I walk into more than 150 nurseries each year, and I know that I’ll find someone around no matter what day it is because the plants have to be watered. Missing even one day of water can result in plant and profit loss. The same concept applies to your garden. If you forget to water, you could lose plants and won’t be able to enjoy a healthy, robust landscape.
A water wand, like the one seen here, can be used to more carefully direct the flow of water to the base of the plant or to reach plants at the back of a bed.
Photo Credit: Daniel Overcash
Overhead irrigation system – often sprinklers – can be moved around to cover an entire home landscape.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
The perforations in a drip irrigation hose are not noticeable. You can see in this photo how the water is starting to seep out of the hose (the dark, wet spots).
Photo Credit: Daniel Overcash
There are three basic methods for watering your outside plants. By taking a look at each, you’ll be able to pick the right one for your garden situation.
Hand-watering, as the name implies, is manual. It allows you to give each plant personal attention. As you water each plant, you can determine the correct amount needed for every single one, even if two dissimilar plants are planted close together. Another advantage is that you can prevent water from getting on the leaves of the plant. When water stands on the leaves, it can lead to higher risks of plant diseases, like fungus, which can also be spread by splashing water. Hand-watering is also the least expensive option for getting started – only a garden hose or watering can is need. The downside to hand-watering is that it’s time-consuming: It takes time and attention – sometimes daily – to check on every plant.
Overhead, or aerial, irrigation is commonly used on lawns during summertime – think sprinklers. One advantage of this watering method is that it actually cools plants in hot environments, allowing for better plant growth. The simplest setup only requires connecting a sprinkler to a garden hose and moving the contraption around as necessary to cover the entire area you want watered. (Of course, there are more expensive, automated systems that include buried water lines, underground sprinkler heads and programmable timers.)
While a sprinkler may cover a large area (up to 60 feet), it’s important to consider that all plants in that area will get the same amount of water – even if some are susceptible to overwatering. Furthermore, from a water-wise perspective, you should know that up to 50 percent of the water distributed by a sprinkler can be lost to evaporation on a windy or hot day before the life-giving liquid reaches plant roots. Additionally, overhead irrigation may all allow water to stand on the leaves, which can create an environment conducive to diseases.
Drip irrigation systems use small, perforated hoses. These holes allow for a slow, controlled water leak. Drip irrigation saves tremendous amounts of water by concentrating the water release at the base of a plant – which is where the roots can easily take it up. Very little water is lost to evaporation because the water goes directly into the soil. The delivery of water directly to the soil also keeps the leaves dry, reducing the chance for disease infestation.
Of course there are downsides to drip irrigation. Since the hose only covers a small, direct area, lawn watering is not a workable option with this method. Also, the price of the drip hoses can be costly – but some homeowners consider them an investment to reduce their water use.
You should base your watering strategy decisions on which method provides you the most advantages. If one method doesn’t do it all, don’t be afraid to try a combination. Sometimes it just takes a little creativity to get you to the best lawn and garden possible.
