Landscape irrigation may differ in terms of how you water the yard and the water usage. The landscape irrigation supply determines mostly the type of irrigation you will adopt holding other factors such as water, type of soil, and topography constant. The landscape irrigation supply includes the pipes, water, and all the irrigation equipment. The different types of landscape irrigation differ in terms of watering methods. The following are a few types of landscape irrigation.
Surface irrigation
Surface irrigation is one of the most commonly used irrigation methods, especially in smaller properties. This method involves applying water to the soil surface and penetrating down to the soil and the root systems. Surface irrigation can be done using a hose, watering can, or hose and sprinkler attachment. However, this method of landscape irrigation is incredibly inefficient and labor-intensive. Due to the uneven distribution of water, there can be a problem of waterlogged plants or parched. Besides, this method requires the homeowner or a landscaping professional to water the yard instead of using an automated process which may lead to inefficient watering.
Drip irrigation
For uneven terrain or very windy areas, drip irrigation is the best type of landscape irrigation. Besides, if your land is covered by plants throughout and not expansive grass lawns then drip irrigation will deliver the best services. Drip irrigation uses a sequence of pipes and tubing to water directly the bases of the plants hence cutting down on the wasted water probably due to evapotranspiration and wind scatter. A drip irrigation system can be interconnected with an irrigation controller or a smart irrigation controller which allows efficient use of water and energy and also simplicity in its use just as like most the landscape irrigation systems
Sprinkler irrigation
Sprinkler irrigation is one of the most commonly used types of landscape irrigation systems. It’s an underground irrigation method that uses a sequence of pipes and sprinkler heads that deliver the water to plants by spraying the water in the air. Just like the drip irrigation systems, the sprinkler system can operate with irrigation controllers. The sprinkler heads can both retract and pop up during the watering process, or they can always rest above the ground. However, due to the evapotranspiration, the sprinkler irrigation method can lead to water wastage.
Blended systems
The blended system is one of the sure ways to reduce water waste as it combines both the sprinkler and drip irrigation methods which are used interchangeably in different areas of the landscape. The homeowner can opt to use the sprinkler irrigation on grass and the other hand uses drip irrigation on the trees, bushes, and flowers hence optimizing the water usage. Through the use of a smart controller, the coordination and scheduling of water times and duration for the different areas become easy while still putting into account the rain and weather forecasts. The blended irrigation method proves to be the irrigation method when putting water conversations into accounts
To wrap up, it’s always advisable to consult experts and landscape professionals on the best method to adopt in your yard before adopting one. In addition, the choice of the landscape irrigation method should be keenly considered after analyzing the basic factors such as soil and water.
