If you live in an area that experiences a very dry climate then installing an irrigation system is very important to ensure that your plants get the r...
If you live in an area that experiences a very dry climate then installing an irrigation system is very important to ensure that your plants get the right amount of watering as well as ensuring that you don´t waste water. Investing in a water timer for your irrigation system will also ensure that you can control the time when the garden is watered so that you don´t waste this precious resource.
The challenge that is often faced when working with limited water supplies is knowing how much you have and dispensing it equally throughout the year so that your plants never experience a shortage. You also have to take into consideration just how much water different types of plants require and to ensure that you water them differently to reduce wastage. Some plants only require deep watering occasionally while other plants will require frequent, but light watering.
In addition to knowing how much watering is required, you want to find a water timer that allows for frequency of watering too. This is impossible to achieve if you only have one tap to work from, but if you have multiple taps, then you can attach differently set water timers to each and make use of the different watering strategies to not only keep your plants optimally healthy, but also save you money.
If you only have one tap, then you may be required to set it for the least watering strategy and then supplement other plants with additional manual watering, but if you have your high frequency watering plants in one location you can set up the system for that area and manually water the rest of the plants that don´t require watering as frequently.
Take the time to check that the products you are looking at have both a timer and a frequency setting to get the very best out of your plants while keeping your water wastage to a minimum.
If you are into gardening, then you´ll know that you need to have the right equipment in order to complete certain tasks and depending on how much work your garden needs will determine the amount of equipment that you will need to buy.
You don´t need to invest in expensive equipment, but sometimes a small investment can save you a lot of time and energy and achieve the same results as using some high tech equipment. While power tools can help to make light work of some tasks and can provide relief from straining, they can be very expensive and are sometimes limited to what they can achieve.
Some simple tools such as shovels, spading forks and rakes are all very useful and are part of the basic kit that you would need. You may also want to purchase a trowel and pickax and perhaps a wheelbarrow.
Tillers are great for breaking up the ground and if you are planning to plant a range of trees and shrubs, then you will want to have one of these in your arsenal. Pruning shears are also very versatile and important if you have hedges and shrubs that are going to need pruning regularly
And finally you want to be able to water your plants and having a watering system such as a sprinkler system or drip irrigation hose system will ensure that your plants get just the right about of water to survive and thrive.
When you invest in a drip irrigation system for your garden you know that you are going to be saving a lot of water and a great deal of time, but making sure that your system has been properly adjusted to your garden requirements will ensure that it runs smoothly and works at the optimum level saving you even more.
While most drip irrigation systems are run on a water timer which will start and stop the water drip system on a pre-arranged time lapse, it is important to check that your garden is getting the right amount of water and at the right times of day. Depending on where your garden is located and how much direct sunlight you receive you can adjust it to ensure that the top inch of soil dries, but does not dry out.
After installing your drip irrigation system, you will want to run your first cycle to see how quickly the soil becomes saturated and how quickly the water drains through your containers or garden bed. Once you notice water draining, you will know that the ground is saturated and that no more water is required and this will be the ideal length of time for your system to be watering. There will of course be different intervals before the next watering session will occur and this will depend on time of year and climate in your location.
If you experience your rainy season during the hot summer months, then you won´t have to water as often, but in hot dry areas, watering may be required twice or even three times a day. Most people only require to water their plants every second or third day during spring and fall and may not even choose to water during winter.
It is important to maintain your drip system by checking the pipes and fitting regularly to ensure that it continues to work for years to come.
If you have a garden that is exposed to intense sunlight day after day such as a roof garden or a container garden that has no shade, then you´ll know that your plants could suffer if not watered enough to sustain them. There are various types of watering systems on the market, but a drip irrigation system means that your plants can continually have the moisture that they need to survive, no matter how much sunlight they receive.
Installing a drip irrigation system is a great investment in both your plants and your own personal time as you won´t have to think about when and how to water your plants and having a drip system can actually save you a great deal of water. Most drip irrigation system will allow you to control exactly how much water and nutrition you deliver to the plants and installing a water timer means that you can also ensure that the water is delivered at the best possible times of the day.
Originally drip irrigation systems were invented to help with crop growth in Israel where water is limited and the desert conditions called for more direct root sustenance. Over time this system has become extremely popular around the world and has taken over from standard watering systems that are not suitable for certain landscape types. In addition, they are cost effective to operate and in this day and age, where low maintenance gardening is so important due to our lack of spare time to tend to our gardens, this has become the obvious choice for many homeowners.
In addition to it being a cost saver for your wallet, it is also much better for the plants themselves with the root system being fed constantly resulting in a low stress environment for your plants in what may otherwise be an area where water is scarce and competition for nutrition could result in unhealthy plants.
Take the time to look at the various drip irrigation systems to find the ideal one for you and your garden and get the lawn and garden landscape you want.
If you have a garden, watering it is a job you need to do all year round. It would help you prevent the hassle if you consider getting a sprinkler system. There are different kinds of sprinkler systems and having a general knowledge about each of them will allow you to weight what option to choose.
