole. The owner made 4 holes - one for each plant, which will be located just on the side of the holes pierced with a needle.
We lift the bottle of water and it is clear that drops very rarely drip. This is what you need!

In this case, the lid is closed to the limit. If you open it slightly, water will run in a stream. Well, you already know that. We do not need this in drip irrigation. Therefore, the lid must be completely screwed on.

So, with the cap screwed on, we put the bottle in the hole and bury it. We observe small, very rare air bubbles that rise from the bottom - air enters the holes from the needle when it creates a small vacuum after a drop of water comes out. Therefore, air is sucked into the bottle into the hole. To prevent the holes from getting clogged, you don’t need to dig in the bottle too much.

Watch a further description of the method and its nuances on the video of the Dacha for Dummies channel, and you will ensure that your plants can be left without watering for a week.

Watering bottles of tomatoes is SUCH A TRICK!

Every year I plant a dozen tomato bushes. Water them for a very long time. Water dries out quickly, and tomatoes need a lot of them. From now on the problem is solved! Plastic bottles are useful.
I noticed this idea online and decided to give it a try. Execution is very simple! I used one bottle for one tomato plant. Bottled watering is such a trick!

Bottle preparation

I cut out the bottom of the bottle (about 10 cm from the bottom).
At the top I made scissors with several holes through which water will flow.
When planting tomatoes, I made large holes, the size of which would fit into the bottle and tomato seedlings
The hole was deep enough to release a 10cm bottle.
I placed the bottle with the neck and next to the seedlings.
The next time I water, I fill the bottle with water.
After each watering, I water all the water, after a while the water is absorbed into the ground, and the excess remains in the bottle.
I now use much less water for irrigation than in previous years!

What is worth knowing about watering tomatoes?

Tomatoes don't like water flying onto their leaves. Fungi are much easier to catch this way, resulting in leaf spots and smaller yields.
Watering is important for these vegetables because tomatoes have fleshy fruits that hold a lot of water. To ensure they grow enough to avoid dry rot, they need consistently moist soil. When we dry them out too much and then water them too much, the tomatoes start to crack.
When they become too dry, there will be dry rot. They have other requirements, but it's worth taking care of them anyway. As a result, we have delicious, healthy, aromatic tomatoes. No chemicals, no spraying.
Do you also grow tomatoes? Which options do you like best?

Root watering with plastic bottles

To save water and for more efficient watering, many older gardeners use so-called underground irrigation. This way the water goes straight to the roots. The method is a suitable greenhouse because the soil surface remains dry (especially if it is mulched). The less evaporation, the less disease.

Very suitable for root vegetables - tomatoes. The method can be used for cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, pumpkins and others. Watering with plastic bottles is a good solution if you cannot visit the villa every day and have water. Please note that this method does not apply to sandy soils because the water will drain out of the bottle very quickly.

Take a plastic bottle (1.5 - 2.5 liters) and cut off the bottom (you will later use it for a latch to reduce water evaporation). From the side, make several holes near the neck of the bottle.

At a distance of 15-20 cm from the tomato or other plant you are going to water, dig a hole without worrying about the roots. At the bottom of the hole, apply a putty knife, dry grass, or anything else that will prevent the hole from getting stuck.

Place the bottle with the neck down at an angle of 30-40 degrees. Take it so you can pour water through the bottom bottom. Once the bottle is filled, the water will slowly flow towards the roots of the plants.

The number of holes should be determined by sampling, taking into account that the plant needs an average of 250 ml per day.

If you want, you can't cut out the bottom of the bottle, but drill it and climb up with your neck. This way, your garden will look more aesthetically pleasing and less water will evaporate. In this case, however, it will be more difficult to fill the bottles.

Likewise, you can also feed your plants with liquid fertilizers.

One of the key points in organizing a garden is the watering system. Many gardeners have opted for irrigation using ordinary plastic bottles. Bottle watering is the cheapest method, which, however, has proven itself to be convenient and reliable. It is a type of drip irrigation, effective even for capricious plants, however, it does not require the purchase of expensive elements. All it takes is a little work and intelligence.

