Drip Irrigation Index
All irrigation guides

How to choose a drip irrigation kit

Choose a kit by the number and length of lines it can serve in your beds. Check the included fittings, filter, pressure regulator and supply line against your layout before you order.

Shopping list for four 25 ft beds with two lines each

200 ft of drip tape
Eight 25 ft lines. Measure the supply tubing and header separately.
Eight row starts
One connection from the header to each line. Check that the fittings match the tape.
Eight end closures
One per line. Choose ends you can open when you flush the tape.

Draw the beds before choosing the box

Write down each bed’s length and the number of drip lines it needs. Multiply the length of each bed by its line count, then add the lengths across all beds.

Bed width, crop spacing and soil wetting determine how many lines a bed needs. A package’s area claim only applies to the layout and spacing used for that claim.

Check the parts list

Confirm the water-source adapter, filter, pressure regulator, header, drip lines, row starts and flush ends. Check backflow protection for your water source. Match the tape fittings by model and size, especially if you plan to extend an existing kit.

Some kits include a timer or stakes. Review the working flow range of the regulator and the filter requirement of the included tape before treating the package as a complete assembly.

Know when to add a zone

Estimate demand for the rows you will open together using the flow printed on the tape data sheet at its listed pressure. Compare that figure with the water available while the zone is running. If you need more flow than the supply can deliver at that pressure, split the beds into smaller groups and water them separately.

Look up the specifications for your drip tape or calculate flow for your rows.

Sources