There’s no question that Central Floridians are devoted to their gardens. However, when plants aren’t being watered properly, one’s love for gardening can quickly dry up.
Irrigating a garden is more involved than just spraying it with a hose or sprinklers. Providing plants with the right amount of water they need to thrive is a delicate process because overwatering and underwatering can pose real dangers. Furthermore, using a garden hose or sprinklers can be wasteful because the water sprays everywhere instead of staying concentrated on where it’s needed most.
Drip technology, or micro-irrigation, is a time-tested solution to many of the problems plaguing gardens. Simply put, it’s the best way to keep your plants healthy and your wallet heavy.
This type of water delivery system involves a network of “leaky” plastic pipes or flexible hoses that rest on the ground alongside garden rows. The magic happens when low flow and low pressure combine to force water through the system’s microscopic holes to distribute water directly to a plant’s roots.
Drip irrigation is the clever way to keep plants quenched!
Drip irrigation has numerous benefits. Using any other method to water your garden is ultimately counterproductive.
Efficient, direct delivery. When water is delivered straight to the roots, plants get a more nourishing drink. Furthermore, weeds stay thirsty because precious water is not wasted on the ground between crops.
Healthier plants. Drip irrigation prevents plant damage and disease because it eliminates the possibility of overwatering your garden. For example, when water is sprayed overtop of plants, moisture collects on the leaves and stems, which can cause harmful fungal and bacterial growth.
Furthermore, drip irrigation sinks into the ground immediately, so your garden won’t have puddles laying around attracting insects that will feast on your plants. Unlike sprinklers, micro-irrigation prevents plants from becoming scorched by the sun’s powerful rays because it doesn’t cover leaves with glistening water droplets that intensify sunlight.
Less weeds. The last thing weeds need is more water! Drip irrigation keeps water flowing to the plants you want to grow, so weeds stay thirsty. When this happens, their growth is stunted, which prevents them from overtaking your garden and makes it easier to keep up with your weeding.
Less expensive water bill. The person who uses sprinklers to irrigate a garden is going to have a higher water bill than the gardener who is micro-irrigating a garden of the same size.
More free time! Using a garden hose to water your plants can be quite time consuming. Just imagine what you could be doing instead of standing at the edge of your garden throwing water around! Even a sprinkler system impedes your free time because it saturates the area causing you to wait until it dries before you can harvest your sun ripened vegetables.
Be sure to check your drip irrigation system every so often to make sure it’s working properly. If you’re not sure it’s running like it should, call us or complete our request service form and we’ll be happy to take a look.
Being waterwise is smart gardening.
If you aren’t relying on drip irrigation, you’re wasting water and putting your garden at risk of disease and insect damage. If you’re concerned about underwatering, you can install an indicator device that raises and lowers a flag to show when water is flowing through the system. This device will also make you aware of a clog in the line because the lack of pressure will prevent the flag from popping up.
Remember, if you ever need assistance with irrigation repair or installation in the Orlando area, get in touch with us. We’re here to help you keep your garden and landscape properly hydrated!