How does a drip irrigation system work?

In this case, the water goes directly to the roots of the plants. And thanks to the ability to control the flow of water, the method is considered very economical. The system is made either from tapes with individual droppers or from drip hoses. Control of water supply is possible when using the first option.

It is with this system that it is possible to build droppers from plastic bottles. A homemade watering method will function no worse than a ready-made one if the droppers are built directly into a plastic tube. The result is a so-called linear irrigation system. Its advantages are as follows:

there is no need to change the composition of the soil;
it is convenient to irrigate not only plantings, but also fruit bushes/trees;
will help to avoid water starvation of plantings in the beds;
in addition to water, you can use liquid fertilizers;
passing through the pipes, the water becomes warmer, which is beneficial for plants;
watering beds using plastic bottles can be done both in open ground and in greenhouses;
the soil can be moistened to a depth of a meter;
watering from a plastic bottle requires a minimum of financial costs;
you can not visit your site for several days or even weeks, and at the same time be sure that the plants will not dry out.

Drip irrigation also has several disadvantages. Whether they are significant or not, judge for yourself:

In this way it will not be possible to irrigate a large area at once;
it does not cancel the main watering, since it is only able to maintain a certain level of humidity;
if the soil is clayey, then the holes in the bottles will become clogged in a matter of days, as a result of which everything will have to be changed.

How to make your own bottle watering

There are five main options for watering garden beds using plastic bottles:

Unburied bottles

In this case, you need to do the following: fill a two-liter bottle with water so that there is a little empty space left to the top. Close the neck with a piece of foam rubber instead of a lid. Place the container on the ground at the very roots of the plant. Place similar structures wherever necessary.

Buried containers

Partially cut the bottom of the bottle, but do not cut it off completely, to form a kind of lid that will protect moisture from evaporation and from mixing with the ground. But screw the plug as tightly as possible. Make several small holes around the neck from where the liquid will come out; you can also make a couple of such holes in the cork. Keep in mind that sandy soil requires fewer holes than clay soil. Now all that remains is to bury these plastic bottles for watering the beds in the spaces between the plants to a depth of about 15 cm. To prevent the holes from becoming clogged, you can put a little hay under them. Add water to the container from time to time.

Hanging system

The bottom of the bottle needs to be cut off, and the cork must be equipped with several holes or simply unscrewed slightly so that water can seep out. Next, you should make a support - one holder in the form of a slingshot at both ends of the ridge, and a crossbar between them. Make sure the design is secure. Then bottles of water are hung on the crossbar, neck down. To prevent moisture from eroding the soil, it is recommended to place polyethylene lightly sprinkled with soil underneath. Then the water will first drip onto it, and only then spread to the plants.

Rod system

You will need a narrow plastic tube, for example, from a regular ballpoint pen. One end of it is carefully sealed, and the other is secured in a hole made in the bottle cap. The joint must be sealed with at least plasticine or electrical tape. At the end of the tube, use a needle to make several holes as close as possible to the plug. The greater their number, the more intense the hydration will be. Then the bottom of the container is cut off and placed in the ground with the neck down, after which all that remains is to pour water, and your own drip irrigation from bottles is ready.

Sprinkling

In this system, containers act as sprinklers. The easiest way to do this is to make holes in the body of a 2-liter bottle, then connect it to the hose using an adapter and turn on the water. The pressure forces the water into the bottle, from where it then sprays out. This way you can organize, for example, watering tomatoes through plastic bottles. This is a kind of automatic watering can, which is very light in weight, it is convenient to move it to the desired place. The cost of such a design is reduced to zero, because almost everyone has plastic containers at home.

In gardening stores you can also find special attachments that allow you to organize drip irrigation more quickly and conveniently, although at some cost. These nozzles serve as dispensers and are screwed onto any plastic bottles with a standard neck diameter. Your task is to screw the nozzle to the container and stick this structure, neck down, into the ground next to the base of the plant. It is especially convenient to use the nozzle for irrigating flowers or small crops. And you won't have to deal with digging holes and nailing holes.

