Field notes for renters with not a lot of soil and even less time.
Honest, tested writing on balcony drip irrigation for renters. Set up a system in an afternoon, fix it when it breaks, and keep your tomatoes alive while you're on vacation.
- 4 yrs
- Testing on the same balcony
- 1,400+
- Readers on the Sunday newsletter
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Start here.
Three guides, read in order. About 25 minutes total. By the end you'll have a working system and a parts list.
Do you actually need drip?
A four-question test. If you water more than once a week, the answer is probably yes.
Read step 1 7 min read 02The cheapest viable kit
What $42 buys you and what it doesn't. Skip the $200 starter kits and the $15 'complete' ones.
Read step 2 10 min read 03Your first setup
Faucet to first drop. The install order matters more than the parts.
Read step 3 6 min read 04Your summer schedule
Month-by-month runtimes and frequencies. Exact minutes per plant group for May through September.
Read step 4What's your situation?
Most readers come here with a specific problem. Pick the one closest to yours.
Get a working system in an afternoon, even in a rental with no hose bib.
BrowseHonest, tested gear picks. No kit on this list costs more than $80.
BrowseWhen something's wrong, start here. Pressure, clogs, leaks, dead emitters.
BrowseHow much water, how often, and what to do when the leaves yellow.
BrowseDraining, storing, and what to leave outside when the freeze comes.
BrowseLatest entries
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