Drip Irrigation on a Slope

Saracina Vineyards

There are many types of slopes, from gently undulating backyards and rolling hills to precipitous mountainsides. By necessity, many growers have to garden or farm on uneven terrain, forced to terrace their land or take advantage of natural benches. Fortunately, drip irrigation can provide an even flow in these situations through the use of pressure compensating drip emitters. Whether you have an orchard, a vineyard, a farm, a rural home, or a house in town, here are some DripWorks solutions to watering on uneven or sloping terrain.

Pressure Compensating Emitters

Watering with Woodpeckers at Saracina Vineyards

Woodpecker PC Emitter 
These have been the product of choice for

Woodpecker Emitter

many years in the rugged vineyards of Northern California. Perfect for individual plants, they have the largest EPDM (synthetic rubber) diaphragm available making them the least likely to plug.

Pinch Dripper

Pinch Drip Emitter  Designed for easy installation, this emitter lies almost flat on the mainline tubing, offering a low profile that’s not easily damaged by weed whackers or animal traffic.

Cobra Stake

Cobra Stake Drip Emitter 
This self-flushing spike dripper is used when branching off the mainline to water a plant several feet away. Mounted on its own sturdy stake, it is simple to install, easy to move, and durable.

1/2" Emitter Tubing Watering a Slope at Brutacao Vineyards

Emitter Tubing

½” pressure compensating emitter tubing is the most versatile

Emitter Tubing

product we carry and a perennial ‘bestseller’. It is perfect for hilly terrain, long rows in the field or veggie garden, and irregular border gardens. The internal emitters are factory inserted and available in a range of spacing from 9” to 36”. Using the same Easy Loc, barbed, or compression fittings as your ½” mainline tubing, this emitter tubing is often used to circle fruit trees in large and small orchards regardless of changes in terrain. If you have a stray plant nearby, it can also function as a mainline, allowing you to punch into the tubing between emitters and extend a line to reach it. Emitter tubing provides easy installation, even watering and a high degree of clog resistance for years of trouble free service.

SuperNet Sprinkler in a Sloping Orchard

SuperNet PC Sprinkler

A favorite among orchardists, the SuperNet PC Sprinkler provides

SuperNet in Action

equal water distribution throughout the whole system and is available in models that will adjust to cover a diameter of 4-20’ with flows ranging from 5.3 GPH-18.9 GPH. These sprinklers are easy to assemble, clog resistant, and self-flushing.

Whatever kind of slope you're facing, it needn't be an uphill battle. DripWorks is here to help.

For pricing and more information about these and other pressure compensating products, log onto dripworks.com. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 1-800-522-3747 or email us at support@dripworks.com.

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