Plastic bottles for watering cucumbers or other plants can be a good option for drip irrigation. All the advantages and disadvantages of this method will be better visible in practice. Fortunately, making such a system is not difficult, so you can give it a try.

What is drip irrigation. This is a dosed method of watering, which is carried out directly under the root of the plant. Thanks to this irrigation, the root system receives the required amount of moisture. To create such structures, a minimum of effort is required, little water consumption, as well as low material costs. If you wish, you can make drip irrigation from plastic bottles with your own hands. This is an excellent alternative to more expensive systems. Everything is made very quickly and simply. It is enough to have the necessary amount of consumables in stock and just a few hours of free time.

Advantages of drip irrigation from plastic bottles

Saves water by 2-3 times compared to other irrigation methods.
Targeted irrigation supplies moisture only to the bushes of vegetable, fruit or ornamental crops - the weeds are left without recharge.
Autonomy. You can leave tender, freshly planted pepper or tomato seedlings unattended for a week without them drying out.
The soil does not harden or crust over, as with heavy watering.
Drops do not fall on the leaves. The problem of plant burns in hot weather and fungal diseases or rot with regular evening watering is eliminated.
Water does not flow into puddles and does not fall on the paths between the beds.

What plants can be irrigated using drip irrigation from plastic bottles

Today, summer residents use a drip irrigation system in gardens and orchards, in greenhouses and in open beds. + This method provides water directly to the roots of the plant throughout the growing season. With its help you can irrigate all vegetable and berry crops:

Cucumbers;
Potato;
Tomatoes;
Raspberries;
Strawberries;
Grapes, etc.

What is needed for drip irrigation from plastic bottles

To make your own drip irrigation from bottles, you will need:

Knife for cutting containers. You can use scissors.
Sewing needle for punctures. But it is better to use nails or an awl.
Plastic bottles. For making drip irrigation, containers with a volume of 1 to 2 liters are suitable. If the system is installed under bushes or young trees, then you can use 5-liter bottles.
Nylon tights. If necessary, they can be replaced with cotton material.
Empty ballpoint pen refill.

Suspended drip irrigation method from plastic bottles

This watering option is more suitable for low-growing plants, such as cucumbers, for example, or greens (parsley, basil, lettuce). In order to implement such a system, you will need a base or frame made of wood or metal. The frame for bottles is made in the form of the letter “P” or “G” and is placed above the ground level at a height of no more than 50 cm, otherwise the drops will simply hit the ground, creating depressions and splashing heavily on the sides.

Bottles are selected in accordance with this parameter (their length should not exceed 40 cm). The number of containers depends on the number of plants that need drip irrigation - one bottle is located above each bush. It is best to hang a container of water so that the drops do not fall on the plant itself, but fall between neighboring bushes. This will avoid sunburn and various infections due to wetting of the green mass.

Holes are made in each lid, the size and number of which depend on the required intensity of watering - the more holes, the faster the water will flow out of the bottle. Now you can cut off the bottom of the bottles and make holes near the cut edges. Through these holes the bottle will be attached to the frame with wire or rope. Drip irrigation is ready, water is added through the bottoms.

Drip irrigation method from plastic bottles and rods

This watering system can be made in two ways: by attaching the rod to the bottom of the bottle or to its neck. In the first case, the bottle can be installed on the ground without additional equipment; in the second, the process of adding water to the bottle is greatly simplified.

In any case, the first thing you need to do is prepare the rod. To do this, wash out the remaining ink from it (in the case of using ballpoint pen refills) and close one of its ends with a plug. To do this, you can use a piece of a match or a wooden toothpick. Using an awl, make a small hole 3-4 millimeters from the closed end.

