Planning for and installing a Garden Irrigation system at home is a daunting project for most homeowners. However, it is actually simple once you know about all the options available and how to choose an irrigation system and products suited to their garden.

There are a few different types of irrigation systems which can be used. Your client’s choice will be dependent on the layout and the contents/types of plants in their garden. Below is an overview of the different types of irrigation systems and where each can be best used:

This type of irrigation is probably the most widely known and used. Surface irrigation happens when you water your garden with a hosepipe and sprayer. This method is more tedious and time-consuming as it requires you to manually water your whole garden. This method does not allow for only a sufficient amount of water to be distributed to the right areas.

Surface irrigation can also lead to the wasting of water as it is difficult to determine how much water is actually being absorbed versus running off as wasted. Many people use this form of irrigation as it is seen as the simplest to set up and as the lowest cost option.

Ideal for: Lawns, certain types of crops with strong roots, areas with good filtration.

A sprinkler irrigation system, which basically consists of piping, connectors, sprinklers, valves and a control unit, help gardeners make irrigation more automatic and regulate which areas of the garden receive water and how much – providing more efficient water delivery. The disadvantage of a sprinkler system is that the set-up investment and installation can be costly at first.

These systems are often directly connected to an underground water supply pipe. High-pressure water supply is essential to make a sprinkler irrigation system work properly.  Sprinklers are then distributed among the garden depending on the radius reach of the sprinkler and the flow type. Using different sprinkler heads can ensure that the maximum amount of the garden is being irrigated with the correct amount of water.

The most popular type of sprinklers is installed underground and then pop up once water is pushed through them. This is also very popular for lawns, as the sprinklers can rest safe from lawnmower and pets. The alternative is also to have sprinklers which are installed permanently above-ground. Deciding which type of sprinkler to use will be dependent on your specific need and budget.

To make your irrigation system more automatic, water-saving and to require less effort from the homeowner, a wide selection of various timers and regulators are available.

In times when water is considered to be a scarce and valuable commodity, we should take every measure we can to preserve it. However, this does not mean that you have to neglect your garden. Using micro-irrigation is the solution to this problem. Micro-irrigation allows for lower pressure and flow than traditional surface or sprinkler irrigation systems. This lower flow of water allows for nutrients to be better absorbed by the ground and there is no water runoff which wastes water.

Dripping is a form of micro-irrigation that can be used in a garden as a more water-conscious way of irrigating a garden. A dripper system is when a pipe or hose has been made holes into and placed on the surface of the ground to slowly release water into the ground as it is needed.

Micro and drip irrigation has become a popular choice with gardeners in the past few years, as it requires the least amount of water usage, but yields excellent results.

It is also possible for you to combine more than one of these types of irrigation systems if your garden has different areas with different irrigation needs. Combining different systems allows for more efficient irrigation within your budget. For example, you can combine the sprinkler and micro-irrigation systems if you have a large flat area covered with grass and a garden bed that is lush with various different plants. For the large area of grass, a sprinkler system will allow for easy irrigation that delivers more water. Then for the garden bed, a micro-irrigation system irrigates the plants more effectively without water wastage.

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