March 11, 2022
Go With the Flow: Irrigating Your Property
You’ve invested in beautiful landscaping, and your residential or commercial lawn includes plenty of trees, plants, shrubs, and flowers that enhance its beauty and add visual interest for guests. But, without proper hydration planning, you’re putting all of that investment at risk.
Irrigation can account for a large portion of a property’s utility bill, so not getting this component right could wreck your yard and your wallet. Read our blog to learn more about choosing the right irrigation system for your property.
Factors to Consider
There are several factors to consider when thinking about available irrigation choices.
- Soil Type. Sandy soils require frequent high-rate water reapplication to keep your roots adequately moisturized. Tighter clay soil can hold water longer than sandy soil but requires more frequent application at lower pressure to prevent runoff.
- Topography. If your property has hills or slopes, it can be challenging to irrigate it sufficiently, and run lines may need adjustment to decrease the risk of runoff.
- Weather Patterns. Local weather also affects which irrigation system works best for you. Sprinklers won’t work as well in high wind and low humidity due to high levels of evaporation.
- Water Quality. You will need filtration if you go with drip irrigation, while sprinklers don’t need it.
Irrigation Options
Irrigation options are typically divided into 2 categories, drip vs. spray. Drip irrigation works on commercial property lawns with a smaller footprint and diverse plants and flowers or residential garden applications.
On the other hand, spray irrigation systems, or sprinklers, hydrate land with similar irrigation requirements. To effectively cover various landscaping types.
Above Ground Sprinkler
This irrigation type is widely used in large open areas like lawns. They come in stationary, oscillating, or rotating models and are connected to a hose to disperse water uniformly.
In-Ground Sprinkler
In-ground sprinklers often run on an automatic timer, installing level with the ground and only rising when used. The sprinklers connect to a pipe network running under your yard. When using this type of irrigation, it’s essential to have your plants organized into low, moderate, and high water use hydrozones to ensure the sprinkler head supplies them with the correct amount of water.
Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation provides a way to give plants smaller amounts of water in an extended-release pattern, allowing moisture to penetrate deeper into the soil and effectively moisturizing plant roots. This method avoids misdirected or wasted water and instead provides hydration to specific plants.
Soaker Hose
As with drip irrigation, a soaker hose lets water seep into the soil slowly for longer through inserted holes in the hose. Soaker hoses are available in various lengths and can be positioned above ground or under mulch.
Rain Harvesting
Rainwater collection is one of the least expensive irrigation methods available, collecting rainwater in a rain barrel under a downspout. They also come in more complicated systems installed beneath the ground, needing excavation and electrical pump hookups.
Considerations
If you use a sprinkler system, you should also use a timer to ensure it complies with city regulations. If you use a drip system, the drip should be located under each plant needing irrigation.
SkyFrog Ensures Your Landscape Property Is Properly Irrigated
When you realize the importance of irrigation to your commercial and residential landscapes, trust the experienced team at SkyFrog Landscape. We can guide you on what type of irrigation or combination or irrigations systems would work best for your unique property.
Reach out to us to request a free estimate for our services, including landscaping design and installation, maintenance, fertilizer and pest control, irrigation, hardscapes, and outdoor audio installation for residential and commercial properties in our area. Believe us; your plants will thank you.