How to Build a Water System for Hanging Plants

Overview

Hanging baskets can give your garden added character and beauty by showing plants and flowers on more than one level. Maintaining hanging baskets, however, can be time-consuming, especially if you have a lot of them. It's easy to overlook and forget to water hanging baskets. Oftentimes, hanging plants die because of a lack of nourishment. An irrigation system can help ensure that your plants receive water regularly and so will reward you with healthier blooms throughout the blooming season.

Step 1

Find an outside tap water source that is near your baskets. Figure out the number of baskets you will hang so you can determine how much materials you will need for your project. Use this design for a watering system for two hanging baskets to get an idea about materials. Adjust your needs based on your situation.

Step 2

Connect the backflow preventer to the pressure regulator.

Step 3

Attach the pressure regulator to the sprinkler controller. Make sure the regulator is preset at 25 PSI to ensure the water pressure going into the sprinkler timer will not go higher than 25 PSI. Remove the waterproof cover of the sprinkler controller, and then select the days you want to water your plants. Select "daily" if you want to water every day. Set the amount of time you want water to flow. Selecting 15 minutes should be more than enough. Adjust the settings to correspond to your local climate and weather conditions.

Step 4

Connect the controller to the faucet adapter on the outside tap or water source.

Step 5

Connect one end of the tubing to the adapter. Measure the distance from the outside tap (water source) to the farthest hanging plant basket. Make sure to use a enough tubing.

Step 6

Run the tubing to your first plant and cut a straight edge.

Step 7

Add a T-connector and insert one end into the tubing and twist. Run the tubing from the connector to the nozzle to control the flow of water, and then attach a mist sprayer.

Step 8

Add a T-connector and insert one end into the tubing and twist. Run the tubing from the connector to the other nozzle for the second basket, and then attach a mist sprayer.

Step 9

Turn on the irrigation system and check for plugged tubing, slow emissions of water or leaking tubes.