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Deep-Watering Systems
for Trees and Shrubs
Deep watering with an automated irrigation system does more than simply free you from this weekly tree or shrub care task.
Benefits of Automatic Irrigation
Installing an automated irrigation system reduces the maintenance needed to properly care for your trees and shrubs. It also works when you are away on holiday or are otherwise unable to personally irrigate your landscape.
It conserves irrigation water and prompts trees to develop deep roots. It also helps prevent fungal spores from splashing from the soil onto foliage and avoids runoff and erosion through slow, regular applications of water.
We demonstrate how to install a simple automatic irrigation system using a battery-powered controller-timer unit. It attaches to an outdoor hose bib—faucet—with simple connections.
More complicated systems require light plumbing and electrical skills well within the abilities of most homeowners. They use a central plug-in controller connected to a series of in-ground irrigation valves with low-voltage direct-burial wire.
Consult with your home or garden store for advice on the equipment you’ll need for this project.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Project Directions
Install deep-watering tubes at the same time as you dig your planting hole and plant your tree [See: Digging Planting Holes for Trees].
Automate your watering by installing a battery-powered irrigation-control valve and plastic drip line with emitters at the deep-watering tube.
Gather a Y-fitting, a battery-powered irrigation control valve, hose clamp or threaded fitting, 1/2-in. (12-mm) drip irrigation supply line, 1/4-in. (6-mm) drip irrigation tubing, straight-line drip connectors, drip emitters or bubblers, a 4-in (10-cm) PVC pipe cap, and all the necessary tools.
Follow these easy steps to install your automatic drip system:
How to Install a Simple Deep-Watering System
Install a threaded Y-fitting at your faucet or hose bib. These fittings allow you to connect a hose or fill a watering can without the bother of disconnecting your new drip irrigation system.
Read carefully and follow all installation instructions to attach the battery-powered irrigation-control valve to one of the Y-fitting’s hose-thread connectors. Thread adapters or teflon plumbing tape may be needed to prevent leaks.
Attach a 1/2-in. (12-mm) drip irrigation supply line to the control valve, using a hose clamp or threaded fitting. Run the line to each tree’s deep-watering tube.
Use a power drill fitted with a 1/4-in. (6-mm) bit to bore a hole in the side of the tree or shrub’s deep-watering tube.
Install a lateral line with shrub bubbler emitter at the tube, using a drip irrigation punch and straight connector to join the lateral drip tube line to the water supply line. Seal the deep-watering tube with a removable PVC cap to prevent debris and pests from entering the tube.
Following installation, test and set the system. Turn on the water to the control valve at the Y fitting. Set the timer for weekly operation. Choose the timed application for irrigation, delivering 3–5 gal. (11–19 l) of water each time the system irrigates, either all at once or in several applications to prevent runoff.