Benefits of Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation allows water to trickle slowly near the base of the plant through a system of tubing, pipes, valves and emitters. Most systems are relatively easy to set up, and once in place, drip irrigation creates healthier growing conditions and higher yields while saving time and money for gardeners.
If you’re considering drip irrigation, you may be surprised at the many benefits of a high quality system. These include:
Better plant health. Water penetrates slowly and deeply into the soil, placing moisture exactly where it’s needed – at the roots. Plants grow quickly when they are watered uniformly without stress created by lack of water.
Less waste. A good drip irrigation system, such as those offered by Morgan County Seeds Morgan County Seeds [1], typically uses one-quarter to half the amount of water used by traditional overhead sprinklers. Washington State University extension estimates that 70 percent of water ends up in the soil, and the rest is lost to evaporation and wind. A good drip irrigation system, on the other hand, directs 90 percent of the water into the soil with very little lost to evaporation.
Environmental benefits. Because drip irrigations are so effective, there is less chance of erosion, with very little runoff ending up in area streams and rivers.
Reduced risk of disease. Unlike overhead sprinklers, drip irrigation keeps the foliage dry, thus reducing the incidence of powdery mildew and other diseases that occur in damp conditions.
Money savings. An effective drip irrigation system is more effective, which means the monthly water bill is bound to be smaller.
Saves time. With drip irrigation, there is no need to continually drag hoses and sprinklers from one spot to another. Additionally, many irrigation kits make it easy to install a timer, which provides a level of automation that makes irrigation even easier.
Simplicity. High quality drip irrigation, such as Morgan County Seeds’ Gardeners Irrigation Quick Kit systems [1], are easy to assemble and even easier to use. Morgan provides a garden hose fitting, pressure regulator, filter and enough fittings for 25 rows, plus a 1,000-foot drip line. Systems are attached directly to the hose spigot.
Weed control. Drip irrigation systems place water to the area directly around the plant. As a result, weed seeds are water starved and germination is limited.
Adaptability. When properly configured, drip irrigation systems work on any soil type, and even most unleveled landscapes.
Appearance. If you’re concerned about the appearance of a drip irrigation system, you can easily hide the tubes with a layer of organic mulch.