A drip system sends water straight to the roots instead of spraying it across the whole bed — and the branded kits are mostly tubing you can buy by the foot for far less. Build your own from bulk parts and it pays for itself in a season.
Because the water goes to the soil and not the leaves, foliage stays dry and there is less fungal disease, and because the row middles stay dry, fewer weeds come up to compete. Add a cheap timer and the garden waters itself early each morning, deep and slow, even while you are away. Extension trials put the savings around 30 to 50 percent over a sprinkler or hose.
A few honest notes: emitters can clog, so flush the lines and check them now and then, and drain the system before a hard freeze. The upfront cost runs higher than a bare hose, but the lower water bill and the saved time make it back.
How to build it (45 minutes, one person):
1. At the spigot, thread on a backflow preventer first, then a hose timer, a pressure reducer, and a filter. The backflow preventer keeps garden water out of your drinking supply.
2. Run 1/2-inch poly mainline down the center of each bed and pin it with stakes.
3. Punch 1/4-inch emitter line to each plant, then cap the open ends.
4. Set the timer for early morning, long and slow, two or three times a week.
5. Run it once while you watch — fix any dry spots or leaks, adjust emitters.