Installing a Micro Spray Irrigation System

Micro sprays, in comparison to micro drip systems, distribute a constant spray of fine water fragments over a larger area, deliver more water more quickly and offer a much higher flow rate. Use Micro sprays to create a fully customisable irrigation system for landscaped areas including, flower beds, borders, potted plants, planters and greenhouse irrigation systems. They are quick to set up in comparison to underground irrigation and offer a flexible method of watering as sprays can be arranged in an infinite number of combinations, spray patterns and different angles to create a watering system to suit your individual garden layout.

This Guide Contains:

Tips for Installing a Micro Spray System

A Quick Guide to Micro Sprays

Planning a Micro Spray Irrigation System

Setting Up a Micro Spray Irrigation System

Micro Spray Quick Assembly

Run Lengths and Installation Tips

Maintaining a Spray System

Features we Love

Tips for Installing a Micro Spray System

Working Pressure

Micro spray systems work best at water pressures around 1 - 3 bar. The water pressure from your tap usually exceeds the required pressure for a Micro Spray system to function optimally. To prevent risers from popping out from the supply tubing, use a Pressure Reducer at the start of your system to regulate the pressure to the correct level.

Automate Your Watering

Micro sprays can be used within an automatic watering system. Automating your watering means you no longer have to spend time watering your garden - you don’t even need to remember to turn on the tap. Instead, install any Water/Tap Timer that suits your budget and set it to the times and frequency you would like to water.

Top Tip: Set your timer to water early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid any water wastage from evaporation during the mid-day sun.

Flexibility

Micro sprays are the ultimate customisable solution for complete garden watering. If you enjoy seasonal planting and switching and changing your bedding layouts throughout the year, a Micro Spray system means you can pull the system out of the ground and re-install once you have finished. A micro-spray system is easily adaptable and can be expanded if you purchase more plants.

Simple to Use

Installation is quick and easy but can be individually tailored for complete water coverage over all plants no matter how complicated your garden layout. Use rigid risers, available in different sizes, to water your plants from multiple elevations either above or below the foliage canopy.

A Quick Guide to Micro Spray

Using a Micro Spray system is beneficial for garden beds where plants are more tightly packed as spray patterns are capable of penetrating more dense foliage and can cover many plants from just one emitter. Micro sprays work best in sheltered areas to protect against water wastage from mist travel and prevent the delicate spray direction from becoming disrupted by harsh gales.

Key Features of Micro Sprays

Standard Flow Rate: Micro sprays with a consistent flow rate offer a fixed rate of flow from the spray outlet, perfect for watering all plants with similar water consumption requirements.

Adjustable Flow Rate: Micro sprays can be adjusted from 0 to full L/h output allowing you full control and flexibility of water flow to best suit your plant’s needs. Adjustable micro sprays are altered by simply rotating the in-built valve by hand - no tools required.

Guide to Flow Rate

0-30 L/h - Produce a fine mist and are most suitable for watering young plants and seedlings.

33-55 L/h - Suitable for irrigating newly planted bedding plants, vegetables and smaller shrubs.

55-85 L/h - Suitable for large shrubs, newly planted and more established trees.

Please Note: Above is an approximate guide to watering. When you are designing a Micro Spray system, research how much water each plant requires and customise sprays to suit.

Micro Spray Patterns

For ultimate coverage, we offer a range of micro sprays in a number of spray patterns. Choose a spray pattern that suits the shape of the area you wish to water to avoid any missed areas or unnecessary water wastage over paths or gravel etc.

Mist Sprays: Assemble mist sprays upside-down to produce a very fine haze perfect for watering delicate seedlings or creating a moist micro-climate inside a greenhouse. Alternatively, install a mist spray upside-down above a hanging basket.

Strip Sprays: Water outputs from a strip spray in 2 x 20° patterns for more targeted watering in more challenging landscapes such as, long and narrow flower beds and vegetable patches.

90-Degree Sprays: The perfect solution for watering garden corners, around patios or where paths are situated. They produce an accurate 90° angled spray to avoid any overspray and ensure minimal water wastage.

180-Degree Sprays: Create a semi/half circle spray ideal for use along the edge of a garden bed or along a walled/fenced area.

360-Degree Sprays: Ideal for placing in the centre of a large garden bed or lawn area for full circle watering.

Planning a Micro Spray Irrigation System

When planning your Micro Spray system, you need to allow for plenty of overlap of spray to ensure complete coverage. Ensuring the spray patterns of your micro sprays overlap, safeguards against the risk of any plants not being watered even if an emitter becomes clogged.

Planning Your System

Begin by sketching a rough plan of your garden layout indicating your water source and labelling planting areas/individual plants you would like to water.

Next, mark on your plan where you would like to place your micro sprays. Take into account the spray pattern of your micro-sprays.

Top Tip: Create a compass drawing of your system plan by drawing quarter circles for 90° sprays, half-circles for 180° and full circles for 360°. Strip sprays output 20° on either side.

Pencil in the throw radius in metres depending on your flow rate and use 90°, 180°, 360°, strip and mist sprays in conjunction to create a customised garden.

