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Garden irrigation methods, ranked by efficiency

13.06.11

A properly watered garden is one step closer to being a healthy garden. However, there are many ways to water a garden and some will not only save you time and labor, but will also help conserve water. The different methods, listed from most efficient to least efficient, and a description of each follow.

DEEP SOAK METHODS

Deep soak methods use 50 percent less water for the same effectiveness as some other watering methods. They keep the roots moist and avoid wet foliage.

- Drip Tape/Drip Line

Drip lines have a higher initial cost for equipment and take time to set up, but once they are laid out they are the most efficient in terms of water use and time spent on landscape maintenance. They usually only need to be turned on once or twice a week for about an hour or two at a time and can be set on a timer. They also can be concealed under mulch or soil, if aesthetics are an issue.

- Weeping Line/Soaker Hose

These are porous hose lines. They are different from drip lines in that while a drip line has evenly spaced watering points, a soaker hose is completely porous so that water sweats out of it all along the length of the hose. Like with a drip line, the slow soaking prevents evaporation and runoff and a soaker hose is easier to move than a drip line. Overall, this is a very efficient method of watering.

Source: MiamiHerald.com