Whether you are growing vegetables, flowers or fruits, irrigation comes very much in handy. From saving your time and energy in watering your plants every day to saving the soil nutrients for your plants, an irrigation system is vital for all your garden efforts. To help you start on your irrigation, this article covers five essential tips to help prepare your garden for irrigation.
To succeed in irrigation, you need the best plumbing aspects that will provide sufficient and constant water supply each day. Here are five great tips to aid in preparing your garden for irrigation.
There is a lot that can be done to ensure that your garden does not only look beautiful but is functional as well. This means that your irrigation needs to complement the garden both in form and in function. The best decorative trench grates can allow you to enjoy the benefits of a paneled garden, but also ensure that the excess water drains off easily.
1. Learn more about the plumbing components
To get familiar with essential plumbing components you need, research thoroughly and get all the relevant information. You should at least have a basic understanding of water meters, water pressure regulators, water main valve, cut-off valve, and gas, electric and hot water valves. This will help ensure that you choose the right equipment set for your irrigation project.
It is always a good idea to prepare ahead. If you are not sure about what you are doing with your plumbing components, contact a plumbing professional who can advise you.
2. Find out the water regulations your area
Know all about your locality’s water regulations before giving your plumber the go-ahead. Check for every informative resource with this data, including their websites or visits to state’s offices.
You might find dealing with water regulations to be tedious, but following local regulations and policies will save you from possible delay in the future. You would not want local authorities shutting down your project later because of non-compliance to mandated regulations. Furthermore, it saves you from legal responsibilities and helps you cut down on extra costs of paying experts to re-do the work.
3. Educate yourself on drip line emitters
Drip line emitters are essential tools to provide water to plants from a mainline tubing. They are crucial tools as they help release the exact amount of water every time regardless of any water pressure changes.
For example, if your irrigation project deals with flower beds, using a drip emitter would be a better choice compared with shooting water into your plants which could damage them. Another good thing about drip emitters is that they require less water thus helping conserve water compared with other irrigation systems.
4. Determine the total cost and prepare in advance
Your irrigation project includes costs. You have to pay both for materials to be used and the plumber’s service. Make sure to do your research when hiring a plumber for the first time. Look for plumbers that have consistently good reviews from their customers. With careful research, you will be able to find a plumbing professional that is reliable and fits with your budget as well.
When it comes to costs, keep in mind that using a moisture sensor or a timer might take up a huge chunk of your budget since they are more expensive compared to traditional irrigation.
Try to set aside 10% of your total project cost in case you go beyond your original budget.
5. Know the parts of your garden that need to be underwatered or overwatered
Even when you are growing one type of plant in the entire garden, this doesn’t mean that all parts get the same amount of water. Remember that different parts of your garden will require different amounts of water before you choose your irrigation method.
For example, the garden area that gets more sunlight will need more water compared with shaded areas in your garden. Remember also that the bottom part of your garden collects and retains more water than the higher areas. Knowing these factors are crucial when customising your irrigation set-up.
