Pro tip: hand watering my vegetable garden beats drip lines every time

I know everyone says drip irrigation is the way to go for efficiency, but after trying a system for my tomatoes and peppers in Austin last summer, I saw way more issues. The lines got clogged with our hard water in under 2 months, and I couldn't spot pests or disease early. With a watering can, I check each plant for 10 minutes every morning and catch problems before they spread. Has anyone else ditched automated systems for something simpler?

3 comments

3 Comments

perry.joel2mo ago

My neighbor's drip system grew more algae than tomatoes.

dylanbarnes2mo ago

Hard disagree on that one. My drip system has been running for years with a cheap filter and zero clogs. The time saved is huge for my setup.

michael51916d ago

Read that hard water can wreck drip systems if you don't use a filter with a mesh size that matches your water hardness. I tried a DIY drip setup for my raised beds and the lines got crusted with mineral buildup in like six weeks. Hand watering with a wand lets me see spider mites or hornworms before they take over the whole plant. Plus I noticed my soil stays way more evenly moist since I'm not relying on timers that might overwater after a rain.