By Natascha Pearson
January 31, 2021
Do you find yourself spending more time watering a grow than attending to other aspects of the plants? Do you pay a crew a day’s wage to make sure your marijuana plants get the nutrients they need? Hand watering plants can be a time-consuming task that can cost more money than it's alternative: drip lines. Drip lines can be utilized in soil, hydroponic, and aquaponic grows.
Using a plant irrigation system while growing cannabis, on small and large scales, can help provide consistent watering and nutrients, plus free up time and help you save money. An irrigation system is easy and affordable to set up. Most drip line systems consist of a reservoir/ tank, a timer, a pump, drip line hoses, manifold, valves, and irrigation drippers.
The valves maintain the correct pressure and regulate that equal amounts of water are distributed through each line. Depending on your grow site a drip line and emitter should be distributed to each pot or throughout the beds. This ensures that there are no dry spots. The timer can be set to distribute nutrients or water three times a day and there is always the option to turn on and off your irrigation manually. An air stone can be used to mix your nutrients without heating up the solution. An air stone that is constantly running will help you avoid algae and the settlement of nutrients; pus aerates your tank which promotes more oxygen in your root zone.
As you can see, drip lines are more efficient than hand watering because they drip throughout the day delivering constant food and water to hungry plants. They allow the plants to air-out intermittently between cycles of watering. You can set up the drip lines by creating a T pattern or a Halo pattern. The Halo pattern is a more beneficial alternative because it gives equal admission to the plants by filling up the lines in a large circle, compared to the T drip that drains down a faucet-like end and has a regular problem with dispersing water evenly. Either pattern is effective at freeing up your time and help the farmer produce a better crop. Valves and lines should be regularly maintained, looking for any leaks and clogs along the way.