Does Your Yard Have a Landscaping Theme?

A Beginner's Guide To Drip Irrigation

by Dan Mckinney

According to United States Environmental Protection Agency, of the 320 gallons of water that are utilized by the average American family per day, 30 percent is devoted to keeping their lawns, gardens and flowerbeds looking lush and beautiful. If you are concerned about the amount of water you are using to keep your yard green, there is an option that will allow you to have an enviable property without unnecessarily wasting water: drip irrigation. If you are unfamiliar with drip irrigation, here is some valuable information:

Why Should I Try Drip Irrigation?

In addition to using less water, there are several other advantages to installing and enjoying a drip irrigation system. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should consider investing in drip irrigation:

  • In most cases, your drip irrigation system can be hooked up directly to your outdoor spigot. A traditional sprinkler system involves tapping into your home's water line, which can be very expensive.
  • A drip irrigation system isn't fixed, meaning that you can move it as needed. For example, if you notice a certain area of your lawn requires more frequent watering than another, you can simply move your drip irrigation system as needed.
  • A traditional sprinkler system, or even a sprinkler that is hooked up to your garden hose, typically suffers from one serious problem: drift. Drift occurs when the wind picks up the water from the sprinkler and carries it to areas that don't need moisture, such as your sidewalk. A drip irrigation system is lower to the ground, which helps eliminate drift.
  • In order to thrive, your lawn and plants' root system requires moisture. A drip irrigation system helps ensure that more liquid infiltrates the soil, which provides your vegetation's roots with the moisture they need to thrive.
  • One of the biggest advantages to drip irrigation is that it doesn't promote the presence of pests. Once again, the water from a drip irrigation system is delivered directly into the soil, and the moisture infiltrates much faster than a typical sprinkler system. Because there is less surface water, pests will find your lawn and garden less attractive.

These are only a handful for the several advantages of installing a drip irrigation system.

The Basics of Your Drip Irrigation System

If you're considering having a drip irrigation system installed on your property, you might be wondering exactly how it works. The first step is to contact a professional, such as H2O Lawn Sprinklers, to help you design your drip irrigation system based upon your needs, the type of soil your property features and budget. Next, the professional will help you install the system, which features a series of tubes that are installed throughout your yard, based upon the design you created.

The tubing is fitted directly to an outdoor spigot and features a backflow preventer, which helps ensure that when the system is turned off, no water shoots back into the spigot and your city's water system. The tubing also features several filters, which helps ensure that no dirt or other debris enters the system and creates unwanted clogs.

The technician will then create several small holes throughout the length of the tubing with a specialized tool. These holes are then fitted with emitters, which helps ensure the water reaches any vegetation that is near the tubing. Finally, stakes are attached to the tubing and drove into the ground to keep the irrigation system from shifting.

A drip irrigation system is a great way to keep your lawn and garden beautiful without wasting water. If you have any questions about drip irrigation systems, stop hesitate to contact a professional for help. 

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