Step 7: Cover the tubing with mulch

Covering with mulch
Photo: Shelly Strazis
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Clean up around all the tubing and make sure all connections are tight and no emitters are blocked or clogged. Turn on the water and check for leaks or bad connections.

To keep the water from evaporating before it reaches the plant roots and to give the garden a manicured appearance, cover all the exposed tubing with about two inches of mulch.

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    Tools List

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    • tubing cutter
      Tubing Cutter,
      bypass pruner or scissors would suffice, but the thick tubing can dull the blades, making them less effective in the garden
    • 11-inch steel punch
      Hole Punch,
      comes with tubing

    Shopping List

    Close
    1. 1/2-INCH DRIP TUBING

    comes in 50-, 75- 100-, or 500-foot rolls, either with or without factory-installed emitters. Calculate the square footage of the area you want to irrigate, then figure on one foot of tubing per square foot of plant bed.




    2. 1/4-INCH DRIP TUBING

    use this smaller tubing to branch off from the main line and reach specific bushes, trees, or containers.



    3. TUBING CONNECTORS

    elbow, tee, and straight connectors allow you to turn the tubing without kinking it, or add on more lengths of tubing.



    4. WATER SOURCE CONNECTION KIT

    for attaching the tubing to an outdoor faucet. Kit should include a vacuum breaker, pressure regulator, a filter, and a connector for attaching the tubing.

    5. SPRAY AND DRIP ACCESSORIES

    including micro sprayers, small emitters, and foggers for reaching different plants around the garden.



    6. BARK MULCH