Drip Irrigation-the pros and cons(mostly pros)

Drip irrigation systems are a great way to water your plants efficiently. Drip systems can be set up in a variety of ways, from a dedicated zone(s) on a larger system(which usually includes lawn sprinklers), to a single zone run from a hose bib. Drip systems can be set up to water individual plants by using drip emitters or bubblers placed near the base of plants or by a system using soaker-type hoses or special tubing with built in emitters that is designed to supply water to a specific area containing many plants. By keeping track of the number of emitters, their flow rate, and run times, it is possible to come up with a highly accurate measurement of how much water you are using. For example, a system(or zone) with twenty 1 GPH(gallon per hour) emitters and fifty 1/2 GPH emitters running twice a week for an hour each time would be using 90 gallons of water per week. You could water a LOT of plants with those 70 emitters and 90 gallons! Now compare that to a typical sprinkler zone with 4 or 5 heads--they can blow through that 90 gallons in 10 to 15 minutes. In a typical residential yard, a substantial portion of that water is usually wasted, either through evaporation, overspraying that ends up running down streets, or runoff from slopes that can't absorb water quickly. It is amazing(and disturbing)how much water is still being wasted on lawns.

This is why drip irrigation is such a valuable water conservation tool. By delivering water directly to the root zones of plants, drip irrigation systems are highly efficient with minimal water waste. Of course in most instances this assumes that some sort of mulch is being used.

Another benefit of an automatic(on a timer) drip system is that it supplies plants with consistent water. Newly planted plants will establish much quicker and be healthier than plants that have to endure wet-dry cycles of inconsistent watering. Even low water xeriscape plants need regular watering during their establishment phase.

So what are some of the drawbacks of drip irrigation? From my experience, there are definitely a few, the main one being that plants and planting beds can receive uneven amounts of water, so you may end up with some dry spots in your garden, especially in hot and dry places(like here in Colorado!). For this reason I usually advise my clients to supplement drip irrigated areas with occasional hose soakings especially during the summer months. Not only will this help out dry areas but it will also promote root growth in new plantings by drawing the roots out away from the root ball of the plant.

Maintenance of drip systems is also a possible drawback in that most people don't keep up with it. Since these systems are mostly hidden there is a natural inclination to assume everything is working fine. Many drip zones have been installed on new homes and the homeowners were never instructed how to take care of the system, they have no idea where the lines run, or even how to do basic maintenance. Emitters can get plugged or break, leaks can develop, so if you want an efficient drip system, regular maintenance is essential!

Still, don't let these minor drawbacks prevent you from using drip in your landscape. As water becomes more scarce and expensive, I have no doubt that drip irrigation will continue to play a larger role in residential landscapes in the west. If you would like more information on a drip system or need help with maintenance feel free to give me a call.