Choosing a garden irrigation system
Innovative irrigation systems are one of the most essential supplies for gardens since they relieve you of the effort of watering.
They are the simplest possible way to provide plants with a steady supply of moisture, they demand your greatest harvest and prettiest flowers.
Ways to pick a garden watering system
There are no two yards that are precisely alike. Every property owner would tell you that a garden is as individual as the person who maintains it. When choosing a garden irrigation system, there are numerous facts to take into consideration. Which type of garden watering system is going to get your plants to flourish? Below is a guideline to assist you in deciding the most appropriate one.
Garden Irrigation
Effective irrigation is possibly the greatest challenge for those who own a garden. Supplying your plants with the proper amount of water is essential, but you also want to be able to do it in a manner that encourages water efficiency. Some watering systems perform over others in terms of efficiency. Our advice is to start by asking yourself a couple of key questions before you decide which irrigation system is right for you:
- What are the irrigation demands of your plant varieties? Each plant has unique demands, and you should understand how each plant impacts the entire watering pattern.
- What are the limitations of your climate? Clearly, if you are living in a hot and dry area, you will need to water more often.
- What amount of precipitation can you anticipate? This would help you decide how much irrigation you will likely need per year.
- How about the sun and shade orientation? Areas in direct sunlight need a greater volume of water, whereas shady spots are prone to overwatering and can cause problems with plant health.
- Is your terrain on a slope? Yards are not often laid out on perfectly flat terrain, therefore you have to understand the way the slope impacts water drainage.
Once you have the answers to each of these issues, you will be in a stronger position to pick the proper garden irrigation system. So that you don’t have to run extension cables through your lawn and beds, the outdoor power socket supplies power exactly in the middle. In addition, it is often made slightly hidden and inconspicuous – in the form of a spike, column, or imitation natural stone.
Advantages of irrigation system
- You set them up one time and keep them set throughout the season.
- Just twist on the tap to irrigate the plants; no need for hoses or sprinklers to haul around.
- It takes just a few moments to set up – you only need scissors to trim the tubing to the proper length.
- Adaptable systems preserve water by irrigating the plants, not the walkways.
- When you add a time switch, your garden irrigates on its own!
The most preferred watering system for your yard
Now that you’ve got the issues clarified above, perhaps it’s time to look at the very best garden watering system for your plants. Now, there is a range of the most preferred picks. They each come with their specific pros and cons.
In-ground sprinkler systems demand careful installation and ongoing attention to service. These kinds of backyard irrigation systems can be costlier to set up and upkeep in comparison to other kinds, although they may be a decent pick for homeowners who may not have a great deal of time to spend actively working on their landscaping. A favorite choice for the home gardener is a soaker hose system or a sprinkler hose system. While both options are more affordable, they also enable you to have a major, proactive role in irrigating your backyard.
Sprinkler hoses use a porous material designed to let the water seep through at regular intervals across the whole length of the hose. Because many sizes of hoses are offered in stock, you can adjust the configuration of your soaker hoses to fit your individual tastes as well as preserve the design of your plants. They also ensure uniform spreading of water to give each plant the hydration it needs.
Sprinkler hose systems accomplish the same objective in another manner. The water is sprayed upwards from the hose. While this can be advantageous, you have to be mindful of not letting surplus water remain on the leaves of your plants.
What’s cool about these two choices is they don’t need any custom setup. You just plug them into your tap, locate them, then leave the hose to do all the tough stuff.
Lastly, drip irrigation systems function much like soaker hoses because they can be rolled in whatever pattern you want, though they’re considered preferable for anyone who has a big, uniform garden. In fact, these may be one of the very best irrigation systems to use for a big veggie plot that is spaced orderly in long lines, since they provide accurate watering. As opposed to a soaker hose, where the water seeps down the whole length of the hose, a drip hose only delivers water wherever you locate the drip ports, so it is highly water-efficient.
4 tips for selecting the garden irrigation system
Well, they were absolutely right in saying that water is life since it supports many of them. But manually watering your lawn, gardens, and flower beds consumes time. Particularly for your garden, you have to choose the best way to deliver water to your garden’s vegetables comfortably. The answer is an irrigation system. However, the challenge is in picking one. Below are the four tips you must follow when picking a garden irrigation system.
