So many companies offer so many components and options that the average homeowner may look at the equipment and conclude - "too confusing for me" and that's a shame.

Don't make that mistake. Drip Mist is really simple, quick, easy and fun!

There are 3 rules for even a small drip mist set-up to be successful; filtration, filtration and filtration.

A filter using either a 150 mesh or 200 mesh screen is suggested. Ignore that suggestion and you may end up with clogged emitters causing lots of problems. The problem with a clogged emitter is that nobody notices until the plant wilts.

Most modern filters are pressure regulating, so you don't need to worry about pressure regulation. If you don't have a pressure regulator, don't worry about one, most small residential applications don't need one.

Your local jurisdiction may also require an anti-backflow device be installed as part of their water regulation. Yes, this would definitely be a consideration on newly built homes awaiting their plumbing inspection.

If you intend to make your small drip system automatic, you will need an appropriate solenoid valve that will function dependably while passing very small amounts of water - the unique answer is the Rainbird LFV three-quarter inch valve, the only valve on the market designed specifically for this purpose. The LFV valve comes with three-quarter inch female pipe thread inlet and outlet, with an adapter available to allow easy and quick screw-on connection to any standard hose faucet thread. Adapters are also available to conver the three-quarter inch outlet side thread to either quarter-inch or half-inch barb for tubing.

Don't go to a one inch solenoid valve unless you are planning a huge drip mist system.... really huge. If you intend to start with a manual system and perhaps convert it to automatic later, you can just use your hose faucet instead of a solenoid valve to control watering times. Everything else remains the same and is easily convertible to automatic control by adding a solenoid valve(s) and controller  later.

From your solenoid (or manual) valve outlet side, you can go to half-inch standard drip mist tubing by using a barb adapter or adapt directly down to quarter-inch drip mist tubing if only a few emitters will be involved. Don't be snowed by the many options and different names of "drip tubing" offered on many sites, they are aimed at commercial and nursery growers, as are the multitude of spinners, stakes, ect., ect. Let's keep it simple - For a residential drip system there are basically only two sizes of tubing; quarter-inch and half-inch tubing. Fittings needed should be only tees, couplers and elbows.

Standard half-inch drip-mist tubing will work just fine for any residential application... and while we are on the subject of plain and simple... emitters, they are the cheapest, simplest and best way to water 99  percent of plants being watered in any residential application. Emitters are simple, efficient, effective and easy - use them.

Most companies offer emitters in three sizes - one-half gallon per hour, one gallon per hour, and two gallon per hour. Mister Landscaper has a nice little emitter that is adjustable from one gallon per hour all the way up to a small spray. Container plants on a patio usually require emitters anyway, because frequent spraying of the plants will make a mess.

You may want to install your drip system  utilizing a one gallon per hour emitter for each plant. That will allow you to adjust watering the amount up (2 gallon per hour) or down (half-gallon per hour),  As some individual plant show signs over or underwatering, just switch to a larger or smaller emitter. Also on larger plants and containers, don't be afraid to add a second or even a third emitter.

Our patio flowering plants thrive on a two minute watering cycle using one-half and one gallon emitters depending upon plant water demand. Don't get snowed into trying to figure water demand using complicated tables - your individual plant water demands will differ depending upon season, shade afforded, wind and daily temperature. Start with one gallon per hour emitters and a two minute watering cycle as a baseline, and then fine tune from there by increasing or decreasing time and or watering days, or switching emitter size. If one or two plants have a problem, it's an emitter solution, if a lot of plants have a problem, it's probably a watering time or water frequency problem.

If your system is to be automatic and is for plants on an uncovered patio, you may want to install a rain sensor in the patio area to prevent watering your plants during or after a rainfall. A rain sensor works by moisture (rain) causing it to interrupt the ground going from the controller to the valve(s), which inactivates the watering cycle for a day or two after it rains.

We use half-inch tubing for our main lines from valve(s) to our plant areas, then use a hole punch or self-piercing barb quarter-inch coupler to tee off from the half-inch tubing towards the plants with quarter-inch tubing, with emitters fed by quarter-inch tubing placed at the base of plants. 

We limit ourselves to no more than 8 emitters per quarter-inch feed line using quarter-inch tees and elbows. I also limit myself to 12 foot maximum quarter-inch tubing runs. Also - always add a few inches of quarter-inch tubing to the discharge outlet of the emitter (located at plant base) and install a diffuser bug cap - this is a little cap that lets water out, but stops bugs and debris from getting into and clogging your emitter or tubing. These bug caps are inexpensive and worth their weight in gold... which wouldn't be much gold.

When cutting your tubing, be sure to cut with a sharp pair of scizzors or razor knife. Do not cut with a hack saw or any other device with teeth that can chew off small particles which may enter the tubing and later clog your emitters. It only takes a tiny particle to clog an emitter, which is why filtration is so important. Unfortunately the filter will be installed upstream or the distribution tubing, so be careful about particles.

I apologize for oversimplifying the mystical complicated world of drip, but dummies like me need to water a few plants on the patio without making it a world class project or major educational effort.

We currently have 53 plants on the patio at our get-away apartment in Orlando, being watered by the system as described above. We only get over to our apartment about once every week or two, but everything always looks great, including our 6 orchids. We basically divided up our plants into two watering categories by using two seperate solenoid valves controlled by a two station irrigation controller. One category of our plants are high water demand plants and get watered every other day, while our orchids and other lower water demand plants are on a seperate zone (seperate valve) and get watered only once every 4 days.

Once you get your drip mist system connected up and watering, you will realize you have found a new and intriguing hobby. You will soon be expanding, adding sprays here and there, generally enjoying the independence and satisfaction of not having to worry about plants getting watered when you are busy or on vacation. No longer will plant purchases be predicated on abilty to spend time watering them. 

Some customers have even run a quarter-inch tube with a micro valve at the end and adjusted it to help keep the bird bath or small fish pool full while they are gone.

Note - the above has been written to allow those unfamilar with drip mist irrigation to easily and quickly install a small system that will work, while demanding minimal familiarity with the myriad of components, design competence and installation skill available to and used by the drip mist professional.

The links on the right side of this page lead to the products mentioned in the above article.

Links 3, 4 and 5  lead to complete drip mist kits and add-on kits for yard or patio.

Please feel free to call and request we send you a free Rainbird drip mist design and installation booklet or order your equipment now and include a notation in the order comment blank to include the free instruction booklet with your order.

Questions? As with all our products, an irrigation professional is always available to offer before or after-sale support and answer any installation questions. Help when you need it from people who have made their living doing it.

Support Line - 352-683-3582