How to Use Your Drip Irrigation System:
- Connect all hoses using quick connects before turning on water
- Turn on water and check to make sure all hoses are watering effectively
- Check effectiveness by putting your finger over one emitter and you should feel pressure build
- Let the entire system run for approximately 10 – 15 minutes
- Disconnect hoses and store neatly for the next person or group to use
- Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
Remember…
- Use the drip irrigation system after plants have been sprouted for at least two weeks
- Monitor drip irrigation effectiveness, use a toothpick to unblock holes if not dripping
How to Top Water with Hand Sprayer:
- Connect a hose and hand sprayer to the closest water spigot
- Turn on hand sprayer to shower setting
- Water using a back and forth sweeping motion, ensuring a gentle, even spray
- Avoid puddling, which may disturb and inadvertently move newly planted seeds
- Move from bed to bed, allowing water to soak in before returning to previously watered areas
- Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
How to Top Water with Upcycled Watering Can:
- Review Big Green’s Upcycled Watering Can Activity
- Create an Upcycled Watering Can (one per student)
- Fill plastic bottle with water and loosely screw on the lid
- Demonstrate how to spread water gently and evenly to limit puddling
- Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
- Upcycled Water Cans may be passed to the next class on the schedule
How to Top Water with Little Raincloud:
- Review Big Green’s Little Raincloud Activity
- Fill several large buckets or containers filled, place around your Learning Garden
- Collect 15 – 30 reusable containers (e.g. plastic cups or clean milk cartons)
- Demonstrate how to spread water gently and evenly to limit puddling
- Hold a cup of water in one hand
- Place the other hand with the palm facing up towards the sky and fingers loosely cupped about 6-8 inches above the surface of the garden
- Pour the cup of water slowly into the palm of the other hand, letting the water gently drizzle through the fingers onto the soil in a manner that mimics gentle rain drops
- Move hands together back and forth over the garden to direct water to the dry soil and avoid create puddles of water
- Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
- Little Raincloud supplies may be passed to the next class on the schedule
