Portable Watering System for Trees and Garden

thingiverse

**Water Your Trees and Garden with Ease** The Portable Watering System makes it easy to give your plants a deep and thorough watering without having to drag hoses around your property trying to get just the right flow for those roots to receive the water they need. The system consists of a bucket attached to a hollow spike, which lets water drip through the spike, penetrating below the surface and directly to the roots. Simply fill the bucket, and gravity does the rest. **Control Flow Speeds** The system offers three spike choices with different water flows. The #3 spike has an interior diameter of 3 mm and will drain a 5-gallon bucket in 1-2 hours. The #2 spike has a diameter of 2 mm and will drain in 2-4 hours. The #1 spike has a diameter of 1 mm and will drain in 6+ hours or more, based on the type of soil and moisture content you have. Clay and moist soil take longer, while loose and dry soil will be shorter. As they say, your mileage may vary. **Please Leave a Comment with Your Drain Speeds** Leave a comment below with the drain speeds you're seeing for a five-gallon bucket. **Instructions** * **Print Components** Print a stake of the desired speed and a nut. If you're not sure, I recommend printing the #2 stake. A 40% infill and a .2 mm resolution with four or more walls offers the best performance. The stake needs to be strong enough to penetrate the ground. You may also print a washer and stake cover. The stake cover is used if you leave the stake in the ground and remove the bucket, while the washer may reduce leaking. * **Bucket Prep** Get a bucket of the right size. In the US, I prefer the Lowes 5-gallon bucket for its unbeatable price of $2.98. Drill a 1" hole in the bottom of the bucket about an inch from the side and install the spike on the bottom with the optional washer and nut. Place it in the ground, fill it up, and enjoy! When you're done, you can leave the spike attached to the bucket or leave it in the ground. If you choose to do the latter, print the optional cover to prevent the spike from clogging.