This is stupidly simple, but to be honest, I’m not sure it if really saves work or even irrigates evenly at least as far as the garden goes. I adapted this system from watering trees.
I drilled 1/16″ holes around one quarter of the base of multiple buckets. I set the buckets on a pair of bricks that raise it over the edge of the garden beds. Then I filled intact 5 gallon buckets from the well carrying a pair at a time for balance and efficiency. Hopefully the well water will be replaced with my rainwater catchment system (post).
I like this method because I can carry the water, fill the irrigation buckets and go work on something else until they drain. Or with a total of 6 buckets, a leapfrog strategy can be conducted where the first pair is empty by the time the last two are filled. The water also goes directly in the ground rather than sprayed on the leaves which is important with plants like grapes and asparagus with which disease is promoted if the foliage is damp for too long. If I irrigate in the evening, evaporation is negligible. Also I add a small amount of vinegar to the blueberry water to make sure the water from my well is slightly acidic.
Trees need about 5 gallons per week which is the exact capacity of my buckets.
However, if a plant stem in the garden is in line with the little jet of water, the water won’t reach the middle of the bed like they holes are sized to do. It also takes more time than anticipated to continuously move bricks and buckets.
I’ve only had to irrigate once this summer so I am unsure if I’m sold on this system. For trees, definitely but I’m not so sure for the garden.
thegreenergrassfarm 
We have used the same type of system too during heat waves. Thanks for the vinegar/blueberry tip.
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You are very welcome! Please take it very easy on the vinegar. I use 5% and no more than 1 Tbsp per gallon of water. I am afraid of burning the roots!
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Thanks! I have to gather all these great tips I have been given this season and store them. Can’t wait to try it, I just never have luck. Not one berry in years!
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Good tip on the blueberries. I also use a “tea” that I make from spent coffee grounds to battle my alkaline soil. It’s the only way I can grow blueberries here in San Diego.
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Cool strategy! I want to try the same thing with oak leaves. From my research, coffee grounds were 6.1 pH which isn’t enough to independently acidify soil, but achieves the same maintenance purpose of my vinegar. Granted that is the spent grounds entirely since most of the acidic compounds in coffee are water soluble. Any chance you could get a pH reading of your tea? If not I may try the method myself!
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I did in fact do a pH test and got a reading of 5.5. I wonder if the type of coffee has an effect? I drink dark roast and perhaps it’s more acidic. The water that you mix it with will also have a factor in raising the pH. When I only added a small amount of water the pH was much lower, in the 4.5 range. Now I’m wondering if a teaspoon of vinegar added to the tea will reap better results. Nitrogen as well as acidic!
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