A question I am often asked by my clients during the planning of their landscaping project is ‘do I need an irrigation system?’ Many assume the answer will be yes, however in my time I have seen more gardens die from over-watering than under-watering— a case of too much of a good thing.
In the past, irrigation systems were often programmed during the summer months and then forgotten about, so the same amount of watering continued all throughout the year regardless of whether it was needed or not and often to the detriment of the garden, not to mention a waste of water. Thankfully the modern watering systems available today are equipped with technology to prevent this, but more on that later.
Understanding when you might need a watering system
Plants require the most water during establishment. Inexpensive temporary or manually operated irrigation systems may be quite useful for the first 12 months of any gardens life.
However, whether you will need a more permanent irrigation solution will be governed almost entirely by the type of plants you wish to grow and their suitability to your environment. By selecting drought-tolerant species of plants, the people of Gippsland can quite easily have a garden that will survive on only the water that falls from the sky. Your money may be spent more wisely on improving the soil structure with the addition of compost or contouring the land to divert water runoff where it’s needed most.
If you are time-poor, have a large garden that’s exposed to the elements, perhaps with poor soil and undulating topography and you wish to have lots of fruit and vegetable producing plants, exotic trees and shrubs and green grass in summer then a watering system will be money well spent.
In my own garden
People are surprised when I tell them I don’t have an irrigation system in my garden. The only plants I water are my vegetables as required. I have birches, maples, citrus, hydrangeas, ferns and palms all growing happily, it’s due to the soil type, plant location, what else is growing around them and allowing them to ‘tough it out’. By ‘tough it out’ I mean waiting for it to rain.
More often than not, a change in the weather arrives after a few days of hot, dry conditions, and Mother Nature waters the garden for me; I’ll always check the weather forecast before watering.
Do you have a reliable water source in summer, and if not, are you prepared to pay to get one?
Gone are the days when mains water was cheap and plentiful. Tanks, bores, and dams are all expensive to set up. During drought conditions, when your garden needs water the most, your dams and tanks could well be empty unless they are sufficiently large.
When coupled with a weather station, today’s irrigation controllers can apply the appropriate amount of water to your garden throughout the entire year, without you needing to make any adjustments. A microprocessor records and processes weather data, together with geographical information, plant and soil type, sprinkler style and location and establishes an appropriate watering schedule. How good is that?
Irrigation system maintenance?
Yes, an irrigation system should be maintained, filters should be flushed, sprinklers checked for damage and pipes checked for leaks. I have found marquee pegs, stakes and shovels have a habit of being drawn to underground irrigation wiring and pipes. Keep a written or photographic record of the location of underground pipes, wires and valves as they are being installed. Trust me, you will forget where they are located.
What should I do now?
Once you’ve established your need for an irrigation system, it is wise to get some expert advice. If you are planning to install it yourself, we’d still advise that you get a plan drawn up by a consultant. This will help ensure your system works efficiently and is easy to maintain.