Introduction: Siphon Irrigation

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Given my limited space but strong drive to grow things I love my container garden for my vegetables. I just have a problem with watering them. I don't have a garden hose. I hate having dirt spray up at me when using a jug. Thus I have come up with a siphon irrigation system. This isn't hard, but I wanted to go step by step so everyone knows what I did.

Supplies

You'll Need

1. A plastic bottle with cap

2. Tubbing (fish tubbing from Walmart works)

3. Twine (cotton is best)

4. Rocks that can fit into the mouth of the bottle

5. Drill with bit

6. Water

7. Plants to water

8. 26 gauge floral wire

Step 1: Get Your Gear

It's not hard to get everything you need. I got almost everything from Walmart (the rocks came from Menards). You don't have to use the small tubing, but I didn't need something large, and the tubing being clear means you can see what's going on. The twine can be just about anything, it just needs to restrict flow of the water. The wire is good because it is small, flexible, cheap, and can fit in the tubing with the twine. The rocks just need to be small enough to fit into the bottle, aquarium gravel can work, but regardless I just use rocks because nothing happens to rocks in water. The bottle needs to be plastic because you will be squeezing the bottle to prime the tube.

Step 2: Cap and Tube Prep

First drill your cap just slightly larger than the tube. You'll want air to get in, so make sure it is not a tight fit. Cut some of the wire for a pulling wire, basically twice the length you need and then some. Measure a little more tubing than you need (you can always trim it), and cut it. Measure the length of twine needed, add a bit more, and double it before cutting. Measure the wire to the length of the tubing, but add a few extra inches before cutting.

Fit the doubled over pulling wire into the tubing so there is a small loop at the end. Feed the twine through the loop, wrap a little bit of the cut wire around the loop too, and gently pull the twine and wire through the tube. Remove the pulling wire to be used again. Trim the twine and wire so you can wrap the wire around the twine around the tube, do this on one end. Feed the other end of the tube through the cap (if you haven't done this already). Wrap the wire around the twine and tube again.

Step 3: Rocks

Now add your rocks. If these are coming straight out of the bag, wash them. The rocks add weight to the bottle to keep it upright. The also make sure the tube is just a little above the bottom of the bottle so you don't lose your prime. Again aquarium gravel would work, but I had river rocks.

Put the prepped cap onto the bottle and make sure the end is lower than the other end of the tube. The wire in the tube helps position the tube where you want it.

Step 4: Fill, Prime, Water

Filling is the easy part. Fill the bottle. You can do this a a sink, fill a watering can and then fill the bottle that way. Basically fill the bottle.

Priming the tube can be a little tricky. I've found that you push on the gap between the cap and the tube, squishing the tube, and then squeeze the bottle. Some water might squirt out, but leave it in the pot and the plant will get watered. You should be able to see the water travel down the tube to the plant. You can then put the other end of the tube where you want it.

Watering plants is now not a long standing chore. This can be done with small bottles or larger ones. Anything with a cap and is flexible.

Why do this? If you dump water into a pot you create a channel for the water and it won't have a chance to spread out to the rest of the dirt. Drip watering doesn't provide enough water in my opinion. I use the twine and wire to slow down the siphoning so it isn't a flood of water into the plant. Different size bottles for different size plants. Rocks, so the bottle doesn't blow over onto the plant. This won't change the world, but it makes growing my vegetables easier, and I am all about easy.