Plant watering with pipes on the balcony

Good evening,

although it concerns a balcony, since it is about automatic plant watering, I think the thread is well placed here in Plumbing; if not, please feel free to move it.

A ready-made drip solution is out of the question for the reasons below (containers with water reservoirs).

I would prefer to build a stable pipeline, i.e., probably lay a copper pipe to be supplied by a rain barrel water pump. The pipeline (without the suction part) should run along the railing at about 1 m above the ground and be about 8 m long in total.

Several T-pieces are to be installed in this pipeline, one for each container to be watered (about 20 in total), and the end should of course be closed with an end piece.

At these T-pieces, I want to draw water to supply my containers with integrated water storage system (Lechuza) with the right amount of water for each plant container, i.e., different amounts for different plants. This should be possible with different T-piece diameters, from which I hang colorless PVC hoses and lead them into the filling openings of the containers, or will this not work that way? (Too much watering is not really possible since my containers have overflow protection.)

It would of course be even better if the outlet volume at the T-pieces could be adjusted, for example with set screws; does such a thing exist?

Now I really have absolutely no experience with laying pipes (which the interested reading plumber has probably already noticed), let alone the diameters to be used. Therefore, probably the most important question: what websites would be recommended to a mathematically proficient but plumbing layman to gain insight into the required pressures (to select a suitable pump) and transport capacities? And what tools do I need to cut the threads on the copper pipe?

Can my plan even work?

Many thanks in advance for hopefully illuminating contributions!

How much time is currently spent watering with the conventional solution? Or is it about carrying the full watering can from the barrel to the balcony?

In my parents-in-law’s horticultural business, we used domestic waterworks and suction hoses to be able to use water from wells. The operation of the waterworks was done under supervision and manually. Your idea definitely won’t be cheap if you want to do it properly.

In nurseries, however, “drip solutions” are used or watering is done with a hose. ;) Whether your idea works and maintains the cost/benefit balance remains to be seen.

Oh no, it’s neither about the time nor (i.e. not yet) about the schlepping :)

My beloved and I are simply technology freaks: whatever can be automated, we want automated. It works to our advantage that we are both in IT and have written our own home automation.

But to answer the question anyway: last year, with fewer containers, we needed a watering volume of 50-70 liters per day, this season about 20%-30% more is expected – all in all certainly no greenhouse quantities!

Regarding the “not cheap” thing, we are already expecting a (low) 4-digit amount...

Best regards Herbert

I'm just interested in this now (although I have no solution approaches ;) ), since I myself have 12 Lechuza containers on my rooftop terrace. These are all very different pieces, whose water reservoirs hold between 1.5 and 4 liters.

The basic problem for automatic water supply is probably that the containers are never all completely empty at the same time. So even a mechanism that regulates the flow rate of the T-piece according to the theoretical container volume results in too much water being supplied. Sure, that doesn't harm the containers because they have an overflow. But you would probably accept that?

And then... my containers are all at different heights, on the ground, on differently high parapets, etc. I’m currently imagining a piping system running all around with the hoses leading upwards. I probably wouldn’t like that.

One question: did you really have to distribute these amounts of water daily? I just roughly calculated, my containers hold about 35 liters together. On average, I had to water every third to fourth day. If it was particularly hot, then rather every 2 to 3 days, otherwise every 4 to 5 days. That was also the reason for the purchase, so that I could simply go on a business trip for 2 to 3 days without having to organize a watering helper each time.

I have expanded clay as water and fertilizer storage in my pots. That works great and is a good and inexpensive solution. After three days I refill with a hose. I don't want to have pipe systems lying on our terrace. Gardena offers various systems, including a professional system that might be an option, including an irrigation computer. ;)

Do you have expanded clay in buckets outside? Without soil?