What Is Drip Irrigation and Should You Have It in Your Yard?
A close-up view of a black drip irrigation hose releasing a few drops of water onto a leafy plant in dark brown soil.
If you don’t live in a tropical climate where rain is dependable every day or two and you have a lawn and plants to care for, you know how important watering is to the health of your plants.
And you obviously don’t want just any kind of watering. But the right amount of water at the right time and in the right way.
There are many ways to get the right amount of water to plants in your garden or flowerbed apart from rain. Manual methods include watering cans, garden hoses, or movable yard sprinklers. And there are automatic watering methods like yard irrigation systems (with spray heads) and drip irrigation.
What is drip irrigation?
If you are new to this concept, you may wonder about a good drip irrigation definition.
Drip irrigation systems bring water to each plant through a hose with a little hole right over the plant. Water then slowly drips from the hose directly to every plant through a very controlled delivery system. It’s often called trickle irrigation, localized irrigation, or micro-irrigation because of the minimal amount of water needed.
The water is applied at low rates (2-20 liters/hour) and the plants are watered more frequently than with other methods.
Water can be applied directly to the soil surface or below the soil surface, depending on the system being used. Sub-surface drip irrigation is generally a lot more expensive and the emitters tend to get clogged easily. So surface drip irrigation is much more common.
The components of a drip irrigation system include
You can get a drip irrigation kit that provides all of the components needed for drip irrigation like a pump unit, a control head, a timer, distribution tubing, a backflow preventer, valves, filters, emitters/drippers, cutters, fittings, and accessories.
Where is drip irrigation used?
Drip line irrigation is often used for commercial crops and commercial or residential gardens, flowerbeds, trees, or shrubbery.
What types of drip irrigation are there?
There are different ways to deliver micro-irrigation to plants including the following:
Drip line/slacker hoses/porous soaker lines/laser tubing
These are hoses with holes in them that work pretty well up to 200 feet. Ideal for small flower or vegetable gardens, this is an economical option. These lines don’t work well on slopes or unevenly elevated areas. But they can stay in the yard all year long without risk of damage due to freezing temperatures.
It’s possible to bury the hose/line under the soil, but the holes tend to get clogged a lot. So many people opt to leave the lines above ground.
Drip tape irrigation
This type of drip irrigation is the least expensive and the easiest to install. It can only be used in straight lines and can be covered with mulch. It is a thin-walled tube that is flat when no water is running through it but swells up when water is going through. Irrigation drip tape works well when long lengths are needed and for low-pressure applications.
Pre-installed emitter systems/dripline/dripperline
These systems have hoses with nozzles (or “emitters”) spaced evenly along the length of the hose. The nozzles control the drip of the water to the soil and work well for small shrubbery or vegetable gardens, especially in drought-prone areas.
Emitter lines don’t tend to clog as easily. But the emitters are pre-installed so you don’t have any control over the water placement.
Punch-in emitter lines
This is the most flexible option for emitters but is labor-intensive up front. You can choose where to place each emitter and punch it into the line as you install the system.
Poly tubing
This type of black tubing has no holes to start with. But emitters/drippers can be punched into the tubing as needed for each plant.
A close-up of an irrigation drip line watering system dripping water near a cucumber plant in brown soil.
Why use drip irrigation systems?
You may wonder why you’d want to use a drip irrigation option when you could just install a sprinkler system. Just like with everything in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to every irrigation method.
Drip irrigation pros and cons
A dripping irrigation system is a perfect solution for many situations. But not all.
Let’s dive into the advantages of drip irrigation first. Then we’ll tackle the disadvantages and challenges of drip system irrigation.
10 advantages of drip irrigation
The most water-conserving option for irrigation.
Saves money on your utility bill.
Can match the water application rate to each plant.
Limits weed growth by targeting your plants only for watering.
Dramatically reduces time spent caring for plants.
A great option for raised flower beds, slopes, individual plants, shrubs, potted plants, and terraced gardens.
The best option in drought-prone areas.
Limits disease by avoiding overwatering leaves and stems.
Can be done with low water pressure.
Can use rain barrel drip irrigation for even better conservation of water.
One of the greatest advantages of drip irrigation is that it saves water use by up to 60% compared to sprinklers according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. And it can increase crop yield by up to 90% when compared to conventional irrigation techniques.
6 disadvantages of drip irrigation
Some systems don’t work well on slopes.
Some systems are prone to clogs if not properly maintained.
Initial cost upfront.
Direct sunlight can affect tubes over time.
Generally best to have professional installation rather than DIY.
Best for gardens and larger plants, but not always ideal for lawns (except for certain subterranean types of drip lines for irrigation, but those are pretty pricey).
Many times, homeowners like to use a lawn sprinkler system for the grass and drip irrigation for raised beds. There’s no rule that says you can’t use two types of irrigation systems. And this often makes a happy compromise that allows you to get just the right amount of water for every type of plant in your landscaping.
Drip irrigation tubing coil being held by a landscaper before installation.
Which drip irrigation system is the best?
At Boots On Enterprises, we prefer to use Rain Bird drip irrigation products (also called, Rainbird drip irrigation).
Drip irrigation Rain Bird products benefit everyone by targeting watering for the healthiest plants and the best water conservation.
They have a variety of drip irrigation hose options and accessories that make their systems versatile and useful in almost any situation.
A landscape contractor installing drip irrigation on a raised bed that already has been planted with shrubs and covered with landscape fabric.
What is the biggest mistake people make when using drip irrigation?
The most common mistake homeowners make when using drip irrigation is running the system too many days per week. Most plants don’t need to be watered as much as grass does.
Your drip irrigation installer can help you determine how often to water your plants during each season and give you tips on how best to use your irrigation system in your region and with your specific soil types and plants.
Drip irrigation tubing in a raised flower bed of yellow pansies.
Ready to have drip irrigation installed in Columbia, SC? We can help.
At Boots On Enterprises, we can install a sprinkler irrigation system and/or drip irrigation lines for you. Many of our customers like to have sprinklers installed for their lawns and then use drip irrigation tubes for their shrubs, trees, gardens, or flowerbeds.
Please contact us today for a FREE quote:
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
We can also help with any of your landscaping, hardscaping, or tree service needs.
