Getting Soaked in a Good Way
26 Jul 2014
There’s more than one way to get soaked if you’re a plant.
Here’s a comparison of four irrigation systems to help you find ones that suit your garden.
By Mary Lynn Bruny
Are you sick of the endless time-consuming chore of hand-watering your garden beds? Adding an automated irrigation system certainly makes gardening more enjoyable. There are several options to consider, whether you install a system yourself or hire a landscaper to do it.
Professionally installed irrigation systems have one master programmable control box, usually placed on the inside or outside garage wall, and the system runs off of a designated water supply from the home. Homeowner-installed systems run off the home’s hose bib with a battery-operated programmable timer.
Both professional and homeowner-installed systems can be set up to have different “zones” or garden areas where you can program the watering days, start times and watering duration.
- A drip system supplies more water to a particular area, so you can grow thirstier plants in places where you have drip emitters running to trees and shrubs. Photo by www.plantnurserytampa.com
Here’s a look at four common systems:
- Shrub riser irrigation systems are best for large areas with low plants that have similar water requirements. Photo by subin Pumsom.
- Microjet risers can spray water anywhere from 2 to 24 inches. They’re best for areas with similar shallow-rooted plants, such as ground covers or annuals, and those with different watering needs like vegetable gardens. Photo by Becky Hammond.
- Netafim systems are becoming more popular. They’re easier to install and adjust than drip systems, but not quite as water efficient. Photo by www.netafimusa.com.
DIY TIPS
Landscape architect Becky Hammond offers the following tips for homeowners who want to install their own irrigation system:- Don’t buy materials or build anything until you’ve done quite a bit of research. Check out helpful online sources such as www.gardengirltv.com and www.dripirrigation.com.
- Don’t get overwhelmed trying to do an entire drip-system installation in one season. Instead, add a new area each spring. See “Go Ahead, Be a Drip” in the summer 2011 online issue of Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine at www.homeandgardenmag.com for DIY drip-system installation instructions. Unless you’re watering annuals, don’t water every day. Plants need to dry out between waterings.
- Don’t overload a system or risk making it ineffective from lack of pressure.
- You get what you pay for. Buy high-quality products that will last. Avoid using thin-walled pipe that kinks easily, which will stop water flow.
- If plants have droopy yellow leaves that don’t fall off, they’re getting too much water. If plants have crunchy dried-up leaves that fall off, they’re not getting enough water.
- If you want to add a zone for potted annuals that you water daily, buy a two- or three-program controller that gives you more flexibility. “Today’s digital controllers come in two-program or three-program models,” Hammond notes. “Each program dictates what days the zones on that program run, and how many times in a single day. Sod is watered three to four times a week; xeric shrubs twice a week; and annual pots every day. So they each need their own program for the most efficient water use.”