Drip irrigation is a cost-effective method of watering your plants. The Drip irrigator lets a constant supply of water be delivered to your plants over a long period of time. You can easily make your own drip irrigators from plastic bottles, few other household materials and also recycling.

Step 1: Introduction

The idea is to provide a design that can be built with materials available at home, using relatively simple tools and therefore can easily be copied.

The irrigator is a Mariotte bottle for water supply of constant flow rate and provides greater efficiency in terms of water usage and energy.

The Mariotte bottle is a vessel that is closed except for an opening at the top for an inlet tube, and an opening for an exit tube. As a liquid flows out of the bottle it is replaced by air, which enters through the air intake tube and bubbles up through the liquid level to provide a constant flow regardless of the level of the liquid in the bottle. This device was invented by Edmé Mariotte, a 17th-century French physicist.

Step 2: Making an Irrigator

Get a plastic bottle with the cap still on. Take the cap and poke 1 holes on it and 1 hole in the botom of the bottle. You can create the holes by using a drill or by using a small nail and a hammer.

The size of the hole will also contribute to the speed of water flow. A smaller hole will allow the water to trickle slowly, while bigger holes will empty the water faster.

A tube should be inserted in the cap, seal the edges around with glue and that it remains below the surface of the fluid. The tube allows air to enter as water drains, thereby maintaining a constant water pressure resulting in a constant outflow rate. The lower end of the tubing should be cut on a bevel to facilitate bubbling.

Fill the bottle with water and leave your drip irrigator to do its work. A pen cap should be used in the top of the tube to stop irrigation. Make as many drip irrigators as you need for all of your plants. Add some fertilizer to the bottle every few weeks to fertilize your plants directly and make sure that you refill the bottle with water regularly.