Mastering Watering Techniques for a Thriving Garden
Greetings gardeners! Today, we're going to dive into the world of watering your garden. Water is essential to the health and growth of your plants, but with so many different methods and types of irrigation, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. That's why I'm here to break it down for you.
First, let's take a look at sprinklers. There are several types of sprinklers you can use, from pop-up sprinklers to micro sprinklers and bubblers. Pop-up sprinklers are primarily used for lawns, while micro sprinklers and bubblers are best for trees and plants. To use micro sprinklers, you'll need to run a half-inch blank tube around your garden and insert a quarter-inch Barb wherever you want a sprinkler. Bubblers are a more custom way of watering, allowing you to adjust the size of the sprinkler diameter by rotating it.
Next, we have flood irrigation. This method involves running a pipe to each section of your garden and setting up a valve for each section. However, flood irrigation has its downsides, such as encouraging weeds and evaporation.
Drip irrigation is the most efficient way to water your garden. You can use blank drip tubing and insert emitters wherever you need them, or use drip tubing with built-in emitters. Drip tubing with built-in emitters usually has spacing of 12 or 24 inches apart and can provide half a gallon per hour. You can also use quarter-inch tubing to loop around your plants and simulate coverage by sprinklers.
When choosing your drip tubing, you'll need to decide whether you want PC or non-PC tubing. PC, or pressure compensated, drip tubing will output the same flow rate of water no matter the PSI. Non-PC tubing, on the other hand, will output different flow rates of water at different PSI levels.
One bonus tip for container watering is to use a blank quarter-inch tubing and install a dripper right at the end to provide water to your containers.
While drip tape may seem like an easy option, it tends to leak and isn't recommended.
In summary, there are several ways to water your garden, but drip irrigation is the most efficient. Remember to choose the right tubing for your needs and plan accordingly.
Happy gardening!