In article we will discuss the 3 basic sprinklers that you can use in your lawn and garden.
1. Stationary Sprinklers
From the word itself, it is stationary meaning it just sits on the ground. The water comes out of it with patterns depending on your choose. This kind of sprinkler is useful especially when there is low water pressure. If you have a small garden then this is the type you should get.
2. Pulsating Sprinklers
This type of sprinkler waters large areas evenly. It has one outlet which rotates as it waters the lawn to provide even distribution of water to the area.
3. Oscillating Sprinklers
Have multiple water outlets and it spins thus covering larger areas just like pulsating sprinklers.
Sprinkler systems should help you lessen your burden when gardening but you don’t have to spend a fortune with it. There are cheap yet very useful types of sprinklers available in the market so make sure you check it out. With the perfect sprinkler system, maintaining a luscious garden is possible with minimal effort. The best thing about using a sprinkler is that you can save water thus lowering the cost of maintaining your lawn.
Water timers allow you to water your garden following a schedule even if you are not manually using the hose. Using these timers will give you more time on other things rather than standing on your garden with a hose on your hand.
How it works
These water timers are often powered by batteries where in you will set it on a particular time of the day. It will then water your plants the same time each day for a certain period of time. There are those who connect the water timer to a soaker hose. Soaker hose is a stationary device that waters the same area of your garden.
Maintenance for water timers
Since water timers are made of plastic it gets worn out eventually especially when it gets exposed to different types of weather. When the plastic cracks or when it appears like it’s almost going to break, you have to replace the device. The batteries used to power it also need to be replaced as necessary.
Disadvantage
If water timers are not installed properly it can come off and can leave the water running. Good if you notice it right away but if you are away from your home for a vacation, you will be surprised with the huge bill you will be receiving. So, if you are using a water timer, make sure that all other items attached to it, such as the hose, is working properly to avoid experiencing problems with your garden irrigation system.
If you have a drip water system such as this gent on the video below, you can also ensure that your system doesn’t drip too much by installing a water timer. Depending on your system you can install a timer on any hose that is attached to your drip system. In this video he shows you how to to attache two water timers and how it works.
The autmatic irrigation water timer is great for those who are not at home to water their plants regularly or if you are going on holiday. This is great video showing some of the features you should be looking for in an electric water timer.
A water timer is a device that is connected between the tap or faucet and the sprinkler or watering system. This device then opens and closes controlling the amount of water that flows through to the watering system. The method by which these valves open and close is referred to as either gradual or instant. Gradual systems are more ideal in that they prevent a dramatic change in pressure called a water hammer from being created. This ‘water hammer’ can have a dire effect on the pipes resulting in them bursting or damaging.
The countdown and flow counter version will count down time in minutes and gallons in liquid quantity respectively. The greatest advantage of these systems is that they are easy to use and can be adjusted to your own personal needs. They also operate without batteries and therefore have no additional issues to have to worry about. The greatest disadvantage is that you have to set it each and every time you want your garden to be watered. This is not ideal if you are going to be away from your home for an extended period of time in which case you may prefer an automated system.
Flow timers are great if you have a very clear idea of exactly how much water you wish to use. They are great for filling swimming pools, ponds and such, but do require water pressure in order to work.
Installing your own underground water system is not very challenging if you have a good knowledge of diy and have the ability to spend a little time planning your system. The advantages of having an underground system is that there is no need to change it’s layout once you have it in place – no need to store it away and you can control the entire system from the tap.
For those with an interest in building your own – I have included some plans in a PDF format for you to look at FREE of Charge. We hope that these plans help you to achieve your own lawn sprinker system and that our additional site information will allow you to find the right water timer to automate your watering system.
The entire system will explain how to install your underground irrigation system, including supply line and manufolds and how to install pipe lines and sprinkler heads. It also includes plotting water patterns and digging trenches and once you have completed the project there is additional information on how to use and maintain your system for optimum performance.
For your underground installation plans – Click Here.
What exactly is Automatic Watering and why are water timers such an economic as well as environmental investment?
Automatic watering is simple a system to transfer water from your tap to your plants effectively day after day without you having to manually water your plants. The systems that are being sold today are so advanced that they not only can ensure that your plants get the right amount of water, but that they do not continue to water your plants in the event that rain is detected.
When your automatic watering system is attached to a water timer, you no longer have to worry about forgetting to water your plants or having to have it done while you are away or at work.
The environmental impact of having a watering system on a timer means that you can water your plants at night and during the hours when they will benefit the most, thus reducing the amount of water that you need to use. In addition, having a rain detection system will also ensure that your water timer will not go off if it has detected rain, reducing any additional water use that is not required.
An automatic water timer system will be attached to the outside tap. They are easily programmed, have an over-ride facility and can have additional features such as the rain detector attached. No matter what type of system you have or that you would like to install, there are water timers for all your watering needs.
In addition to looking at water timers, we will also investigate various sprinker systems and timers and irrigation systems including plans on how to install your very own irrigation system in your garden.
