The top 3 recommendations and buying guides

Our recommendations

The drip irrigation from the renowned Gardena brand is one of the bestsellers and most popular irrigation systems on Amazon. Almost 90 percent of previous reviewers (as of November 2020) rated garden irrigation with four or five stars. Most customers particularly emphasize the high quality of the hose. He should distribute the water well. Gardena's statement regarding the water flow per hour and drip head also seems to be absolutely true. It is also practical that you can extend the system to a range of 100 meters if necessary.

At the extensive Hiveseen Irrigation system(€ 50.95 at Amazon *) What particularly impresses is the excellent price-performance ratio. For comparatively little money you get a set with 151 individual parts, including a 25 meter long hose. The spacing of the outlets can be adjusted just as individually as the water flow. Although the construction of this kit is more complex than the Gardena system, the costs are lower and the application flexibility is higher. The Amazon reviewers are consistently positive about this drip irrigation. It should be ideally suited for smaller gardens and also for indoor areas.

The Queta drip irrigation has largely the same properties as the Hiveseen irrigation system. However, it even includes 158 pieces. In addition, the hose is significantly longer at 40 meters. To date (as of November 2020) there have not been many Amazon reviews, but the previous ones sound very promising. One customer describes the product with the words “you should have, if you don't have time to water”. Despite the low price, the individual parts seem to be of high quality. We hereby endorse the reviewers' purchase recommendation. For the minimal cost, you can't go wrong.

Purchase criteria

Type of hose

Drip hose: The drip hose is the classic. It has several outlets through which the water drips onto the potting soil.

Pearl, sweat or seepage hose: The hose with the many names is made of a porous material that practically sweats out the water and releases it drop by drop to the plant roots.

Whichever type of hose you choose, make sure it's high quality and literally up to the pressure.

Above or below ground?

The dripping hose can be laid above or below ground. Both variants have their advantages and disadvantages. The above-ground variant offers you the option of installing the irrigation system yourself. On the other hand, you need a specialist for underground laying. In this case, the water drips straight away to where it is needed most: on the roots.

Range

Depending on how large the area you want to provide with the drip irrigation, you need a more or less long drip hose. Be sure to measure the length of the hose beforehand so that you can water all the plants in this way. Most manufacturers indicate the range as a length in meters.

Distance between the outlets

In addition to the basic range of the hose, of course, how far apart the individual outlets on the hose are from one another also plays a role. Make sure that the distances match your requirements. This criterion is commonly given in centimeters. In some cases, the distance can be individually adapted.

Water flow per drip head

A very important point when choosing the right drip irrigation system is the amount of water flow per drip head. This characteristic is commonly given in l / h, i.e. liters per hour. There is no universally valid right or wrong here. Rather, it depends on what water needs your plants have. Adjust the irrigation system accordingly. Most commercially available versions have a flow rate between two and four liters per hour.

frequently asked Questions

What is meant by the term drip irrigation?

Drip irrigation is a special irrigation technique in which only small amounts of water are continuously given to the respective plants. For this purpose, outlets are attached to a hose at regular intervals. Through these outlets the water drips onto the thirsty green. The irrigation system ensures an automatic and needs-based Garden irrigationthat doesn't waste water.

How does drip irrigation work?

In principle, the way in which drip irrigation works is very simple: With the one attached to the drip hose The water reaches outlets drop by drop onto the lawn or the plants to be watered (roots). The water itself comes from a tap or a tap Rain barrel. With a watering computer as a supplement, you can even completely automate the watering system.

What are the benefits of drip irrigation?

With drip irrigation you save water and thus costs. The system makes it possible to constantly apply the correct amount of water. This is particularly beneficial for soils with a low water storage capacity. It is also practical that you can add nutrients directly to the water (fertilizer). Since it does not wet the leaves, drip irrigation also prevents fungal infections.

What problems can I face with drip irrigation?

If you add fertilizer to the water, the hoses and drippers can clog under certain circumstances. To prevent this as much as possible, it is best to use upstream filters. In drier climates, drip irrigation threatens to salinize the soil. However, this point has no real relevance for gardeners in the local area.

Which brands offer good drip irrigation systems?

Professional drip irrigation systems are available from Netafim, an internationally operating company that was originally founded in Israel. Furthermore, well-known and popular manufacturers such as Gardena offer comprehensive sets for needs-based and economical drip irrigation. From less well-known brands such as Hiveseen or Queta you can get cheap but high quality designs.

Where is the best place to buy a drip irrigation system?

If you want to install and use highly efficient drip irrigation in your garden, you can either install it Have it done completely by a professional provider or yourself in the hardware store, in the gardening center or at Amazon equip. Professional support is particularly recommended if you want to lay the drip lines underground.

equipment

Irrigation computer

By connecting the drip irrigation to a watering computer, you water your lawn and other plants fully automatically. Depending on the model, the computer can be programmed in detail - namely with regard to the watering times, the watering duration and the watering cycles. It always opens and closes the valve exactly according to your specifications.

Humidity sensor

A moisture sensor serves as a supplement to the irrigation computer. It makes the entire irrigation system even more efficient. All you need to do is stick the sensor into the potting soil. It continuously measures the soil moisture and gives the computer feedback. The latter will only initiate drip irrigation when the humidity level is below your preset setpoint.

rain sensor

The rain sensor works on the same basic principle as the humidity sensor. However, in contrast to this, it measures the humidity and uses it to determine whether it is raining or not. If it rains at the preset watering time, drip irrigation will not be activated and therefore no water will be wasted.