Sprinkler Systems: 3 Popular Varieties
Watering your lawn and gardens is a maintenance task you can’t overlook. Proper watering is an essential part of keeping your plants thriving. Fortunately, sprinkler systems can help make the task that much easier. And understanding a little bit about the different kinds of systems and spray heads can help you as you begin looking into home irrigation systems.
Let’s take a look at the most common varieties of sprinkler systems so that you’ll have a better idea of what will work in your particular situation.
Spray Head Systems
Spray head sprinkler systems can be identified by their spray pattern, which is typically seen as a circle with the head emitting a steady stream of water. The constancy of the water fall (unlike a rotating system) results in a high application rate. Given a flow rate that is approximately three times that of the rotor system, spray heads are best installed on flatter ground where run-off is unlikely to be an issue.
Spray head systems can be installed with pop-up heads that emerge while the system is active (which prevents trips and accidental damage from lawn equipment) or with freestanding (non-retractible) heads. Typically, they are available with patterns of coverage that include:
- a full 360 degrees
- 270 degrees (3/4)
- 180 degrees (1/2), or
- 90 degrees (1/4)
Rotor Systems
Another popular style of sprinkler system is the rotor-type. These systems have a slower application rate due to the fact that they emit a moving stream of water that rotates or privots around the sprinkler base.
Depending on your needs, this style of head can cover an area of 10-40 feet. Like the spray heads, rotor systems offer heads in the pop-up and freestanding varieties.
Note that different pop-up head heights are used for different applications, with heights ranging from about 3″ to nearly a foot tall. Because different kinds of grasses, groundcovers and shrubs require different heights, the head you’ll choose depends on what is being irrigated.
A final head style – shrub-style heads – are mounted above ground (up to 3′ or so) and are positioned to spray water over taller, denser shrubs.
Drip Watering Systems
Water applied directly to the soil conserves water by reducing evaporation, and it’s perfectly delivered with a drip watering system. These systems are easiest for a DIY’er to install, as they are comprised of a system of hoses or tubing with small holes. Water from these irrigation systems slowly “drips” or sweats out – hence the name. Drip watering systems can be as simple as a soaker hose setup laid out around your garden or buried under your garden’s mulch. For a more complex setup, you can add timers and risers.
Another plus for using the drip watering system is that the holes in the tubing can be “cut to fit” – meaning that you can pierce the tubing at your plant’s base instead of indiscriminately watering a larger area.
Lowes has some good information on drip systems, and a video on installation here.
We’re big proponents of using rain barrels for drip irrigation, when possible. Rain barrels can:
- supply water for your drip irrigation system
- help manage standing water or drainage issues in your yard
- save you money while helping to conserve natural resources
That’s a triple win!
Why Irrigate?
Simple: Irrigation maintains healthy landscapes and conserves water, if done correctly.
We here at Anne Roberts Gardens design irrigations systems specific to your landscape needs. These custom-designed systems use the latest technology to maintain an optimal water supply to your landscapes and gardens and provide:
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- Intelligent water usage designed to save money
- Improved health and sustainability in and for your landscape
- Protection for your investment
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If you’d like an estimate, feel free to contact us here.
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