When planning your system, buy more barbed/nut lock connectors, micro-sprays, stakes and risers than you think you will need in case you need to replace them over time.

You will also need to measure both the size of the area you would like to water and the distance between each watering area. Add this to your plan as this will indicate the length you need to cut your pipe. Take into account components you will need to direct your pipe line around your garden and any Stakes and Wall Clips to keep pipe tucked out of the way and avoid any trip hazards.

Top Tip: We recommend printing out graph paper using it to plan your system.

Example Micro Spray Plan

Calculating Water Flow Rate

In order to calculate how many sprays you can run from your water supply, you must first calculate your Water Flow Rate.

Use the above calculation to work out your flow rate in Litres per hour then divide this figure by the Litres per hour your micro sprayer emits. This will tell you how many micro sprays you can run from your tap.

Micro Spray Irrigation Set Up

Step 1: Starting From the Tap

Begin by attaching a Back Flow Preventer to avoid contaminating your drinking water source.

Then, attach a Tap Timer followed by an Irrigation Filter to prevent dirt and small particles from entering and damaging the spray outlets.

A Pressure Reducer should then be installed to the filter to regulate the pressure to the correct level.

Step 2: Supplying a Micro Spray System

Micro spray systems need to be supplied using LDPE Irrigation/Supply Pipe.

Upon receiving your LDPE pipe, weigh it down using a brick at both ends, unwind it carefully and let it settle on the grass for an hour. This allows the pipe to become more flexible to work with.

Attach LDPE pipe to your tap using a Barbed Tap Connector threaded directly onto your Filter/Pressure Reducer/Tap depending on your set up. You can also use an Outlet Water Distributor to both run your system and use your hose pipe from your tap without having to disconnect one to use the other.

When installing a micro spray from the main supply pipe, you will need to use 4mm Micro-Pipe. Punch a hole where you would like the spray located, insert one end of a 4mm Barbed Joiner into the pipe and attach a length of micro-pipe to the other.

Step 3: Connectors

Avoid tip hazards by attaching LDPE pipe and micro-pipe to the wall/fence at any height using Wall Clips or Saddle Clamps to keep your pipe work tidy and discreetly tucked out the way.

Pipe Stakes anchor the pipe in place to ensure micro sprays point directly to where they need to water. Place a pipe stake either side of a rigid riser for extra stability. Pipe stakes are available in sizes 13mm-25mm and 4mm.

Make sure you use a Fold Over End Stop/End Plug at any open end of your system to maintain the pressure.

Direct your pipe around corners using Barbed Elbows or change direction using Barbed Tees. A Mixed Fittings Pack is a great solution for all your barbed fitting needs.

Connecting to Tap

4mm Pipe and Joiner

Connectors and Stakes

Micro Spray Quick Assembly

Pre-Assembled Micro Sprays

Pre-assembled micro sprays speed up your installation. They arrive complete and ready to use with a spray head, ground stake, micro-pipe and barbed fitting.

The stake features a spiked end that can be used to pierce a hole into the LDPE pipe – no need for extra tools! Simply push the barbed joiner into the wall of the pipe and push the stake into the ground where required.

Pre-Assembled Stake and Adaptor

If you're looking for ultimate flexibility with your spray heads, choose Pre-Assembled Stakes that arrive already attached to 4mm micro pipe and a 4mm barbed joiner for direct installation. All you need to do is pick your spray head, all of which are fully compatible.

Simply punch a hole in the pipe using a Hole Punch and insert the 4mm joiner into the pipe. You will hear an audible pop if installed successfully.

Pick your Micro Spray head and thread this into the adaptor at the top of the ground stake. The perfect solution if you are looking to change up the spray pattern using different spray heads. Push the ground stake into the ground to secure into place.

Rigid Riser Assembly

Assembly using a rigid riser allows you more flexibility as risers can be installed directly onto LDPE supply pipe or fed via micro pipe up to 4m away from the main supply.

Micro Sprayer
Begin by taking your chosen micro-spray and thread it directly onto a rigid riser. Please Note: Micro sprays should be threaded into a rigid riser that is clipped into a stake and anchored into the ground. It is not recommended to install directly into LDPE pipe.

Rigid Risers
Feature a threaded outlet where the inlet of the micro-spray can be threaded inside for a secure connection. Top Tip: Use shorter risers for smaller plants with lower foliage canopies and taller risers for larger plants with more elevated canopies.

Most risers arrive with a built-in 4mm threaded connector. The threaded outlet can be easily inserted directly into your main LDPE supply pipe by simply punching a hole in the pipe and twisting the riser securely into place.

Alternatively, for harder to reach areas, install the threaded outlet of the riser into micro-pipe which can then installed up to 4 metres away from the main supply pipe.

Stakes
To secure your riser in place for stability and more accuracy when watering, use a stake. Stakes feature a clip in design that produces an audible click when the riser has been installed successfully.

Run Lengths and Installation Tips

How Long to Run a Micro Spray System For

Whilst planning your Micro spray system, bear in mind that over-watering or underwatering can put your plants under unnecessary stress. It is advisable to research into how much water your plants require to remain healthy and thriving. Finding out this information will indicate how often and for how long you will need to run your Micro spray system.

