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TO PLAN YOUR NEW KIT:

Assembling your new Ultimate Drip Irrigation Kit for Vegetable Gardens is not difficult. Here's how..

1. Decide what plants you want to water and where the nearest water sources are.
2. Decide on the best path to lay out your 1/2" tubing. Try to get as close as possible to the plants to be watered. A zig-zag or "S" layout can be helpful.
3. Think about the water requirements for each plant. Just make a good guess, you can always add or remove drippers and microprinklers if needed.

Drip irrigation systems can be very forgiving. It's easy to move them around (just drag a hose) or move individual components. One of the more challenging aspects to setting up a drip irrigation system is to get the system "BALANCED". By balanced we mean that after the system has run for a cycle, all the plants have enough water. As an example, if you have a drought tolerant plant next to a moisture loving plant you may have difficulties getting both plants to be happy. In a case like this you simply add many more drippers to the water loving plant and very few to the drought tolerant plant. You can also use drippers with a higher GPH rating on the water loving plant. Once you have an idea of what you want to accomplish, you're ready to go.

TO ASSEMBLE YOUR NEW KIT:

1. Connect the pressure regulator to the faucet or end of a hose.
2. Connect the filter to the end of the pressure regulator.
3. Connect The Perma-Loc Swivel Hose Thread Adapter to the 1/2" tubing. (note: It's easier to connect the tubing to the swivel adapter before the swivel adapter is connected to the filter.)
4. After you have connected the 1/2" tubing to the Female Hose Thread Adapter, screw the Female Hose Thread Adapter to the outlet of the filter.
5. If stakes are included in your kit, stake down the tubing where needed with the tubing holder stakes.
6. Lay the 1/2" tubing out on the ground in the desired location. Bend the tubing around trees and shrubs as needed.
7. FLUSH THE LINE: Turn the water on and flush the lines. Let water run through the tubing for 1-2 minutes to remove any debree that may have entered the line. This is important, any contaminants that are in the line will not be filtered out by the filter and they may clog your emitters. So be safe, take a few minutes to flush the line before continuing.
8. Close the 1/2" mainline with a Perma-Loc hose end(s). Now you have a closed system that can be pressurized.
9. Use the punch to punch a hole in the 1/2" tubing where you want to insert an emitter, sprayer or 1/4" Micro tubing.
10. 1/4" fittings can be inserted directly into the end of 1/4" line or inserted into 1/2" line after a hole has been punched.
11. Choose your emitter and snap it into the hole you punched.
12. Repeat as necessary.

CHECKING YOUR SYSTEM:

After you have installed or maintained your system you should "walk the line" and ensure that all emitters are working properly. Newly installed systems will sometimes weep around newly punched holes, this is normal and should decrease over time as the tubing seals itself. Check for proper placement of emitters to ensure that each plant is getting its fair share of water and that sprayers are not being obstructed.

HELPFULL TIPS:

1. Tubing is much easier to work with when it is warm. Lay tubing out in the sun for a few minutes before installation. This will allow the tubing to uncurl and be much more pliable.
2. To use a Perma-Loc fitting: Turn the collar counter clockwise until it tightens up to the body of the fitting. Slide the tubing or tape over the barb as far as it will go toward the body of the fitting. Sometimes a back-and-forth wiggle motion helps. Turn the collar clockwise over the tubing until the collar is tight.
3. If you have difficulty punching holes in the tubing because the tubing is collapsing, either run cold water through the tubing or cap it off and pressurize the system, be ready to get wet. Either way will make punching holes easier. When using a standard punch, use a straight twisting motion to make a clean hole. You will usually hear a pop, but not always.
4. 1/4" tubing and barbed fittings can be hard on fingers. To make things easier, try dipping the ends of 1/4" tubing into hot water for a few seconds before use. Or use a blow dryer to heat up the tubing ends. Both solutions make inserting 1/4" barbs much easier.
5. A hose end timer can be used to automate your drip system. Hose end timers are connected directly to the hose faucet or hose end and the pressure regulator is connected to the end of the timer.
6. If you need to make tight turns, use an elbow or tee fitting. To use an elbow or tee simply cut the 1/2" line at the desired location and insert the elbow or tee.

MAINTENANCE:

• Inspect your system regularly.
• Filters should be cleaned regularly. To determine your cleaning frequency, Unscrew the filter body and inspect the screen after the first couple of waterings to gage how often it must be cleaned.
• Tubbing, tape and fittings can be left outside during winter as long as you drain any remaining water from your lines.
• Timers, filters and regulators should all be removed from the hose or faucet and taken indoors if freezing conditions are expected.

REPAIRING YOUR SYSTEM:

• 1/4" tubing can be repaired by cutting out the damaged section and inserting a 1/4" barbed connector.
• 1/2" tubing can be repaired by cutting out the damaged section and inserting a 1/2" coupler.
• Drip tape can be repaired by cutting out the damaged section and inserting a tape coupler.
• 1/4" holes in poly tubing can be plugged by using a goof plug.

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