We have a plot of 8 acres, we grow tomatoes, cucumbers, greens. In summer 2026 we often can't come from the city, the soil dries out. We want something simple and cheap, not to run drip irrigation across the whole plot.
For eight hundred square meters with vegetables, a combined approach works well: run drip tape over the beds with tomatoes and cucumbers (it's cheap, just lies on top, easy to move around), and you can water the greens with a regular hose and a spray nozzle once every two or three days before you leave. That way you won't have to lay drip lines across the whole plot, but the critical crops will still get moisture.
Here's what a lot of people miss: before a long trip to the city, install a small water timer on your tap (costs almost nothing) and connect a hose or drip tape to it. Even the cheapest timer will turn on irrigation for an hour or two every day or every other day - that's enough to keep the soil from drying out. Drip tape uses water efficiently, so your water bill won't spike. The main thing is to test the system before you leave and make sure the pressure is strong enough.
You can skip the greens, they grow fast and aren't that sensitive to moisture interruptions. But tomatoes need regularity, otherwise they crack, and cucumbers get bitter when there's a drought. So focus on those.
I agree with the drip tape idea - it's really the most practical option for your situation. We had a similar plot when my husband and I first started gardening. Drip tape costs next to nothing (I used to buy it for 200-300 rubles per 50 meters), it installs in an hour or two right along the beds, and most importantly - it saves water three times over compared to regular hose watering. For tomatoes and cucumbers it's just perfect, because the water goes straight to the roots and the leaves stay dry.
I'd recommend getting standard drip tape with 30 cm spacing between holes, and connecting it through a simple water timer (these days you can get them for 1000-1500 rubles at any garden shop). You set the timer for early morning or evening, and the system works automatically. Greens also grow well with drip irrigation, though you can keep it simpler for those - a regular hose with micro-perforation will do the job.
The only thing - if you have water from a well or borehole on your plot, make sure the pressure is strong enough. If the pressure is weak, you'll need to buy a small pump, but that's a one-time expense. Honestly, it's so much more convenient than driving out there every single day in summer, especially when you've got a little kid at home.
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