Are you also one of those, who are wondering why gardeners and farmers are turning to drip irrigation? Well, you must know that there are numerous reasons that include water conservation, saving of time, money, and hassles.
But are you wondering, what is the exact functioning behind drip irrigation and what exactly is drip irrigation anyway? Read below to get all the answers to your questions about this efficient watering method and how it can help you with your plants.
Understanding Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation also called trickle irrigation, is where water is slowly and frequently applied that too directly to the crop root zone. In other words, the process simply involves slowly delivering water to plants at ground level, instead of watering them from above by hand, with sprayers or with other overhead irrigation methods.
The Drip irrigation systems use emitter tubes attached to a long tube. Here, the water effectively drips out of each emitter tube at a more precise location. This way, you will have more control over watering.
What Makes Drip Irrigation the Most Efficient Watering Method Today?
Given below are the reasons that you must consider for switching to this irrigation method.
Assists in Watering Effectively
- Sprinkles and adds a precise amount of water wherever wanted
- Prevents overwatering
- Results in less weeding
- Conserves water
- Saves money
Time-Saving Method
If you want to save time along with water, then it’s time to install a drip system. This will
- Eliminate hours of hand-watering
- Can fully automate with a timer
- Reduces or eliminates weeding
Money-Saving
Drip systems inherently water directly to the plants roots.
- 30 to 50% less water is used in this irrigation method
- It helps to make back the cost of purchasing the system, in one of the either seasons
- Your water bill is sure to be lower with less water loss to evaporation
- Components of this irrigation method will last over the years to come with proper planning
Versatility
By this, we mean that you can use the Drip irrigation systems just anywhere.
- From gardens, vineyards to greenhouses and row crops
- Existing or new landscapes
- Flat terrain and hilly terrains
- Long-lasting and adaptable
- Use the system with a fertilizer injector and use that fertilizer to feed the plants
Improved Plant Health
The drip irrigation method is good for the plant’s health as it puts water at the plant’s base rather on the leaves
- Helps prevent mildew on leaves
- Reduces the chances of diseases that can grow and spread on wet leaves
- Reduces water droplets evaporation in the air
Today, drip irrigation is used everywhere- big & small farms, in vineyards, home gardens and nurseries, urban balconies, rooftops, and decks worldwide.
Today with increasing demand in the water supplies and increasing cost of water, the demand for and popularity of drip irrigation has boomed. Governments locally worldwide need to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources to ensure availability to all. Following are some of the easy ways that can help.
- If you live in drought-prone regions, then you can effectively save water and time by planting some drought-tolerant native shrubs and trees when possible. These plants naturally adapt to the local environment and therefore, they require less care, watering and fertilizing over time. Use multiple native plants that will minimize plantings that in turn requires more attention. With the passing years, in some time, these native plants won’t require watering.
- What can be better is to entirely replace your lawn with big sized rocks, wood chips or small rounded stones around your native trees and shrubs. Maintaining a lawn is time-consuming and equally costly and water consumption is too high. This will reflect the change as your utility bill will be lowered.
- An efficient drip system and the right equipment like the Eco plant – Drip Irrigation – Soft Hose can efficiently save up to 50% on your water bill in vegetable and ornamental gardens as well as orchards.
- To ensure that the trees and shrubs in these regions hold moisture underneath, make use of a thick layer of mulch on the ground. Mulch comes in many forms, including wood chips, ground bark, small stone or a thick layer of leaves. On putting down this protective layer, the weed growth will effectively reduce, therefore improving the fertility and health of the planting soil, adding beauty to your landscape and saving water.
- To reduce the evaporation amount, set timers to water before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Ensure that the washing machines and dishwasher are full before running a cycle. This will be beneficial in dual ways by saving both water and electricity.
- Take shorter showers, when at home or even outside. If you actually want to save water, take “Navy showers.” Here, first, turn on the shower and get wet. Next, turn off the water and lather up. Finally, turn on the water again and rinse off.
- To clean and maintain the home outdoors, use brooms instead of water hoses to clean walkways.
Now when you know the importance and need of Drip irrigation, get started with it right away!