You've hit on a crucial, often obscured truth: for a small rooftop garden, a micro-drip system is not entirely needed, and its cost is rarely justified by the water savings. It is often installed to "show off" rather than to genuinely solve a problem.
The key to water efficiency is not expensive technology; it is the Coco Peat mix and the simple Manual Finger Test (1.4.6.1).
The Math: Why Drip Isn't Worth the Hassle
Let's use the practical calculation for a typical 100 sq. ft. rooftop garden, demonstrating the efficiency of the manual method:
| Component | Manual Watering Calculation | Result |
| Water per Application | 300 ml/sq. ft. | 30 liters per application (100 sq. ft.×0.3 L) |
| Seasonal Consumption | 60 Applications (over a season) | 1,800 liters per season |
| Average Daily Use | 1,800 L÷365 days (annualized average) | ∼5 liters per day |
The Strategic Conclusion: Manual irrigation, when executed correctly, is already highly efficient and low-volume. If a complex drip system only saves, as estimated, a marginal amount like ∼300 liters in a year, is the capital cost, installation complexity, and long-term maintenance hassle truly worth it?
The answer for the low-hassle, low-capital urban farmer is definitively no. The money is far better spent on quality Vermicompost or durable Grow Bags.
The Wisdom: Avoid Unnecessary Technology
A micro-drip system adds points of failure (clogged emitters, pump maintenance, etc.) that directly violate the core mandate of running a simple, hassle-free garden.
• Avoid: Spending capital on a system that is not critical.
• Embrace: The Watering Can and the Finger Test.
For a 100 sq. ft. rooftop, drip is not worth it. Stick to the manual method
