Install Efficient Irrigation
Did you know drip irrigation uses up to 50% less water than conventional sprinkler systems? Drip irrigation is more than just for vegetable gardens. It can provide efficient outdoor water use for most, if not all, of your outdoor watering needs.
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Action Steps & Tips
Introduction
Looking for a way to keep your garden beautiful while reducing your water usage? Consider drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is a very efficient way of watering your garden and can actually make your trees and plants more resilient. It is also versatile and can work for most, if not all, water uses, even lawns! Installing a drip irrigation system is easy, costs less than you might think, and you can often do the install yourself. Drip irrigation is a great way to save precious water resources and can lower your monthly water bill!
1Learn about drip irrigation
The best part—drip irrigation is low cost, easy to do, and can be applied to your whole yard including trees, shrubs, plants, vegetables, potted plants, and lawn. It also works well on slopes or uneven surfaces. If you are watering any part of your garden by hand now, installing drip irrigation will also save you considerable time. If you would prefer to have help, most landscaping companies can help you install a new system. Next up—the basic steps to installing a new system.
2Zone your garden and design your drip system
Zone your garden. Before you design your drip system, have a look at your yard and assess if plants with the same water and light needs are in the same area or spread apart. Ideally, it is better to group plants with the same needs together into hydrozones. Plants with similar needs often benefit from each other, providing small ecosystems where they can shade each other and better hold onto moisture. This will save you time and water in the long run and avoid unnecessary runoff. Zoning is not required to install a drip system, it just makes it a bit easier.
Design your system. Drip systems are pretty simple—it is a system of small water supply lines attached to a hose, generally with a timer on it. You attach the main water supply line to a hose, then branch this supply line out to reach out across your garden to the locations where you need to water. Then you place small, short lines from the supply line directly to your plants. It is very easy to do, almost like putting together a Lego set. There are some different options on drip nozzles depending on the water needs of the plants. Plan out where the main supply lines will go, where you will hook into your water line, and what types of nozzles you need for which areas. For lawns, there is special subsurface tubing that can provide efficient watering for small to medium sized lawn areas.
3Install your drip system & start watering
Install your system. Drip systems can be attached to an outdoor faucet. Generally, you will want to include a vacuum breaker or backflow preventer, pressure regulator, and filter at the site of connection. It is also a good idea to include a timer as well. Then attach the main tubing line. Next, run the tubing lines around your garden. Finally, install the small tubing with the emitters, placing emitters near the roots of your plants. When you are done, cover your tubing with mulch. For lawns, drip emitters can be buried or you can run special emitting tubing below the soil surface. This is a bigger project and requires some additional planning and know-how.
For more information check out this How to Install Drip Irrigation guide. If you are not sure about designing and installing your own system from scratch, there are many manufacturers that provide kits with all the parts and instructions you need. This is a great way to get started and try it out! Kits run from $30 up to $200 with larger kits covering up to 3,000 square feet or more.
Critter-proof your system. If you have a yard where small animals often come to visit, you might want to consider going for a tougher material for your drip system. A PVC pipe is sturdier and can’t be chewed through as easily. Consider extra protection for the drip emitters. Also, keep an eye on heavy foot traffic through areas with irrigation piping and add extra protection if needed.
Set your timer and start watering! Many homeowners over-irrigate, so use your new drip irrigation system wisely! Make sure to find out how much water your plants really need and don’t over water.
Extra Credit - Skip watering when it rains. Consider installing a Weather Based Control System that can program your watering schedule and skip watering when it rains. Learn more on the Install Weather Based Irrigation Control action.