Drip Tape, Dripline & Poly Tubing
Drip irrigation puts water right at the root zone, where your plants actually use it. This guide breaks down the three building blocks of every drip system, what each one is built for, and how to pick the right combination for your farm, orchard, vineyard or garden.
- Uses less water
- Better crop quality
- Fewer weeds between rows
Drip Tape vs. Dripline vs. Poly Tubing
Two of these carry emitters and water the plants. The third is the supply line that feeds them. Most systems use poly tubing plus either tape or dripline.
Drip Tape
Thin-walled, flexible tape with emitters molded right into it. Built for long, straight rows where cost per foot matters most.
- Vegetable and row crops
- Annual and seasonal plantings
- Large fields on a budget
- Pressure
- Low, about 6–15 PSI
- Wall
- Rated in mil
- Layout
- Straight runs
- Turns
- Use fittings, not bends
Dripline PC or Non-PC
Thicker-walled tubing with emitters built into the wall at fixed spacing. More durable than tape, handles higher pressure and more kinds of layouts.
- Orchards, vineyards and berries
- Perennial beds and landscapes
- Slopes, with pressure-compensating (PC) emitters
- Durability
- Multi-year to permanent
- Pressure
- Handles higher PSI
- Layout
- Curves & contours
- Terrain
- Slopes with PC
Poly Tubing
Solid polyethylene tubing with no emitters. It's the mainline and sub-main that carries water from your source to every row of tape or dripline.
- Connecting source, filter and regulator
- Supply runs along headlands or between beds
- Feeding tape, dripline or micro-sprinklers
- Sizes
- 1/2" to 1"
- Emitters
- None, add your own
- Connects with
- Starter fittings
- Ratings
- Multiple PSI classes
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Drip Tape | Dripline | Poly Tubing |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Waters the row | Waters the row or plant | Carries water to the rows |
| Wall | Thin, rated in mil | Thick, rigid tubing | Solid wall, no emitters |
| Emitters | Molded in at even spacing | Built into wall, PC or non-PC | None, punch in your own |
| Pressure | Low, about 6–15 PSI | Handles higher pressure | Higher pressure & flow |
| Layout | Long, straight, flat rows | Curves, contours & slopes | Mainline & sub-main |
| Service life | One season to several, by mil | Multi-year or permanent | Long-term |
| Upfront cost | Lowest per foot | Higher, built to last | Sized to system flow |
| Typical crops | Vegetables, row crops, annuals | Trees, vines, berries, perennials | Every drip system |
Which Product Should I Choose?
Start with these six questions about your project. The answers point you straight to the right products.
ChooseDrip Tape when…
- You're watering long, straight row crops or vegetable beds
- You want the lowest cost per foot on a big planting
- Most runs are fairly flat and straight
- Replacing tape after a season or a few (depending on mil) is fine
ChooseDripline when…
- You're watering orchards, vineyards, berries or permanent beds
- Your rows curve or run across slopes
- You want longer service life and tougher tubing
- You want pressure-compensating emitters for even flow on elevation changes
ChoosePoly Tubing when…
- You need a mainline or sub-main to feed tape, dripline or micro-sprinklers
- You want to place emitters or branch lines exactly where you need them
- You need more pressure or flow than emitter tubing can carry
Sizes, Flow Rates & Spacing
Four numbers decide how a drip product performs. Here's what each one means and how to pick it.
Diameter
Larger tubing carries more water over longer distances with less pressure loss.
Running long rows or many rows at once? Step up the mainline size before you step up pressure.
Wall Thickness (Mil)
Drip tape walls are measured in mil, thousandths of an inch. Thicker walls last longer and stand up to rougher conditions.
Emitter Spacing
Emitters sit at a set interval along the tape or dripline. Match the spacing to how close your plants are.
Tight crops like leafy greens and onions
Most vegetable rows: tomatoes, peppers, squash
Widely spaced plants, trees and vines
Flow Rate
Drip products are rated one of two ways. Your total system flow sets how many rows you can run at the same time.
Exact flow specs for every coil are listed on each product page in our Drip Tape & Dripline category.
IrrigationKing Premium Drip Tape
Offered in multiple wall thicknesses and coil lengths, so you can match the life of your tape to your crop rotation.
- Anti-reflux slit emitter
- Large-section labyrinth
- Turbulent flow path
- Inlet filter
Basic Drip System Layout
Nearly every drip system follows the same path from the water source to the end of the row.
Water Source
Hose bib, pump or an existing mainline.
Pressure Regulator
Drops pressure into the range your tape or dripline is rated for.
Shop regulators →
Tape or Dripline Laterals
Branch off the mainline with starter fittings, one per row.
Shop tape fittings →
What This Looks Like in Practice
Three common projects and the products we'd put together for each.
Backyard Vegetable Garden
Several 50–75 ft rows on fairly flat ground
- At the spigot
- Y-filter plus a 10–15 PSI pressure regulator
- Mainline
- 1/2" or 5/8" poly tubing along one end of the beds
- Rows
- 5/8", 8 mil drip tape with 8" or 12" emitter spacing
- Connections
- Starter fittings off the mainline; end plugs or figure-8 clamps at row ends
Vegetable & Row Crop Field
Longer rows and larger plantings
- Mainline
- Larger poly tubing or lay flat to carry higher flows
- Rows
- Heavier 10–15 mil drip tape if you plan to reuse it for several seasons
- Spacing & flow
- Matched to your crop spacing and soil type
- Fittings
- Drip tape fittings made for quick installs and field repairs
Orchards, Vineyards & Perennials
Trees, vines and perennial beds
- Rows
- Dripline with pressure-compensating emitters for even watering on slopes
- Mainline
- Poly tubing along the row, with one or more lines of dripline at each plant row
- Built to last
- Long-life tubing and fittings rated for multi-year use
Installation & Maintenance Tips
Need Help Designing Your Drip System?
Not sure which mix of drip tape, dripline and poly tubing fits your project? Send our team your crop, row length, water source and terrain, and we'll recommend the right products from our Drip Tape & Dripline and Lay Flat & Poly selection.