Florafelt Pro System - Irrigation
About | Design Ideas | Easy Install Guide | Grid Mounting | Water Shields | Felting | Irrigation | Planting | Spec Sheets | Architectural Specifications | Drip Irrigation Guide | Recirculating Irrigation Guide
Drip Irrigation
Install a Standard Drip System Only Across the Top
Install a standard drip irrigation system with a drip line only across the top. Water will wick down to water each plant. Provide a hose timer with mesh filter inline. Or you can connect to a larger irrigation system. Provide an independent zone for the living wall for custom timing.
Use 2 each of the drip emitters per pocket column.
Locate at the front edge of the wire grid
Attach with zip ties.
Important: DO NOT INSTALL DRIP SYSTEM AT EACH POCKET ROW
Pressure will favor the lower pockets and leave the top dry. Water will always wick downward and reach the lower levels. Florafelt walls usually tend to be more moist at the bottom.
Create Multiple Zones for Different Exposures
If you wall has multiple exposures to sun or wind or there are very long runs, consider adding multiple zones.
Water Filtration
If you have hard water or a highly treated water source, consider filtering your irrigation water using an 5 micron carbon hose filter.
Plant Food Injector
Feed you wall using a fertilizer injector. A light constant feeding will greatly help your wall to thrive.
Drip System Drain Tray
Install a drain tray at the base to collect excess water. Direct this to a drain or elsewhere in the garden.
How It Works
Drip lines at top
Water wicks down
The entire wall is typically irrigated from the top only with drip emitters that slowly add moisture to the wall.
Water wicks down to each root-wrapped plant where roots begin to grow from their original soil into the felt.
Water is efficiently absorbed throughout the wall to water each plant.
Recirculating Irrigation
Water Tank at the Base
A tank at the base will act as a water reservoir. Water will be recirculated using the pump below. A timer is located out of sight. Provide a hole behind the system is large enough to fit the submersible water pump’s 3-prong cord.
Tank Sizing
Size the tank to 1 gallon per square foot of living wall, or larger.
Irrigation Tubing with Open Holes
Irrigation tubing is attached to the top of the grid using zip ties. For this recirculating system, 3/8″ holes are drilled into the tubing. One is located above each grid column.
Install ⅝-inch irrigation tubing across the top of the installation with ⅜-inch holes for each pocket. Build and test the system to ensure adequate flow. Larger systems may require multiple pumps or larger tubing.
DO NOT USE DRIP EMITTERS WITH RECIRCULATING SYSTEMS.
The small openings in the drip emitters will quickly clog. Always use open hole tubing with recirculating systems.
Florafelt Recirculating Vertical Garden with Hidden Tank
Recirculating System with Drain Tray and tank
Similar to the drip system, you can provide a drain tray at the base to collect the runoff to be directed to a tank below.
Pump
Provide a pump with a pumping height (pump head) of 2 to 3 feet higher than the installation.
Timer
Connect to a grounded exterior rated timer to customize the watering schedule.