Now, 1-2 centimeters from the bottom of our container, we make a hole into which we insert the rod. It is no coincidence that the word “container” is used instead of the word “bottle”, since depending on the manufacturing method you choose, the bottom of the container can be either at the bottom of the bottle or at its neck. If you have placed the rod at the neck of the bottle, then you need to screw it (the neck) with a cork. We cut off the upper part of the resulting container, and essentially the bottom of the bottle, using a knife or scissors.

It makes sense to “capture” 2-3 centimeters of its wall along with the cut off bottom of the bottle. By making a vertical cut on it, this part of the bottle can be used as a lid to protect the container from debris. Now fill the bottle with water and see how quickly the liquid flows out through the hole made at the closed edge of the rod. The optimal speed is 10 drops in 5 minutes. The finished system is installed near the plant, and the end of the rod is placed in close proximity to the root system. To do this, the container with the rod is attached to a peg of sufficient length using wire or tape. The free end of the peg is stuck into the ground next to the plant.

Underground drip irrigation method from plastic bottles

To organize watering using this method, you will need a plastic container with a volume of 1.5–2 liters. You need to make several holes in it with an awl or a gypsy needle at a distance of 3-4 cm from the bottom. The number of holes depends on the type of soil, for example, for sandy soil two will be enough, but for loamy soil you will have to make at least four holes. To water moisture-loving plants, small holes are pierced across the entire surface of the bottle. Dig the container between the plants upside down to a depth of approximately 10–12 cm, with the neck remaining above the ground. Pour water through it using a watering can and screw on the lid, in which you have previously made a hole for air to escape.

Another option is to bury the bottle in the ground, neck down, after making several holes in it and screwing the cap tightly. The bottom of the container is cut off in such a way as to form a kind of lid that will prevent water evaporation. This method of irrigation is more convenient, since the tank is filled with water through a fairly wide hole.

Drip irrigation from plastic bottles is an excellent irrigation method for those summer residents who do not want to spend money on installing a full-fledged system. It is cheap and combines all the qualities and advantages that conventional drip irrigation from plastic pipes has with your own hands. As a temporary measure, such irrigation can be considered ideal. And you can also see how to build it in the video.

Vegetable growers who grow cucumbers often have to water the planted vegetables. Experienced gardeners advise using the drip method of soil moistening, since when using this method, the liquid does not fall on the leaves. It is recommended to figure out in advance how to make drip irrigation for cucumbers from plastic bottles with your own hands.

Drip irrigation - what is it: device and principle of operation

Before you start watering, you need to become more familiar with the structure of the system and the features of its functioning. The operating principle of this design is that it ensures the flow of liquid directly to the roots of the planted cucumbers. In this case, water can be supplied not only to the lower layers of the earth, but also to its surface. If it is necessary for water to flow into the fertile layer of soil, a dripper is installed. To irrigate the soil surface, the system is equipped with drip tapes.

Many irrigation systems are equipped with a special pump responsible for the flow of liquid. Without it, the water will take longer to travel through the main pipes.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

The drip method of soil moistening has advantages and disadvantages, which should be familiarized with in advance. The main advantages of bottle irrigation structures include the following:

Improved yield. Cucumbers watered using the drip method bear fruit 50-60% better. At the same time, the fruits become more juicy and tasty.
Reduced labor costs. Using this technique, you do not need to waste time and energy dragging hoses or carrying heavy buckets of water. Simply open the tap to fill the system with water.
Reducing the number of weeds on the site. Since the water will only reach the cucumber bushes, the weeds will not have enough moisture to grow.
Soil protection from erosion. Soils in areas with drip irrigation are much less likely to be subject to erosion.
Protection of cucumber leaves from burns. Thanks to the design features, water gets directly to the root system. This prevents liquid from entering the surface of the sheet plate, which could cause a burn.

There are several disadvantages that gardeners may encounter when using this method of soil moistening:

frequent clogging of holes through which water penetrates into the soil;
high cost of finished structures;
droppers can be damaged by moles or other pests.

Is it possible to make a design with your own hands?

