Drip Tape Guide

Drip tape is a cost-effective and highly efficient irrigation solution that delivers water and nutrients straight to the root zone of plants. It is a low-pressure system that is used to water straight, long row crops in farms and gardens. Choosing the right drip tape for your irrigation project is important to reduce water wastage, optimize nutrient delivery, and ensure greater yields. However, this decision can feel challenging. But don't worry.

Our drip irrigation experts have designed this guide to simplify the selection process and help you choose the best roll of drip tape by considering four main factors. These factors include the diameter of the drip tape, wall thickness, emitter spacing, and flow rate.

After reading this guide, you will be able to make informed decisions and purchase the right drip tape based on your soil type, crop type, terrain, and watering needs.

What is Drip Tape?

Drip tape, also known as flat tape, is a high-quality, flexible irrigation tubing with evenly spaced, built-in emitters that deliver water directly to the base of plants. This water-efficient low-flow system is widely used by gardeners and commercial farmers to irrigate long rows of crops and garden beds. The tape is placed along the row of crops to water them precisely.

Drip tape can be installed above the soil surface along rows, mulched, or buried underground. It releases small water droplets to water specific areas, rather than spraying a large stream of water on plants like sprinklers. If your project has a gravity-fed water source, drip tape is the best way to water your plants. However, install a fine mesh filter at the beginning of your tape to prevent debris from entering your system.

Once installed, drip tape reduces water wastage, improves plant health, prevents diseases, suppresses weeds, and saves time and labor. Another significant advantage of using drip tape is that it can deliver fertilizer accurately to your crops, along with irrigation water, ensuring optimal nutrition for your plants. This efficient method of supplying water and nutrients to crops will yield healthier plants, faster growth rates, and earlier harvests.

Drip Tape Diameter

Drip tape is available in four diameters on the market. The most common and smallest size is 5/8";. DripWorks drip tapes are 5/8 in diameter because most drip tape sizes sold are 5/8";. The other diameters are 7/8", 1 1/8" & 1 3/8". 

If you are purchasing drip tape for a small farm or a garden with row lengths of 600 feet or less, we recommend using the 5/8" tape. Use 5/8"; tape fittings with this drip tape for secure connections. The larger sizes are only used in large agricultural operations.

Drip Tape Wall Thickness

The drip tape wall thickness is measured in mil (1 mil equals 0.001 inch). Available tape thicknesses range from 6 to 15 mil. 6 mil is the thinnest, while 15 mil is the thickest. If you're new to using drip tape, we highly recommend starting with 15 mil. Thinner-walled drip tape can be damaged by someone untrained in drip tape installation.

 For home gardens, it is best to use 15 mil tape.  It will last for multiple growing seasons, whereas the thin-walled drip tape will only last for one or two seasons of use. 15 mil tape is tape is more costly than thinner tapes, but its ability to last for several seasons will save money in the long run.

• 6-8 mil: Suitable for short season crops such as lettuce, spinach, and leafy greens.
• 10-15 mil: Ideal for seasonal crops with normal soil conditions.
• 15+ mil: Best for perennial crops and rocky soil type to prevent wear.

Drip Tape Emitter Spacing

Drip tape features pre-built drip points to release water, eliminating the need to purchase extra drippers or emitters. Also, it's important to note that no additional drip emitters can be added to the drip tape. Unlike drip tubing, you cannot punch holes into drip tape to insert barbed drippers.  Emitters are already installed at fixed distances across the entire roll of tape. Emitter spacing in drip tape ranges from 6 inches to 60 inches.

For home gardens, the most common emitter spacing is 12".  This means there will be a drip point every 12" throughout the entire run of tape.  You should match the spacing to the crop type you want to water.

Best Drip Tape Emitter Spacing for Row Crops

Below, we share the popular emitter spacings and the row crops or applications that will benefit from each emitter spacing.

4-6 inches: Best for flowers, peppers, onions, garlic, carrots, germination, and greenhouses.

