Watering the lawn and garden is one of those tasks that homeowners sometimes think is a no brainer. You put water on the plants, the plants grow. However, when you take the time to learn about nurturing the various plants in your garden – including your lawn – it soon becomes clear that each plant and tree has its own specific needs.
Watering your lawn, trees and plants individually by hand is certainly not the best use of your time. At Houspect we recommend choosing watering systems that suit your garden. As a rule of thumb, plants that have thinner or larger leaves are hungrier for water. Succulent plants, such as cacti, typically require less water to survive because they are able to store water more efficiently. With that said, it is good practice to purchasing from a nursery that can offer planting and watering options advice that is best suited to your garden.
Knowing your garden and its needs, it is now time to think about the best watering options for you. The weather we typically experience in New South Wales during the summer should also be a consideration when installing a watering system.
Sprinklers
The humble sprinkler system is a safe bet when it comes to lawns. If you have a lot of leafy plants in your garden, however, you may experience over saturate your plants due to runoff. A well irrigated garden will often solve this problem but it’s better to err on the side of caution and reserve sprinklers for your lawn.
In that respect, sprinkler placement is also important. You want your sprinkler heads well spread out to provide even watering. Just make sure that they placed in such a way that your plants aren’t in the spray path. This is especially important if you plan on using a secondary system for watering your plaints.
Soaker Hose Systems
The pros and cons in soaker hose systems are found in their fundamental design. These systems are able to provide effective irrigation and saturation due to tiny holes that limit the amount of water released from the system. As you can probably imagine, those tiny holes are clone to blockages which makes the system less efficient with time.
The system is also better for smaller, level gardens. If there is a noticeable incline in your garden, the system may not work as well. There is a prevailing that soaker hose systems are only suitable for gardens that are planted straight rows. The reality is you can wind soaker hose systems around plants within reason – so long as the water flow in the system is not impacted.
Drip Irrigation Systems
Drip irrigation systems currently reign supreme when it comes to the weapon of choice for watering gardens. The system allows you to focus irrigation and saturation depending on the plant or area in your garden. Sloped or uneven gardens, with different plants and soil types have long presented a problem for gardens. A drip irrigation system provides an effective solution to those problems.
The drip irrigation system is also a great way to save on your water bill as it is designed to distribute water in the most efficient way possible. There are additional maintenance needs with drip irrigation systems but flushing out the system once a month is a small price to pay for the efficiently provided.
Automation & Rain Water Tanks
Technically speaking, drip irrigation systems are already designed to provide effective automation. However, you can purchase additional hardware that provides automation for sprinkler and soaker hose systems. These helpful devices monitor saturation and irrigation levels, ensuring your lawn, plants and trees are getting just the right amount of nutrients.
You can also use rain water tanks that act as a primary source for all your garden watering systems. You can install and integrate this type of system yourself, but it is better to hire an experienced plumber or landscaper if you feel you are not up to the task.