DIY Watering Systems That Save You Money

Would you like to save money by creating DIY watering systems for your homestead or property? Then you are in the right place.

Being on a tight budget, as most homesteaders are, means we can’t always afford the ideal watering system at an affordable price.

In this post, I will show you a few ways of creating some DIY watering systems as well as several resources to find affordable alternatives too.

I will also show you where you can find some inexpensive products to do your own drip irrigation and watering too.

The Altered Hose

We all have that extra hose laying around. Well, it may not work well for a regular hose for spraying water, but it would make a fantastic DIY drip irrigation hose.

Simply lay out the hose along the ground and make sure there are no large holes. If you find some, simply cut the hose off at that point and place a new hose end on the original hose. These can be found at your local hardware store for a few dollars.

These hose ends are the ones I use from Amazon. I buy the three-pack.

While you are at the hardware store, pick up some end caps for your hose. You will need to cap one end to stop the water from running out.

Now drill holes evenly spaced as far apart as you may need with a drill with a 1/4 ” drill bit attached. Only drill through one side not all the way through the hose. These holes will be where the water drips from.

Once your cap is on and the holes are drilled, hook the open end up to your faucet. Run the entire rest of the hose where you need the drip irrigation to happen.

Turn the water on minimally. If you turn the water on full blast you will have a geyser. And you could blow the cap off your hose. That is not what you want at all. A small drip or stream is what you are going for, nothing more.

Voila! DIY Drip Irrigation. You can add as many hoses of this nature as you may need.

Using Gravity with Your Rain Barrel

If you currently use rain barrels on your property then chances are you already have a spigot installed. It is also assumed that the rain barrel is off the ground (at least somewhat). These two options mean gravity is in your corner.

You can attach the same type of drip hose to the barrel as mentioned above. You can also use a smaller tubing that is commonly used in drip irrigation. However, keep in mind that the best watering will happen up to an area of about 25 feet from the barrel with the smaller tubing.

Beyond that mark, the plants may not receive the same amount of water as those within the first 25 feet. The smaller the diameter of the hose you are using, the less distance the water will saturate. The bigger the hose the longer the distance.

Simply turn your soaker or drip hoses on and let gravity do its thing. We have a double hose reel next to our rain barrels. One holds the soaker hose and one holds a regular hose. It makes interchanging the hoses much easier.

DIY Small Watering System

Not everyone has big gardens. Some folks don’t have gardens at all, only plants in post. Container gardens are great but unfortunately, they dry out quicker.

To solve this issue, consider plastic bottle and rope irrigation. Check out the video below.

Also, check out the following video for more ways to water plants continuously with little or no effort.

Resources for DIY Watering Systems

The following are links to products we have successfully used on our homestead or are currently still using. These are affiliate links, but don’t worry. All that means is that if you purchase from these links I make a bit of change. It doesn’t change your cost at all.

Drip Irrigation Kit, 100ft/30M Garden Watering Automatic System – Micro DIY Irrigation Tubing Kits, Blank Distribution Hose Atomizing Nozzles Drippers for Plants Flower Bed, Patio, Lawn

Raindrip R560DP Automatic Watering Kit for Container and Hanging Baskets, Water up to 20 plants with this kit, Black

Mirone MR-09483 Brass Rain Barrel Spigot, Lead-Free Compliant (3/4″ Quarter Turn Ball Valve w/ Bulkhead Fitting, Thread Tape)

WADEO Rain Barrel Connector Kit- Pack of 2, Rain Barrel Linking Kit with Two 12 Inch Hoses and Four Brass Bulkhead Tank Fittings

Garden Hose Holder Free Standing Water Hose Reel -Holds 125 Ft-Detachable Hose Storage for Outside

Now you have a few ways to get those gardens watered and ready to produce a great harvest this year without a lot of effort to water. Do you have other suggestions I have not mentioned here? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

Be sure to check out The Farm Wife’s post, Drip Irrigation for even more step-by-step instructions.