8 inches: Suitable for germination, vegetables, and strawberries.

12 inches: Best all-around choice for all row crops.

16 inches or more: Suitable for larger row crops like corn and potatoes.

60 inches: Recommended for hops and blueberries.

Drip Tape Flow Rate Selection

Consider these three factors to choose the right flow rate for your drip tape.

Run Length

Run length is the maximum distance the single line of drip irrigation tape can deliver water from your water source to the furthest emitter. Longer run lengths for each row of tape require a lower flow rate per emitter, allowing water to reach all crops. The reason for this is that longer run lengths have more emitters, and the number of increasing emitters increases the amount of water used per line. Therefore, to avoid exceeding the system's capacity, lower emitter flow rates are used to support longer tape runs.

If you need tape run lengths of 500 feet or more, we highly recommend using a "low flow" emitter. However, if you plan a home garden drip tape system, a run length won't be a limiting factor because the rows are often short, and you can use any of the emitter flow rates.

Soil Type

Soil type is also a crucial factor to consider for drip tape systems, regardless of the project's size. There are three primary types of soil: clay, loam, and sand. The flow rates for each soil type are listed below.

• Sandy Soil: Requires higher flow rates (.33 to .46 GPH) to prevent excess drainage.
• Loamy Soil: Medium or high flow rates (.18 to .46 GPH) work best.
• Clay Soil: Low flow rates (.11 to .16 GPH) are ideal to prevent runoff.

Water Filtration

This is another crucial thing to consider when choosing an emitter flow rate. Drip irrigation systems require proper filtration to prevent debris and other organic materials from clogging the emitters. If you're using a Drip tape, make sure you install a good irrigation filter at the start of the tape. Additionally, if you know your water is hard or has mineral buildup, it is best to use a high-flow emitter to extend the life of the drip tape.

When Should You Use a Drip Tape System?

Drip tape is an ideal irrigation choice for growing high-value row crops. It works best in applications with long, straight runs. It is good for plants that will remain in the same location until they're fully developed. It is not best to use it in applications with curves, bends, or significant elevation changes.

Why Should You Run Drip Tape at Low Pressure?

Drip tape is a low-pressure system because its walls are thinner than drip irrigation tubing. Too much water pressure may cause the drip tape to burst.  Therefore, it is essential to install a pressure regulator in your drip tape system so that the system operates at or below the maximum operating pressure.

What is the Best Emitter Spacing for Vegetables?

A spacing of 8-12 inches is ideal for most vegetable crops. For closely planted vegetables, choose tape with an emitter spacing of 4-6 inches.

How Can You Prevent Clogging in a Drip Tape System?

Use good-quality water for irrigation and flush the drip tape regularly to remove buildup and prolong the life of your tape.

Get Best-Quality Drip Tape from DripWorks

Drip tape is a game-changer in sustainable watering practices, from irrigating small gardens to large farms. DripWorks offers premium-quality drip irrigation tape in various styles to meet the diverse irrigation needs of our customers. You can choose between tapes with low, medium, and high flow rates.

Our tapes have been used by backyard gardeners and commercial farmers for years. The wall thicknesses of our drip tapes range from 6 mils to 15 mils, which allows you to select the ideal product for your irrigation project and budget.  We offer tape rolls ranging from 100 feet to 4,000 feet, allowing you to easily order the exact amount you require for your project. All our irrigation tapes are 5/8" in size, which is the most popular tape diameter. Use them with 5/8" drip tape fittings.

Enhance Your Irrigation Efficiency with Drip Tape Row Crop Kits

If you're looking for a ready-to-install drip tape solution for watering garden beds and long rows, you'll love our Drip Tape Row Crop Kit. We offer these kits in three new sizes, featuring advanced Aqua-Traxx drip tape, drip tape fittings, a filter, a psi regulator, mainline tubing, and all the essential components you need to install the complete drip system.

Discover the best-quality rolls of drip tape, drip tape fittings, and drip tape row crop kits at the most affordable prices.