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| Basic Drip Irrigation Kit for Trees |
Congratulations on your purchase of a Basic Drip Irrigation Tree Watering Kit from Drip Depot!
Please take a few minutes to read through these instructions and familiarize yourself with all the parts. For assistance with part names and details, you can print the list of parts included in your kit from the Kit Item page on our website.
Drip Depot Irrigation Kits are modular in design, as no two gardens are completely alike. Should you have any question while installing your new kit please feel free to email our Customer Support team or review some of the many resources in our Education Center, found under the “Learn” tab in the menu bar on our website.
The Basic Tree Kit utilizes ½” (.600” ID x .700” OD) poly tubing as the mainline. The Drip Depot Tree Watering Kits are designed to use ¼” drip line to create tree rings for watering around the root zone of the trees. Also included in the kit is solid ¼” micro-tubing to use between the mainline tubing connection and tree rings.
Installing your Head Assembly - Drip Depot Kits come standard with garden hose thread components for easy connection to your outdoor spigot or garden hose. Hand tighten only, no teflon tape or pipe dope is required with hose threaded connections.
Install the Backflow Preventer also known as a Hose Thread Vacuum Breaker, included in your kit, to the outdoor spigot. Ensure this item has the rubber washer seated completely down inside the female threaded connection prior to installation.
Next, install the Filter, included in your kit, to the vacuum breaker or backflow prevention device. Please ensure the rubber washer is seated completely down inside the female threaded connection prior to installation.
The Pressure Regulator is installed after the filter. Again, ensure the rubber washer is seated completely down inside the female threaded connection prior to installation. Please note the directional flow arrow on most pressure regulators for proper installation.
Lastly, the Female Hose Thread Tubing Adapter is installed on the outflow side of the pressure regulator. A helpful tip is to connect your tubing to the tubing adapter prior to connecting to your head assembly components. Most tubing adapters have a female swivel end for ease of installation.
*Please note: If using a hose-end water timer to automate your drip system the Head Assembly must be installed after/downstream of the timer or valve. Drip irrigation products are not rated for constant pressure use. Many municipal codes require the use of anti vandalism protection (set screw) on an outdoor water spigot backflow preventer. The J10 with locking screw may qualify when properly installed directly on the hose bibb. If used on an automatic water timer for your irrigation system we recommend not tightening the screw as the plastic threads of the timer can be permanently damaged if the backflow device is removed.
Mainline Tubing Installation - Determine the best location for your ½” mainline to reach from the water source to near your last tree.
Connect the mainline tubing to the head assembly.
Lay out your ½” mainline tubing. Use the steel wire stakes to secure the ½” tubing in place as needed.
Cut off any excess tubing.
Flush the line(s). Allow water to run through tubing to remove any debris that may be inside.
Install the Perma-loc Tubing End Cap(s) to close the line(s).
Create and Install Tree Watering Rings - Here is a very helpful video showing how to create tree rings: https://youtu.be/cbB7-cWnrJo.
Using the Punch Tool included in your kit, punch a hole in the mainline tubing where you would like to attach the tree ring.
Cut a section of solid ¼” tubing to reach from mainline to where you want to place the watering ring around your tree. This we will call a feed line.
Insert a ¼” barbed coupler into one end of this section of solid ¼” tubing. Be sure to push the tubing completely over the barb for a secure seal.
Push the open end of the barbed coupler into the hole you punched in the mainline tubing.
A barbed tee fitting will be used to connect the drip line ring to the feed line. Insert the perpendicular or ninety degree connection point on the barbed tee into the open end of the feed line you created.
Determine what size tree ring you need to adequately cover root zone area of your tree at current life stage. Tree rings are easily expanded as the trees mature. Cut the ¼” drip line to length per tree requirements. Connect ¼” drip line to one side of the barbed tee fitting, ring it around the tree and connect the other end to the remaining barb on the tee fitting.
Repeat these steps for each tree in your system.
Tips
Placing your roll of poly tubing in the sun before installation allows the tubing to warm up and become more flexible, which makes installation easier. Also, larger rolls can be stood on edge and unrolled from the outside of the coil. It is best to anchor the end of the tubing by staking or placing a heavy object on it then unroll. Another option is lay the coil on the ground and starting with the inside end, slowly pull and twist to unroll without kinking. See our Professional Tips for more helpful suggestions.
Remember the 200/200 Rule for ½” poly tubing: maximum 200’ run lengths and 200 GPH (gallons per hour) total flow; 30/30 Rule for ¼” tubing: maximum 30’ run lengths and 30 GPH total flow. See the Tubing Buying Guide for details of tubing capacity.
If you live in an area where the temperatures drop down to below 37 degrees Fahrenheit you must winterize your system. See our Winterizing Instructions.