1. Soil type
There are several soil types, each with its unique capacity to hold, soak in, and hold water. Understanding the specific composition of the soil in your garden will impact how it takes in water, and therefore you will have to use a different irrigation system. For instance, if it is clay soil, then it will take up more water, whereas sand absorbs less water.
Knowing about your soil type is essential, as it can help you pick a better irrigation method. Two types of irrigation systems are available for you to pick from Drip irrigation systems, which generally spread the water to the root zones, and sprinklers or sprayers, which spread the water throughout the air.
2. The size of your garden
If your garden is small, you can opt for the simplest watering method, which is the watering can. All you have to do is refill the watering can with the collected rainwater. Even though it is not the most common way of watering your plants, it can be a part of your routine while watching your garden.
If your garden is larger, watering by hand is not appropriate. You can opt for a garden hose. They are easier to set up and very affordable. Remember that you will need a faucet to connect the hose, so make sure the faucet is near your garden. What if there is no faucet nearby? You can use a liquid transfer hand pump and connect your hose to it. The hand pump is the best alternative as it will help you to transfer liquids from the container effectively.
However, you will have to do a lot for it, which you may not find so convenient. Therefore, when buying a hose, look for one that is longer and has different settings so that you can control the flow of water depending on the plants you are watering. Also, choose one that you can afford and that will last a long time.
3. Consider the water
Water is an important factor when choosing your garden irrigation system. The location of the water and its availability are important. What is your source? A pond, a lake, a well, or a water tank? If the water pressure is low, you will most likely rule out the sprinkler. A drip system will be more appropriate in that case.
Another point to consider is whether the water contains any minerals or chlorine. Rainwater is pure, but tap water is usually treated. Treated water can damage leaves if sprayed, and the best way to apply it to the ground is through a drip system.
Most drip irrigation systems require filtration to remove minerals or chemicals from below that would ruin plants. Consider testing your water for pathogens present in the water before you use it.
4. Types of plants play a role
The type of plants you grow in your garden will dictate the kind of water you will use. For instance, you’ll likely want a separate system for your herb garden than for your grass lawn. It will also vary based on whether you have hanging baskets, containers, trees, bushes, flower beds, seedbeds, etc.
Certain plants will pick up a fungal infection if using a sprinkler system, as well as some plants may get overgrown, preventing the water from getting to all parts of the garden.
Choosing your irrigation system
The proper garden irrigation system for your house has to be a trustworthy and properly serviced system. It should add beauty, healthy food, and water efficiency to your life and the life of your garden. Adhering to a few fundamental hints and tips can assist you in obtaining the very best out of your irrigation system.
Consider customizing your irrigation system to your local climate and growing environment. The best system shouldn’t just provide the water needed by your plants steadily, it should also supply the nutrients your plants depend on to flourish and grow to their ideal size.
Using a garden hose
Watering with a hose is the simplest way to supply water. Unfortunately, this method is tiring, time-consuming, and inefficient.
In addition, it can limit you. It requires you to be at home and provide the right amount of water at the right time best.
Hose irrigation also requires some strength. It takes some muscle to haul heavy hoses around and hold them for long periods of time to provide an adequate amount of water to your flower and vegetable beds each day. And then there are the inevitable kinks to deal with.
Rewinding the hose each time you’re done is another less-than-glorious task. And if you’re going away for a weekend or a vacation, who’s going to do the watering, and how reliable is it? Coming home with a bunch of dried up, dying or dead plants would be a terrible way to end your well-deserved vacation.
The sprinkler solution
A sprinkler irrigation system is able to provide coverage to a large area with the help of sprinklers supplied by below-ground PVC artificial piping. While they can waste a lot of water, sprinklers irrigate lawns and flower beds without a problem. Moreover, they are discreet, since they only show up when watering.
The disadvantage of sprinklers is you will waste a lot of valuable water due to evaporation. By watering a flower bed in this way, the weeds come up well because the whole ground surface is getting some water. You will be wasting water on the weeds, and you will be losing a lot of time weeding.
If you decide to buy a lawn sprinkler, there are a lot of choices that can be found online or in great retail stores. Make certain you always pick the highest quality sprinklers to prevent expensive service issues in the future. Picking the proper sprinkler can be challenging. Be sure to do some research before you decide to take a plunge into this overcrowded market.
