Kathleen Brown

One of the most efficient ways to water, especially in a dry climate like in the Kern River Valley, is by drip irrigation.

Although it can seem intimidating to get started, it’s amazingly easy once you learn how. All you need is some drip line: ½” is the most common and readily available at most hardware and home improvement stores, but ¾” is better if you have longer distances to cover or want to add many emitters for individual plants. You’ll also need some emitters that hook into the main line via ¼” tubing, and there are quite a few different kinds. Some are adjustable and can just drip a small amount and others are set up for a small circular spray to cover a greater area. With this simple equipment, you can hook your drip line to your faucet yourself, or… If you want to automate your system, you can get a timer that attaches directly to the hose bib and then the drip line attaches to the timer. Battery-operated timers are a simple alternative to costly electrical systems, and the batteries (usually 3 or 4 AA) usually last one season. It’s recommended to take the timers off during winter months.

When shopping for timers, the easier and simpler the better. Orbit makes a great one, very easy to set, for about $40. There are two dials: one for frequency, everything from daily to once a week, and the second dial is for duration, from five minutes up to 60 minutes. So with two simple settings your watering can be done automatically. This is especially practical for people who travel (or forget!!) It’s good to periodically check to make sure the timer is working, the emitters are in place and things are getting watered.

To begin, lay out your irrigation lines on paper and remember to have them run downhill if possible, as it helps with water flow. Try and make the ¼” lines with the emitters as short as possible off the main line.

Yes, even YOU can have a beautiful garden, tasty tomatoes and vegetables and fruit trees that are all automatically watered!