Irrigation for Vegetables in the Desert

Drip Irrigation Basics

• Drip irrigation uses tubing attached to a faucet, or spigot, to supply water to other connected hoses strategically placed on the soil near plants. The hoses have emitters that release water, and the water seeps into the ground. In order to avoid clogs throughout the system, the spigot should have a tubing connector kit that includes a back-flow preventer, pressure regulator, filter and tubing adapter. With your main tubing line attached to this kit, your vegetables will receive debris-free moisture with little maintenance over time.

Desert Benefits

• Desert gardening often includes generous watering across the entire garden, but that drenching strategy compacts soil and hinders plant root growth. In fact, your vegetables may succumb to rot because of overwatering rather than desert drought if they are watered that way. Even during the main vegetable planting seasons of spring and fall, desert regions are still relatively hot. So using drip irrigation helps you conserve water. Moisture from drip irrigation enters the ground quickly; some water from a sprinkler system is lost to wind and rapid evaporation. Drip irrigation water remains near plant roots; when a garden hose is used to drench plants, some water runs into drains. If you couple drip irrigation with an overhead shade cloth, the garden's soil remains moist for longer periods than it would otherwise and encourages maximum moisture uptake by roots. A shade cloth also makes gardening chores less stressful because it blocks some heat.

Proper Installation

• Vegetables should have a dedicated tubing line directly from the spigot. Do not irrigate other plants, such as shrubs or trees, with the same line because your vegetables may not receive the correct water volume. Typically, the process involves installing T-connectors onto the main tubing line to add more hoses at a perpendicular angle. Multiple lines extending from the main tubing cover more ground in a vegetable bed. Depending on your vegetable spacing, each emitter should be located every 12 to 24 inches along the tubing and directly above the plant roots. With proper spacing, all of your vegetables receive uniform moisture for their maximum growth.

Mulch

• Spread mulch over your drip-irrigation tubing to prevent yourself from tripping on the tubing. Mulch also helps to retain water in the soil before the desert heat evaporates it. Drip-irrigation tubing also needs mulch's protection from intense sunlight. Although many manufacturers use ultraviolet-protective sealants on the tubing, covering the hoses with mulch keeps them from sunlight exposure, extending their lifespan.