How I Save More Than 65 Hours Every Single Year

Two years ago, I relocated from Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg to Hamburg-Hasselbrook, where I now reside. Despite the move, my garden remains in Wilhelmsburg, which used to be just a 5-minute drive or a 20-minute walk away. I often spend extended periods in my garden on weekends, but during the week, I still needed to make the trip to water my plants. With the summers getting increasingly dry here in Germany, my plants require more frequent watering to thrive and avoid wilting. I was thinking about various ways to solve this issue but only on a mechanical/solar level because I did not consider the good old batteries as the solution for my problems.

In that same year, my father retired and decided to build himself a raised bed for gardening. One challenge with raised beds is that the soil can dry out quickly due to water runoff. To address this issue, he researched and discovered a solution that benefited both of us: self-watering systems.

The setup allows me to automatically water my plants twice a day, at 8 am and 8 pm, for 10 minutes each time, without needing to be physically present in the garden. The only drawback is that I need to uninstall the system before winter to prevent frost damage to the components. However, reinstalling it in spring is a small price to pay for the convenience and effectiveness it offers during the growing season. There are three main components that can save you a lot of work and trouble with dying plants:

There are watering controllers that operate solely on battery power. You connect them to an open valve, and they automatically open the valve at specific times of the day for a set duration. I was initially surprised that battery power could effectively control the valve, but it works reliably, and the battery life is impressive. With just 2 AAA batteries, I can water my plants throughout the entire season and beyond.

However, looking back, I wish I had purchased a controller with two outputs. This would allow me to have two separate watering systems because each valve can be set independently. For instance, I could water my cannabis plants once a day and all the veggies twice a day. Currently, I have to find a delicate balance between not overwatering my cannabis and ensuring my other plants receive enough water. It's achievable, but it requires a lot of adjustment and trial & error. If you would ask me today for a recommendation I would suggest you to buy this product: Sprinkler Timer on amazon

Another crucial aspect is the irrigation kit, which includes all the components necessary to set up a drip watering system. There are numerous kits available on the market, and while they may seem similar (likely manufactured in the same factory in China), the quality is generally good. I've been using my system for two years now and am heading into the third year with it.

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Two things that I discovered are:

1. Make sure to have plenty of extra hose length on hand for your irrigation system setup. Having a spare hose will allow you the flexibility to adjust or repair your system as needed without running short on materials.
2. When buying a drip irrigation kit, ensure it includes enough drip watering outputs (see image above). These outputs are efficient and gentle on plants, unlike nozzles that spray and waste water through evaporation. Having drip outputs will save water and protect your plants from potential harm caused by hard water jets. Avoid the need to substitute with less efficient nozzles by choosing a kit with more than enough drip-watering components from the start.

This is a set I would recommend (but I don't own myself): 164FT 180 Pcs Drip Irrigation Kit on amazon

The last but also important parts are:

1. Large and long hoses are essential for bridging wide distances in your garden.
   
   
2. Splitters are necessary for separating zones and connecting wide hoses to smaller black drip irrigation lines.

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I already had these items in my inventory from before I set up my self-watering system, and I'm guessing you might have them too if you have a garden. You can find these commonly used items in any gardening store, so I won't share specific links. They're likely part of your gardening toolkit already.

This entire system cost me around 70 Euro (~75 USD) and it saves me so much time and trouble.

I calculated the saved time roughly:

• In Germany, a typical gardening season lasts around 22 weeks.
• I need to visit my garden at least three times per week to water my plants.
• Watering them manually takes a lot of time and energy. Realistically, up to 45 minutes per watering session.
• The travel time to my garden is around 10-15 minutes by car.
• Of course, we can also subtract the setup and teardown time each year: approximately 2.5 hours for setup in the spring and 1 hour for uninstalling in late autumn.

22 weeks * 3 times
* (45 minutes + 20 minutes travel)
- 2.5 hours setup - 1 hour teardown
= 68 Hours

You can imagine that a 70 Euro investment is well worth it compared to the 68*2 hours I've saved over the past 2 years in watering time alone.

In addition to these savings, it's important to consider that:

• My plants receive water twice a day, ensuring they stay healthy and hydrated.
• The drip watering system helps in order to save a significant amount of water compared to manual watering methods.
• I save a considerable amount of physical energy by not having to carry heavy watering cans around regularly.

In conclusion, this self-watering system has been the perfect solution for me and my plants, and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of the garden size, types of plants, or proximity to home. It not only saves time and effort but also uses the water efficiently. Additionally, it eliminates the need to rely on neighbors or friends to water plants when on vacation or sick, which is ideal for someone like me who hates to ask for help lol