With conventional watering systems, water is lost through run off, evaporation, blown away by wind, and wasted on non-growth areas. The drip irrigation method is typically more than 90% efficient at allowing plants to use the water applied, whereas sprinklers are only 70% efficient.
It makes sense to install a drip irrigation system in your yard. Then you don’t need to worry about getting the right amount of water at the right time, nor do you have to move sprinklers all the time.
An irrigation system is not cheap, however it will pay for itself over time and most do it yourselfers can install it easily.
What Is It?
Drip irrigation is actually a combination of several types of low-pressure, low-volume water delivery systems. The correct term for these systems is microirrigation. Each microirrigation system is distinguished by a different style of emitter (the part that discharges the water).
Drip irrigation is the precise and slow application of low pressure water directly to the plant’s roots using emitters. A drip irrigation system is a series of interconnected flexible plastic tubing. The tubes have holes placed at specific intervals to fit with the placement of your plants. The system is either buried or placed on the ground next to the plants.
Advantages
By keeping the plant’s roots moist (but not to the point of saturation) you actually use less water than with conventional watering techniques. Maintaining an ideal moisture level in the soil at all times results in:
- deep watering
- efficient watering
- water conservation
- very little evaporation
- water only where plants are
- no wind to carry the water away
- deeper roots
- healthier roots (by reducing disease problems associated with high levels of moisture on plants)
- plants are hardier: more resistant to pests, drought, and disease
- more abundant foliage
- increase yields
- no uv degradation of plastic and other materials exposed to sunlight
- decreases water, fertilizer, and labor if managed properly.
Where To Use
Drip irrigation systems are most often installed around flowers, shrubs, and even trees. This targeted approach allows watering to be more effective and efficient. It helps ensure that each of the landscape’s individual elements are properly watered.
A drip irrigation system can be easily concealed with a layer of mulch, so that the system does not detract from the appearance of your property.
How To Install
Installing drip irrigation is simple, using kits available at most home improvement stores. Kits come with instructions that clearly explain all the steps. There are a few tools needed for the installation, but you probably already have them. The installation takes 1 day or less.
You can make plant maintenance even easier by adding a timer to your system. The timers can be purchased at home improvement stores and are easy to install as well. Timers insure that your plants get watered without you needing to remember to do so. They help your plants get exactly the right amount of water at the right time.
Your drip irrigation system can be used with “irrigation zones” in your landscape. Plants with similar water needs should be planted in the same area, so that they can be more efficiently watered. This helps you to not overwater some plants just because others in the area need more water.
It’s easy to change the configuration of a drip system. So, a drip system will evolve as your needs change.
All in all, drip irrigation systems are economical as well as a good choice for keeping your plants healthy and hardy. They can help to improve your garden … the easy way.