Which Type of Home Irrigation System is Right for Your Property?

Even in this part of the country, dry spells can happen often enough to make an irrigation system worth the bother. There’s more than one way to do this, and picking out the right one depends on several factors concerning the yard. The good news is that different methods can be combined to handle the mix of needs. Deciding on the best way to take care of thirsty plants in the Toledo, Ohio area starts with a quick overview of the primary irrigation approaches.

Drip Lines
Whether they’re set in the ground or temporarily placed on top, drip lines offer the most efficient means of irrigation since there’s minimal evaporation. Because the water travels a short distance from the line, an expensively large number would be needed to handle the blanket of grass in a lawn.Sprayers
This technique sends a continuous curtain of water to gently bathe surrounding plants. This method consumes more water than the alternatives, but the spray pattern can be customized for irregular yard shapes much better than the rival methods. The water ejected by the spray heads won’t travel far since it’s at a relatively low pressure.Rotary Sprinklers
With water rapidly fired in a single stream, rotary sprinklers don’t waste as much water as sprayers do. They’re also fairly inexpensive since a solitary sprinkler can cover a wide expanse of lawn. A big drawback to this technique is limited yard shape versatility because water is expelled in a sweeping arc.With these basic features in mind, there are also certain yard conditions to consider, too. The most important ones are the following.

Yard Size
Only rotary sprinklers can cost-effectively handle very large areas. With the water discharged under high pressure, it can easily cover the more impressive residential yards found in the Toledo, Ohio region. Sprayers and drip lines are best suited for smaller parcels.

Yard Slope
If the lawn tilts at an angle, water is likely to run off. Since drip lines deposit water directly in the ground, this won’t be a problem for them. Sprinklers also perform well here because they send a discreet amount of water in one spot before moving on. This allows time for the water to be absorbed before the next pass occurs.

Soil Type
This consideration is similar to ground slope in that it affects water absorption. Both heavy clay soils that slowly imbibe water and porous sandy soils can be found in this area. The continuous flow of water from sprayers can overwhelm clay soils but also protect sandy soils from getting too dry.

Types of Plants
Since they’re set in the ground, drip lines don’t mix well with garden annuals. Most flowers and vegetables also don’t tolerate getting hit by the high-pressure jet from a sprinkler. Turf and shrubbery, on the other hand, have no trouble with a sprinkler system.