Watering systems are necessary tool for watering the lawn. There has several watering systems:Sprinkler System, Irrigation System, Drip Irrigation, Automatic System,Soaker Hose, and etc. Below we briefly introduce the uses, advantages and disadvantages of these different watering systems.
Sprinkler System (Sprinkler Hose)
Uses
Lawns
Larger garden beds
Advantages
Probably the best benefit of a sprinkler system is the automization of lawn care. (If the industry could only automate mowing, too, we’d be in business). It removes the need to worry about watering.
Sprinkler and irrigation systems help you water consistently and effectively, like limiting watering to one inch each time.
Sprinkler systems help conserve water, enabling you to set them to water during overnight hours to take advantage of the coolest possible temperatures. They can also be easily adjusted during droughts or water conservation periods. When overused, sprinkler systems can waste water. You can easily avoid this risk by setting your sprinklers to water only a little at a time, twice a day, depending on your climate.
Sprinkler systems also allow you to customize your watering strategy according to your lawn – its shape, size, and type. They come in a variety of types, including oscillating, revolving, stationary, and traveling sprinklers.
Sprinklers don’t just water your lawn; you can adjust them to water plants, flowers, trees, and hedges, getting the most out of the system and conserving more of your time.
A sprinkler system also supports your home value, showing the care you take and offering your yard sustainability for years to come. Sprinklers water lawns consistently and evenly, removing the pressure to do so manually.
Disadvantages
Uneven watering patterns
Hard to avoid overspray
Water loss from evaporation
Watering Wand
Uses
Individual plants or small beds
Containers
New trees or plants mixed with established plants
Advantages
Easy to water individual plants
Can avoid wetting foliage
Have you ever stood watering the garden on a hot summer afternoon, the sprayer nozzle and hose in one hand and a cool drink in the other? It feels good, but the trouble is, you’re getting a better drink than your plants are.
Why? You’re using the wrong tool for the job.
A sprayer nozzle is great for washing the car, but pretty ineffective for watering because it gushes a high-pressure jet that flattens plants. This makes it almost impossible to stay in one spot long enough to give an adequate amount of water. A sprayer nozzle just won’t deliver enough moisture to penetrate the soil to the root level where plants take it up. For watering patio plants, try a plant wand.
Then there’s the fact that a hot mid-afternoon is about the worst time to water this way or run a sprinkler as a lot of water evaporates in the heat.
Plants need moisture — a healthy plant is 75 to 90 percent water. Adequate water is especially critical during the first few weeks of growth, while plants are building their root systems and getting established. To water individual plants or or plants in containers, rather than a hose end sprayer nozzle, the better tool is a watering can or a hose-end watering wand, (shown above), with a water breaker that has many tiny holes so it releases water in a soft shower rather than a high-pressure stream.
Disadvantages
Time consuming to water large areas
Drip Irrigation (Soaker Hose)
Drip irrigation is an efficient and economical method of watering. Used commonly in dry regions with scarce water resources, the use of drip irrigation is increasing in the Northeast. This irrigation method is typically more than 90% efficient at allowing plants to use the water applied. Unlike other forms of irrigation, such as sprinklers that are only 65-75% efficient, drip irrigation reduces runoff and evaporation. Drip irrigation applies the water slowly at the plant root zone where it is needed.
Drip irrigation has more commonly been used in commercial nursery and agricultural operations, however, homeowners are beginning to take advantage of its uses and benefits. As a homeowner, you can use drip irrigation in your vegetable and perennial gardens, and to water trees and shrubs.
Uses
Garden beds that need regular water—slopes OK
Food gardens
Fruit & other trees that need water after established
Containers
Advantages
Prevents disease by minimizing water contact with the leaves, stems, and fruit of plants.
Allows the rows between plants to remain dry, improving access and reducing weed growth.
Saves time, money, and water because the system is so efficient.
Decreases labor.
Increases effectiveness on uneven ground.
Reduces leaching of water and nutrients below the root zone.
Disadvantages
Needs to be properly installed & maintained to work well (may need help from a professional)
High-quality drip parts can be expensive
Automatic Irrigation System
Uses
Larger lawn or garden areas that require regular watering
Can include drip zones
Advantages
Saves Time
An automatic irrigation system will save you plenty of time that you in the past would have spent watering your lawns, gardens and flowers. You can now have your timers set, so that watering will take place at the times that best suits your landscape and the climate where you live. You can go on that holiday knowing that your lawns and flowers will be maintained and flourishing when you return.
Saves Money
With an automatic irrigation system there is no money or water wasted, for everything is timed, programmed and these systems all have rain sensors, so every drop of water is used only when it is needed.
Automatic System
Saves Water
Whatever type of irrigation system you install, there will definitely be a greater saving on water. You can help conserve water with automatic systems, for there is no wasting of water, every drop is used not wasted away. You can save between 30 and 50 percent of the water that you would normally use with other more conventional watering methods.
Improves Growth
When plants, crops, lawns or flowers are watered with smaller amounts of water over a longer period of time, they grow faster, for it is the ideal condition for growth. You will enjoy greener and more luscious gardens and lawns.
Weed Reduction
You will notice a reduction in the amount of weeds appearing, this is due to the fact that those areas that need water are the only areas receiving water, with the implementation of a specifically designed irrigation system.
The benefits of an automatic irrigation system include reduced labor for watering, convenience, full landscape coverage, the ability to control irrigation timing, and added value to your home.
The costs of an automatic irrigation system include installation costs (starting at about $1,000 for a small yard and moving up from there), water costs, maintenance costs (shutdown and startup and annual repairs), and increased landscape maintenance (you may be mowing more often).
You can minimize costs by carefully designing a system that meets the specific needs of your landscape, programming your clock properly, adjusting the program frequently in response to changes in the weather, installing a rain shutoff device or soil moisture sensor, and maintaining your system.
Disadvantages
Less efficient than most other methods, especially if spray heads are used (typically wastes 40 percent or more of water used)
Expensive to install
Requires annual tune-up & regular maintenance
Water use & bills usually higher than other watering methods
Here are a some tips for reducing the cost of operating and maintaining an automatic irrigation system:
Know how to run your irrigation controller and change watering times.
Adjust the watering times (number of minutes.) and the frequency of watering (daily, twice a week, etc.) based on weather conditions.
Change your settings to adjust for seasonal differences and reset the timer when needed.
Install an inexpensive rain shutoff device or soil moisture sensor.
Check your system regularly for leaks, broken heads, and other problems.
Only water after the sun has gone down.
Adjust your spray and sprinkler heads to avoid watering pavements and other non-landscape areas.
Water areas in the shade about 30 percent less than sunny areas.
If possible use drip irrigation to water trees and shrubs.
To eliminate runoff, set your clock to cycle 2-4 start times (no longer than 5 minutes each), 1 to 2 hours apart to allow water to soak into the soil. For example: water 3 times for 5 minutes, instead of 15 minutes all at once.
Develop a separate drip watering schedule for trees, shrubs and flower beds.
Aerate in the spring and fall to loosen soil and reduce runoff.
After each aeration, top dress the area with a composted mulch. This will keep the soil loose and hold water near the roots.