The advantages of drip irrigation
Actually, the overall best irrigation system for using vegetable plots, flowers, trees, and other irrigation purposes is dripping irrigation. A garden drip irrigation system can save water, time, and funds. A correctly set up drip system operates itself at a specific time of the day for a certain period of time. As a result, you won’t need to spend a lot of time holding a hose. You even do not need to be at home at all.
Drip systems, or drip kits, offer all the pieces needed to get your yard fully established exactly the way you need it to be. When you start with a drip kit, you receive full directions, simple to-do how-to videos, along all the pieces you’ll require.
How to set up a drip irrigation system
If you are thinking about purchasing a drip irrigation system, the first thing you should do is sketch a layout of your garden. Show the approximate distances from the faucet to the garden beds, including the size of the beds.
Drip irrigation systems provide a way to either drip or spray your plants through the same mainline that supplies water to the entire garden. Although most gardeners use drip irrigation, there are also sprinklers on stakes to spray water from an elevated level.
You can also insert sprayers directly into the main water line (1/2″ poly hoses) and spray from a height of a few inches.
When to irrigate
Using a battery timer installed on the faucet is essential for the efficient operation of a drip system. You can save water with these easy-to-program timers. You can also program the timer to water exactly as long as you want and at the best times of the day. Furthermore, you can set it and forget it, even if you choose other types of timers like wind-up or solar.
In general, you should water your plants every few days, allowing the soil to drain but staying moist. Your watering schedule may vary depending on rainfall and the type of plants you are watering.
Another great advantage of a drip system is the ability to fertilize while the system is running. You can do this with the help of a fertilizer injector. Simply install it directly in the main line of the poly pipe. The fertilizer added to the injector will slowly spread as the water runs to the plants.
The most popular products for drip irrigation:
- 1/4″ Soaker Dripline: This is a highly portable product that is both versatile and simple to set up. It can be used nearly everywhere you need it. It is supplied in rolls of 50′, 100′ or 500′. Making it perfect for use in small to medium-sized raised beds, around shrubs and bushes, as well as in containers on a terrace or outdoor patio. These 1/4″ pipes come with factory emitters arranged every six, nine, or 12 inches. It functions well up to a really low water pressure of 2 psi and spreads the water uniformly up to 30 psi.
- 1/2″ Emitter Pipe: This 1/2″ pipe features factory-fitted pressure compensating internal emitters located every nine, 12, 18, 24, or 36 inches apart based on your preference. It significantly decreases the time it takes to set up your system and spreads water uniformly over long runs and hilly areas. Many gardeners run their 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch main line past a garden bed or fruit tree, then branch from the mainline to circle each plant a couple of times using the emitter hose. For uniform flow, the pressure rating range is 10 to 50 psi.
- Aqua Traxx Drip Tape: This tape is perfect for uniform water distribution across extended (100 yards or more) lines for either small or large farms. You can choose to mount this drip tape on top of the ground, mulched, or dug in. It is great for low-pressure systems up to four psi. Water pressure controllers are suggested to get the greatest performance.
Conclusion
Picking the proper irrigation system for your garden is essential if you wish to maintain it in excellent shape. Therefore, consider the mentioned systems above and choose which one is the most appropriate for you.
Drip Irrigation Basics - Video
FAQ - Metal Cutting Band Saw
❓ How often should I water with a drip system?
We recommend you run drip irrigation systems: Twice a week in spring and fall. Every other day in the summer. Once a week or every other week in winter.
❓ Can drip emitters be buried?
Supply tubing and feeder lines can be buried. However, drip tubing should not be buried. If buried, you risk clogging the emitters. If you do not want your drip tubing exposed, you can cover it with mulch.
❓ What time of day is best for drip irrigation?
The best time of day to begin irrigation is after nightfall. The irrigation cycle should end early enough before sunrise to allow excess water to soak into the landscape so that the leaves will dry in the normal time period.
It was really helpful when you stated that irrigation sprinkler systems are some of the best choices for vegetable plots. We plan to start our own homegrown vegetable project, so I figured I should search for a way to grow them properly without the hassle of water management, so they can grow properly and be great for consumption. I’ll take your word for it and find any services that can install an irrigation system like this for us.
We’re glad to read it.
Thanks and good luck.