People who are planning to water their cucumbers using the drip method are wondering whether it is possible to independently make a structure for supplying water. Making your own system for moistening the soil is quite simple. To do this, it is enough to make a simple plumbing system that will ensure the supply of liquid to the root system of planted seedlings.

Required materials and tools

Before you start making an irrigation structure, you need to figure out what you will need to complete the work.

To create drip irrigation for cucumbers you will need:

Plastic bottles. This material is the basis of the entire structure. Plastic bottles are used to hold water that will be supplied to the roots of the plants. It is recommended to use containers with a volume of 2-4 liters. Such bottles will always retain the required volume of water.
Unnecessary stockings or cotton fabric. Such fabric material is used as filters. Cloth is wrapped around the holes through which water enters the open ground. This is done to prevent the irrigation system from becoming clogged with soil and other debris.
Shovel. Used for digging holes in which plastic bottles will be installed.
An awl, a needle or sharp nails. They will be needed when creating small holes in bottles to supply liquid into the ground. Before piercing the bottle, you will have to thoroughly heat the nail or needle, since it is easier to pierce the plastic with heated metal. For heating, you can use a regular lighter or gas stove.

Schemes of the future system

The drip irrigation scheme using plastic bottles is an extensive network of water pipes, which is responsible for supplying liquid to the rhizomes of plants. The bottle design scheme is quite simple - first, liquid is supplied from the main source of water into a barrel, after which it is distributed into bottles using tubes and gets to the bushes.

Modern schemes can be improved and made automatic. This will help determine the optimal dose of watering for each bush. To do this, drip systems are equipped with special rain sensors that determine whether water needs to be supplied to the plants or not.

Many gardeners advise using bottle watering, as it is many times more effective than manually moistening the soil.

Manufacturing options

There are four main options for making bottle designs for serving water to vegetables.

Watering cucumbers from plastic bottles with the lid up

The most common option is to position the bottle with the cap facing up. You need to familiarize yourself with how to make such a system step by step:

Digging a hole. The hole for digging in the bottle is placed near the bush. When determining the diameter and depth of the pit, the dimensions of the container are taken into account.
Creating holes. Before placing the bottle in the ground, holes are made in it to allow water to enter. The holes should be located at a distance of 3-5 centimeters from the bottom.
Wrapping containers. Each bottle is pre-wrapped with nylon so that the holes made do not become clogged with soil.
Installation of containers. It is placed in a hole so that 5-8 centimeters of the neck are located above the ground.

Root watering

Using this method, you will have to spend a little money on the purchase of special dispensers, which are installed by hand on the neck of the container. You can purchase such devices at any garden store. The bottle is inserted into the ground with the dispenser down at a distance of 5-8 centimeters from the cucumber bush.

Bottle watering through a rod

To make a rod irrigation structure, the following materials are prepared in advance:

five-liter plastic container;
a small piece of plasticine;
refill from a regular ballpoint pen.

When creating a structure for moistening the soil, a cavity is made in the bottom of the bottle into which the rod is installed. The contact point between the rod and the hole is sealed with plasticine for better tightness. The outer end of the installed tube is closed with a match, after which a small hole is made in it with a needle for water to flow out. Then the bottle is placed near the bush that needs to be watered.

Suspended structure

Some people do not want to dig containers into the soil and therefore use hanging structures. To create them, two cavities with a diameter of 2-3 millimeters are made in the caps of each bottle. After this, holes with a diameter of 5-6 centimeters are made at the bottom of the container for the flow of water.

Tubes from under the dropper are installed in the holes in the lids, which are directed to the base of the stem. The bottles are then hung upside down on special pegs.

The nuances of making an irrigation system

The creation of irrigation systems for open ground and greenhouses has some differences that you need to become familiar with.

In the greenhouse

In greenhouse conditions, the soil dries out more slowly than outside, and therefore you do not need to use large containers for drip irrigation. Regular one and a half liter bottles are enough. If vegetables are grown in low polycarbonate greenhouses, it is recommended to organize root watering.

