Many areas are experiencing devastating droughts, and with global warming and climate change being felt all over the globe, many individuals are looking for ways to keep their gardens looking good without having to use too much water.
It is actually quite easy to become a water-wise gardener and still create substantial landscapes that can withstand hot, dry conditions.
Pros & Cons of Different Irrigation Systems
Preventing overwatering is generally simply a matter of installing soil moisture or rain sensors to override your automatic watering system. Rain sensors are small, simple devices that can sense rainfall and shut down any regularly scheduled irrigation once a specified amount of water has been detected. Rain sensors are generally easier to install and maintain and cheaper than soil moisture sensors.
On the other hand, soil moisture sensors can detect moisture at the level of the root system and are therefore more accurate than rain sensors. Soil moisture sensors are also more precise in assessing exactly how much water your plants are getting and hence offer bigger water savings.
Advantages of Different Systems
Hand Watering
- A garden hose or a portable sprinkler is the most elementary and most common irrigation system;
- Hand watering has the advantage that it easily allows you to avoid over watering
- Control the flow by using a nozzle
- Move to another location when water the ground no longer absorbs water
- Check that the soil is moist to a depth of six to ten inches by waiting an hour after watering then plunging a long screwdriver into the ground
Drip Irrigation
- A drip irrigation system is perfect for small yards and for watering individual plants;
- Drip irrigation is highly effective for delivering a supply of between 4-16 litres of water per hour directly to the soil;
- There is there is very little water loss due to evaporation or runoff, which give the drip irrigation system an advantage over sprinkler systems;
- A drip irrigation system is excellent for mulched areas because the soil it can be directly soaked without the mulch being washed away.
Sprinkler Systems
- Sprinkler Systems are great for large areas, and manual systems allow you to shout off the flow;
- Automatic sprinkler systems offer the benefit of programmable controllers but can waste water;
- Make sure you set your sprinkler system to water in the early morning to reduce the evaporation rate;
- Sprinkler systems allow you to ensure that your garden or lawns get watered while you do other things like weeding or planting
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