A small, low-cost starter for up to eight pots or baskets, with a 150-mesh filter and 25 psi regulator, sold in the US and Canada.
Updated
- None (manual) Power
- 8 Sprinklers or emitters
- 25 ft Tubing included
- 1/4 in Main tubing size
Pros
- 150-mesh filter and 25 psi regulator included
- Eight drippers (four 1 gph, four 2 gph) for up to 8 pots or baskets
- Mounting clips for running tubing along walls, decks and posts
- Same kit (Rain Bird SKU A51003B) sold in the US and Canada
Cons
- Only 25 ft of 1/4 in tubing in the box
- No backflow preventer and no timer
- Rain Bird gives a refund policy, not a warranty period in years
- Best for
- A first drip setup on a patio or balcony with a handful of pots and hanging baskets.
- Not for
- More than about eight containers or anything in the ground; the kit has no 1/2 in main line.
Our verdict
Rain Bird’s patio kit is the simplest way into drip watering for pots, and the lowest-cost kit we track that still includes a filter and a pressure regulator. The 150-mesh filter pushes into a 25 psi regulator that screws onto an outdoor faucet or the end of a garden hose; an adapter takes 25 ft of 1/4 in tubing from there, and tees branch it to each pot. Four black 1 gph drippers suit small plants and four red 2 gph drippers larger ones, each held near its plant by a stake, and mounting clips run the tubing along a wall, deck rail or post.
That makes it a sensible first kit for a balcony or patio with up to eight containers, sold under the same Rain Bird SKU (A51003B) in both countries. It has no backflow preventer and no timer, and Rain Bird’s cover is a refund policy rather than a warranty in years. It is our budget pick in the best drip irrigation kits; see every kit in the drip kit comparison.
Setting it up
Push the mesh filter into the female end of the regulator and screw the regulator onto the faucet or hose. Push the 1/4 in tubing firmly into the small hole of the adapter (it takes some force, so the tubing stays put), then fit the adapter to the regulator. Cut the tubing and push in a tee wherever a branch should run to a plant, push each dripper’s pointed barb into the tubing, and thread the tubing through a stake near the base of the plant. A stake’s bug cap can also plug the end of a run with no dripper.
With no backflow device in the box, check that your faucet has a vacuum breaker; rules vary by town, so ask your water utility too (our backflow preventer guide explains the devices). Rain Bird’s product page still describes an older version with ten emitters for ten planters; the store listing and the printed guide describe this 40-piece kit for eight, and our specs follow those two.
Adding to it
Rain Bird sells extra 1/4 in tubing, drippers (1 gph in packs of 30, 0.5 gph in packs of 10), tees, couplings and shut-off valves to extend the kit, though the guide gives no maximum length for the tubing. To automate it, Rain Bird lists its 1ZEHTMR hose timer alongside the kit. The guide has no winter advice; our winterizing guide covers small drip kits and the faucet parts. We found no owner reviews of this kit we could read.
Rain Bird Patio Plant Watering Kit specs
Coverage
| Sprinklers or emitters | 8 |
|---|---|
| Tubing included | 25 ft |
| Coverage | not listed |
| Main tubing size | 1/4 in |
Water supply
| Pressure regulator included | Yes |
|---|---|
| Filter included | Yes |
| Backflow preventer included | No |
| Minimum flow needed | not listed |
| Minimum water pressure | not listed |
| Maximum water pressure | not listed |
| Connects to | Outdoor faucet or garden hose |
Install
| Power | None (manual) |
|---|---|
| Batteries | not listed |
Manufacturer figures, checked 2 Nov 2026. — means not listed.
Where to buy the Rain Bird Patio Plant Watering Kit
- Rain Bird Store$21.49Go to Rain Bird Store (opens in a new tab)
Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.
- Home HardwareCA$38.95Go to Home Hardware (opens in a new tab)
Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.
Rain Bird Patio Plant Watering Kit questions
How many pots can the Rain Bird Patio Plant Watering Kit water?
Up to eight plants or hanging baskets with the parts in the box: four 1 gph and four 2 gph drippers on 25 ft of tubing. Rain Bird sells extra 1/4 in tubing, drippers, tees and couplings to extend it. Rain Bird’s own product page still shows an older ten-emitter version, so check that the box says 40 pieces.
Can the patio kit run from a garden hose instead of the faucet?
Yes. Rain Bird’s guide says the regulator, with the filter pushed inside it, screws onto either an outdoor faucet or the end of a garden hose. That helps where the pots are far from the faucet: the hose carries the water, and the 1/4 in tubing starts close to the plants. Shut the water off at the faucet when you are not watering.
How long should I run the patio kit?
Rain Bird’s watering table gives starting times a week of 10, 15 or 30 minutes for small pots and 15, 30 or 45 minutes for large ones, for cool, warm or humid, and hot or dry climates. It suggests watering one or two days a week in cool weather, two or three in mild weather and three or four in hot weather, then adjusting to the plants.