Irrigation

How a drip irrigation system goes together

Every drip system follows the same path from the water source to the plant. Water leaves the reservoir or supply line, passes through a valve, a filter and a pressure regulator, travels down the mainline tubing, and reaches each plant through a dripper and a stake. Shopping by that path is the fastest way to make sure nothing is missing on install day.

• Control: shut off valves, 24VAC electric globe valves and solenoids start and stop each zone. See Valves & Air Vents.
• Clean and regulate: a 120 to 140 mesh disc filter protects drippers from debris, and a pressure regulator holds the line at a working pressure. See Filters, Regulators & Gauges.
• Distribute: 3/4 inch and 1 inch poly carry water down the room, 17mm and 20mm laterals run along each bench or row, and 5mm micro tubing feeds each plant. See Irrigation Tubing and Fittings & Connectors.
• Deliver: drippers set the flow rate, and stakes hold the outlet in the media. See Drippers & Emitters, Dripper Assemblies & Manifolds and Drip Stakes & Spray Stakes.

Choosing a dripper flow rate

Flow rate is measured in gallons per hour (GPH) and is printed in every dripper name. Our pressure compensating drippers run from 0.3 GPH up to 10.6 GPH. Lower flows such as 0.3 and 0.5 GPH suit small blocks and coco with frequent short irrigation events. 1.0 and 2.0 GPH are common for one to five gallon containers. Higher flows such as 3.2, 6.6 and 10.6 GPH are usually paired with a multi-outlet manifold or a spray stake to cover large pots and beds.

Pressure compensating (PC) drippers hold the same flow across a wide range of inlet pressure, so the first plant on a line and the last plant receive the same volume. That matters most on long runs and on benches at different heights.

CNL and LCNL drippers

CNL stands for compensating non-leakage. A CNL dripper seals itself when line pressure drops, so the tubing stays full between irrigation events and every dripper starts and stops at the same moment. LCNL is the low pressure version, which opens and closes at a lower pressure for systems that run closer to the bottom of the pressure range. Both are a good fit for pulse irrigation where many short events are scheduled each day.

Overhead irrigation, misting and dosing

For propagation areas, cooling and overhead watering, see Sprinklers, Misters & Foggers, which includes Netafim SpinNet, VibroNet and CoolNet Pro emitters with hanging assemblies. To automate pH and nutrient dosing at the reservoir, see Fertigation & Dosers. Install tools are in Punch Tools.

Drip Irrigation Supplies FAQ

What parts do I need for a basic drip irrigation system?

A shut off or electric valve, a disc filter, a pressure regulator, mainline tubing, fittings for that tubing size, one dripper per plant, micro tubing and a stake for each dripper, plus a punch tool to install the drippers.

What does pressure compensating mean?

A pressure compensating dripper delivers its rated flow across a wide range of inlet pressure. Plants at the start and the end of a line receive the same amount of water.

What is the difference between CNL and LCNL drippers?

Both seal when the line pressure drops so the tubing stays full between irrigation events. LCNL drippers open and close at a lower pressure than CNL drippers, which suits lower pressure systems.

What mesh filter should I use with drippers?

Disc filters in the 120 to 140 mesh range are the standard choice ahead of drippers. Size the filter by the flow rate of the zone in gallons per minute.

Can I order in bulk?

Yes. Most drippers, fittings and stakes are sold in bags of 25, 50, 100, 250 or 1,000 pieces, and tubing is available in rolls up to 1,000 feet.