The Best Irrigation Installs for Different Garden Types

Every homeowner has different goals for their landscaping. Regardless of the goal, every garden type requires irrigation installation and maintenance. Your plants cannot live without water–but the amount of water, the time they receive water, and the type of irrigation they require differs among the garden types.

Read on to figure out the best irrigation installation for your garden.

Best Irrigation Installs for Vegetable Gardens

In this era of sustainability and smart technology, vegetable gardens always look different. For instance, if you live in an urban area or have a smaller yard, you may require a hydroponic vegetable garden. There are also multiple ways to irrigate a vegetable garden, including soaker hoses, mini sprinklers, and hand watering. But the best method is drip irrigation.

Drip irrigation is a type of micro-irrigation system that slowly applies low-pressure water to plant roots through a network of pipes, valves, tubing, and emitters. The emitters drip water directly onto the roots, minimizing evaporation and keeping moisture levels at an optimal range, improving plant quality and productivity.

Drip irrigation is recommended for vegetable gardens because it’s a targeted approach designed for optimal yield. Additionally, many drip irrigation systems come with smart technology that tracks soil conditions and irrigation repair needs and allows owners to input their own data about their plants so the irrigation will adjust accordingly.

Best Irrigation Installs for Large Lawns

Large lawns require different irrigation installations. Grass has long, deep, and complicated root systems that drip irrigation couldn’t penetrate completely. That said, the type of irrigation you require will depend on the size and shape of your lawn and whether you’re watering new sod installation or generally watering.

If you’re looking to water new sod, it will require a lot of water. However, the watering patterns are different than general watering–sod requires watering twice per day, for 15-20 minutes, and you must ensure it’s deep watering. For this reason, sod benefits greatly from rotating or oscillating sprinklers because they distribute water evenly across large landscapes.

General watering doesn’t need to occur as often, so installing in-ground irrigation systems that can be automated with smart technology is typically easier. The sensors will analyze soil moisture levels, local climate conditions, and the specific conditions of your grass to adjust your watering schedule in real time. Additionally, water from these sprinklers won’t be carried away by the wind nor evaporate quickly, conserving water overall.