Premium Drip Irrigation Kit for Row Crops

Congratulations on your purchase of a Premium Drip Irrigation Kit for Row Crops 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 Row Crop Kits utilize ½” (.600” ID x .700” OD) poly tubing as the mainline. Thin walled drip tape with factory installed drip emitters at a standard 12” spacing is used to irrigate straight rows of crops.

Your kit may include items you might not need for your specific design but are included “just in case”.

  1. Goof Plugs (¼”) are included “just in case” you need to plug a leaky hole or one that is no longer in use, that was punched in your mainline tubing with the ¼” punch tool included in your kit. (See the Tips below for helpful suggestions when using goof plugs.)

 

1. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.


2. Mainline Tubing Installation - Determine the best location for your ½” mainline to reach from the water source to your garden area. The flexibility of Drip Depot kits allows you to run the header row however best fits your garden design. This can simply be along the top or side of the garden. See our Row Crop Kit Sample Layout.

  1. Connect the mainline tubing to the head assembly.

  2. Lay out your ½” mainline tubing. Use the steel wire stakes to secure the ½” tubing in place.

  3. Cut off any excess tubing.

  4. Flush the line(s). Allow water to run through tubing to remove any debris that may be inside.

  5. Install the Perma-loc Tubing End Cap(s) to close the line(s).

 

3. Drip Tape Installation -

 

  1. Punch a hole in the side of the ½” tubing where you want to start the run of drip tape using the ¼” punch tool included with your kit. See the graphic illustration above or video below for assistance.

  2. Insert a Barbed Take-Off Adapter into the hole you punched. The barb on the take-off adapter is larger than the micro fittings and dripper barbs so does require some effort to insert. (A nice tight seal is desired in this fitting connection to prevent leaks.)

  3. Attach the drip tape to the perma-loc end of the barbed take-off adapter by turning the locking nut all the way backwards; next push the drip tape all the way over the barb; then turn the locking nut out over the drip tape until tight.

  4. Unroll the drip tape down the straight row and cut at the end of the row. Install the perma-loc tape end cap to close the end of the drip tape run. Please note: Drip tape should be laid out with the emitters facing upwards to reduce clogging due to dirt and debris being sucked into the system at shutdown.

  5. Repeat these steps for each run of drip tape.

 

Tips


  1. 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.

  2. Making straight clean cuts is very important to get secure connections between drip tape and the perma-loc fittings.

  3. Drip Tape is lightweight and can move from wind and normal expansion and contraction from temperature changes so can be staked or even buried with a few inches of soil or mulch. (See our Tips on using drip tape.)

  4. The large end of the ¼” goof plug is used to plug holes that were punched in the mainline tubing while the small end is used to close the ends of micro-tubing. Try using a pair of needle nose pliers to grip the opposite end of the goof plug that you wish to insert into the micro tubing or hole. The added leverage of the pliers will make this task a breeze. Click here to see our how to video.

  5. 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.