Step 1) Water volume
Define the volume of water required in a week (for a plant or for an entire area). See the blog post How much water to water my plants for a simple and effective calculation.
Ex .: I have to supply 10 liters per week to my watering zone.
Step 2) Number of drips
Define how much dripper (s) you want to install to properly cover your watering area. Each dripper or sprinkler has its own area of coverage: some sends the water in the form of a large umbrella covering up to 40 cm wide, others dripping only at their foot even without propelling the water, for more watering accuracy (see data sheets).
Ex .: 2 adjustable drippers.
Step 3) Flow per hour
Identify the flow per hour of its emitters (or sprinklers) and add everything.
Ex .: 2 driers adjusted to 20 l / h each = 40 liters per hour.
Step 4) Watering time
Make a rule of three to find the watering time needed to provide 10 liters per week.
Ex .: (10 liters X 60 minutes) / 40 liters / h = 15 minutes of watering per week.
* Note: We have multiplied by 60 minutes to have time in minutes rather than time.
To simplify your life, we have built this little calculator that allows you to find your watering times. You can download the excel sheet on the watering time for micro irrigation.
Apart from the flow rate, several other considerations can be used in the choice of your drippers or sprinklers: the size and shape of the watering zones, the type of plant to be watered, the management of pests and diseases, etc. We suggest reading the ticket on the types of watering.