In the open ground

Most vegetable growers plant cucumbers in spacious gardens. In dry summers, the soil outside dries out quite quickly and because of this, more liquid is consumed to moisten the soil than in greenhouses. To organize an irrigation system on the street, you need to use bottles with a volume of 3-5 liters.

How to set up and check the correct operation of the device?

Before you start watering cucumbers using plastic bottles, you need to check the functionality of the manufactured structure.

The summer heat is a real test for summer residents and amateur gardeners. Almost all planted plants are very difficult to tolerate high temperatures and lack of rain. To avoid the death of vegetable crops, it is necessary to constantly water all the beds with a hose. If in urban conditions daily watering does not cause any inconvenience, since the site has a centralized water supply, then for residents of villages and dachas this is a real problem.

In order not to torment themselves with carrying heavy containers of water, home craftsmen have come up with an effective way to constantly supply moisture to the root system - drip irrigation. With its help, you can constantly saturate your plants with water, even when no one is at home. For home use, experts recommend installing ready-made purchased structures or homemade devices. This article will tell you how to make your own drip irrigation system from plastic bottles that are found in every household.

Advantages of a drip irrigation system

The drip system has a large number of advantages, which make it so popular among summer residents. Among the main advantages are:

Homemade drip irrigation systems, available materials for their manufacture

To install a drip irrigation system in your garden, you can use not only purchased products, which are very expensive, but also homemade designs. The most popular of them:

from plastic bottles;
from droppers.

Important! If a homemade irrigation system from droppers has a more complex design, then from plastic bottles it is simpler and more understandable.

Since almost every family has plastic bottles in their household, craftsmen have come up with worthy uses for them. There are several simple ways to make homemade drip irrigation systems, each of them is designed using a specific technology.

Submersible drip irrigation system

Such drip systems are ideal for irrigation, etc. Their design is quite simple and straightforward and does not require much effort.

To work you will need:

plastic bottle (preferably large volume);
nail or sharp awl;
garden shovel.

Manufacturing and installation technology of a submersible drip irrigation system:

In a selected area of the garden, a hole is dug to accommodate the structure.
Holes are made on a plastic bottle using an awl or a hot nail (the more, the better).
Immerse the product in the ground and carefully cover it with earth (up to the neck).
Carefully pour water into the finished homemade system and close it tightly with a lid (the water will evenly seep into the soil, thereby saturating the plants with life-giving moisture).

Watering can type drip irrigation system

This is also a fairly simple system; to make it you will need to spend 10-15 minutes of free time.

Required tools and materials:

sharp stationery knife;
nail;
fire source (eg gas burner);
bottle with cap;
garden shovel.

Manufacturing technology:

The nail is heated on fire.
Make 2-4 holes on the lid of a plastic bottle (the more holes, the more water will penetrate into the soil).
Carefully cut off the bottom of the bottle using a sharp knife.
A small hole is dug in the garden bed to place the bottle.
The prepared vessel is immersed in the ground to a depth of 10-15 cm and securely fixed.
Pour water for further watering of vegetables.

Rod type drip irrigation system

This is another “dripper” for watering. She has an interesting appearance, very similar to a hedgehog. To construct it you will only need available materials.

List of necessary tools and materials:

plastic bottles;
old ballpoint pens;
matches;
nail or awl;
a source of fire for heating a sharp object.

Manufacturing technology of a drip irrigation system for a summer cottage:

The ink refills are removed from the ballpoint pens and the caps are removed.
Using an awl or a hot nail, holes are made to accommodate the housings of the handles.
Prepared handle housings are inserted into the finished connectors, and a match is inserted into one side of the handles.
Carefully pour water into the prepared bottle and close it with a lid.
The finished structure is placed on the garden bed so that it does not fall and damage the planted plants (water will slowly flow down the rods into the ground, thereby watering the selected plants).

Homemade drip irrigation systems made from plastic bottles are unique free designs that allow you to feed the root system of vegetable crops and other plants with water around the clock. Make garden “drippers” with your own hands at home from available materials, and you can check all the delights of their work without leaving home.