k0ua
Epic Contributor
Go to Lowe's or another big box store and look at drip irrigation systems. They are not usually in the lawn and garden section, they are in plumbing by the other in-ground sprinkler systems. You can get a starter system for cheap, and then add on to it over the next few years, or, you can buy the whole shooting match at once.
Anyway, I ran a flexible poly pipe all the way around my house and also tee'd it off several times to flower beds, deck, patio, etc....
From the poly pipe you have a little poker tool that pokes a hole in the pipe with your hand. You push in a connector, push a small rubber hose onto the connector, run the small hose next to your plant, shrub, flower pot, etc.... and put a head on the end of it. I use adjustable drippers. Dial in the amount of water you want coming out and off you go.
I have mine on a cheap battery operated timer, so my flowers get watered for 20 minutes once a day and my garden gets watered for an hour.
Anyhow, I have about 100' of poly pipe, 200' of the small rubber hoses, 50-60 heads of various drip and spray, and another 200' of poly pipe burried out to the garden. I spend about 20-40 dollars a year adding more to the system, always expanding it. It waters my flower beds, shrubs, hanging baskets, flower boxes.... heck I even have it filling my bird bath daily.
Here's a link to Lowe's stuff, but its available at many other places. Its worth checking out.
Shop Drip Irrigation at Lowes.com!
What he said. We have the same thing.. it seems to work well, and is easy to install and maintain.. Just cover with mulch. and you are good to go!