By Jen Zimmerer

Allow me to start off by being vulnerable and admitting that although I prioritize smart rainwater use and environmental stewardship, adding an irrigation system for my raised bed vegetable garden has been a game changer! I capture rainwater into a single rain barrel (I should probably add one or two more) and I find myself emptying it regularly during warm weather. Watering by hand in the early mornings before work is also not always feasible and if I’m dreading taking care of my space, my poor vegetables often get neglected. I decided to allow myself the sinful pleasure of paying an additional $10/mo on my water bill to have my irrigation system do my dirty work and help my vegetables thrive. I haven’t looked back since!

The cost of setup was reasonable with a pre-made drip irrigation kit, a splitter for my hose, and a timer connected to the irrigation side of the hose. You could also save a bit of money by buying specific items a la carte to create your own starter kit. This would just take a bit of research and measurement on the front end, but would be great for ambitious and thrifty folks!

I easily buried the 1/2 inch poly tubing included in the kit that leads several feet across the yard from the hose bib to my raised beds. With the 1/2 inch tubing, there is a punch included to create holes and attach smaller drip lines and various micro-spray attachments. I have also moved the setup around the garden a couple of times and had no issue customizing to various configurations. I love that I can place sprayers or drip lines near the plants that need the most water while avoiding their less-thirsty companions. I am also careful to plant and mulch each bed efficiently to reduce the need for too much watering. The hose timer I use is simple, but allows me to program a rain delay if there are rainy days that don’t need watering. If you haven’t checked out the most up-to-date Bluetooth hose timers, you should have a look at how far they’ve come in recent years!

As you might have deduced, there are a few downsides to this lazy girl’s guide to gardening. First, I’m paying for water and using city water isn’t always the most ideal for a healthy garden. Second, and maybe less obvious, is that I am no longer putting my eyes on every nook and cranny of my vegetable garden. Without having to rise at the crack of dawn to water, I have been known to neglect scouting for pests and disease and I can be late to the game on trellising. My tomato jungle was growing so ferociously last year I had to let it flop over the side of my raised bed rather than staking it up nice and tall. All in all, if you find your garden getting away from you and life getting in the way of achieving prime pepper potential, check out an easy irrigation system for your veggies.

Pre-made kits and parts for my system here: https://misterlandscaper.com

*there are lots of helpful YouTube videos for setup advice and helpful tips