Good watering practices provide for healthier lawns and gardens and better use of one of our most important natural resources. Outdoor watering use often comprises more than half of the water used by the average household. That’s why being a wise steward of outdoor water just makes good sense.
An excellent way to water gardens and landscaping and conserve water is by installing a drip or trickle irrigation system. Drip systems are perfect because water is directed to the plant root system without loss to evaporation. There are two types of drip systems. The first type is called a low-pressure drip system and is used mostly for vegetable gardens. It consists of placing long strips of drip tape or T-tape in long rows in your vegetable garden. The drip tape has emitters spaced every 4, 12, or 18 inches and is installed with emitters facing up to keep dirt from clogging up the system. Landscape staples are used to hold the tape in place. Most drip tape runs at 6 to 20 psi (pound per square inch). A header pipe is used to distribute the water to the drip tapes. Along with the drip tape, you will also need a pressure regulator which is located at the start of the system and prevents too much pressure from blowing out the lines. Also some sort of filter is necessary to prevent particles from clogging up the emitters.
The second type of drip irrigation system is called a high pressure drip system and uses anywhere from 30 to 50 psi. Again you will need a pressure regulator, a filter, usually half-inch poly tubing, and emitters. Emitters are placed right next to the plants or shrubs, and thereby water is not wasted along the entire bed or garden. Different emitters have different flow rates usually delivering a half gallon, a gallon, or two gallon per hour. Emitters are pushed into the tubing after a small hole is punched into the plastic pipe. The high pressure system can be configured to water any shape or size of landscaping and garden plot using landscape staples.
Master Gardeners of Ellis County, Cottonwood District. More information available at www. cottonwood.ksu.edu or visit Facebook at Ellis County Extension Master Gardeners.