Follow the below guide for approximate timings to run your system during the warmer months. For top tips on how to care for your system in Winter, our next section will tell you all your need to know.

To find out a run time most suited to your garden’s watering needs, start by running your system two or three times a week for 10 minutes.

After each watering cycle, check the water has penetrated the soil to a depth of at least 8 inches. The soil should be damp but not saturated. If the soil is still dry, increase the run time rather than the frequency.

Top Tip: Cover the soil in mulch or bark to avoid water loss through evaporation. This is especially important during the Summer months when the sun is at it’s warmest.

Hints and Tips

Use a Hole Punch at your chosen location on the supply LDPE pipe before inserting a 4mm Joiner into the pipe.

Top Tip: To prevent system blockages, use a Hole Punch with Extractor to retrieve the piece of pipe using a spring mechanism.

For standard micro-sprays, connect a 4mm Vari-Flow Valve in the Micro Pipe before the micro-spray is installed. Using a valve means water flow can be adjusted or turned off to suit specific watering requirements of a plant.

Change Your Mind or Your Garden Layout?

Micro sprays can be easily adapted and moved to a new location if you change the placing of your potted plants or garden design. Simply remove the spray from the pipe, use a Goof Plug to plug the existing hole and a Hole Punch when placing micro sprays in new locations.

Stronger Connections

For a more robust and longer-lasting system, use Nut Lock Connectors in place of barbed connectors. These fittings feature an internal barb plus a threaded nut which clamps onto the pipe. The perfect solution for a longer-lasting more robust system.

Our Recommendations - Micro Spray Systems

HydroSure Micro Spray Kits

A fully comprehensive system that arrives complete, ready to use and specially designed to make garden watering as easy and automated as possible.

The system is perfect for watering areas in your garden such as flower beds and borders, lawns, planters and vegetable patches. It contains all the essential components needed to allow for easy installation and for securing in place to prevent damage.

Once installed, the kit will save you the time, money and labour of manual watering.

Top Tip: Additional connectors and pipeline can be used to extend your system at any time.

Shop HydroSure Micro Spray Systems

For Longer Length and More Customisable Systems

Using an assembly adaptor means you can increase the length of your micro-pipe and install a micro spray up to 4 metres away from the main irrigation supply pipe for ultimate flexibility.

Assembly Adaptors feature a 4mm barbed inlet and a female threaded outlet. In the centre of the adaptor, there is a grooved area that clicks directly into an Assembly Stake ensuring a secure watering mechanism.

Into the female threaded outlet, attach a micro spray and assemble 4mm micro-pipe into the barbed inlet.

Cut your pipe to a length between where you would like to water and where you will attach to the supply pipe.

Install a 4mm barbed joiner to the end of the micro-pipe and punch a hole in the supply pipe/LDPE where you will insert the other end of the 4mm barbed joiner.

Shop Adaptors, Stakes and Extensions

Maintaining Your Spray System

Autumn/Winter Protection

A Micro Spray System does not need to be taken apart during the winter months. All you need to do is follow the two steps below:

1: Water/Tap Timers, Filters and Pressure Reducers are more delicate items that will need to be protected in colder weather. Before the first frosts, clean your filter and pressure reducer in a bucket of water and empty any water out.

Empty your Timer of any sitting water, remove the batteries and store it upright in an undercover garage or shed. Keep in mind you may need to replace more delicate items in your system every 1-2 years.

2: To reduce the impact of thawing and freezing inside your pipe line remove any End Stops/Plugs/Caps from your system to allow any sitting water to drain out.

Top Tip: To prevent any insects crawling inside your system and blocking emitters, replace the end plugs once all the water has drained away.

Repairing a Micro Spray System

After some time or when digging in the garden, your LDPE supply pipe may split or crack and develop a leak. To repair your system, remove the hole/leak using pipe cutters saving as much of the LDPE pipe as you can. Then, use a Barbed Joiner/Nut lock Joiner to re-connect and repair your pipe. You may wish to turn the system on at the tap to test this connection is water tight.

Caring For Your System in Spring/Summer

In order to keep your Micro Spray system running at its peak, you will need to carry out some occasional basic maintenance.

Firstly, ensure the filter remains clean and the internal mesh screen is intact. To do this, unscrew the filter cover to reveal the internal mechanism and clean out any debris using a bucket of clean water.

Next, walk around your system to check each emitter is working correctly and does not need cleaning or replacing. To ensure your Micro Spray system is working efficiently, visually look to see that water is spraying from each outlet. A micro spray that is not emitting any water may mean the spray requires cleaning or you need to flush the system.

Unclogging Your Irrigation System

During the installation process and every time you flush the system, you will need to remove spray heads from the rigid risers.

Regularly flush the system by removing the End Stops/Plugs and turning on the tap flushes out debris circulating around your Micro Spray system. Repeating this process around twice a month keeps your system working at its peak and prolongs the life of your emitters.

Top Tip: Remember to replace the end plugs after this process.

Maintaining A Filter

Repairing Split Irrigation Pipe

Flushing An Irrigation System

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