A beautiful and well-groomed lawn or a flowering flower bed near the house today is not uncommon even in a metropolis. But keeping them in a well-groomed condition requires some effort, especially when it comes to watering.
For many owners of private houses, watering a lawn, garden or vegetable garden can bring joy at first, but later becomes a burden, a job that one does not want to do. At times like these, the thought arises that an automatic lawn watering system is a salvation from hard work.
Manual lawn watering method
Vegetation watering on the garden plot is carried out in two ways - manual and automatic. Manual watering includes:
- If you have a small flower bed or lawn, you can use the simplest type of watering - from a watering can.
- A garden hose with a sprinkler irrigates the grass root system well enough that the lawn will need to be watered infrequently. The disadvantage of this type of watering is that the hose has to be carried by hand every half an hour to the next part of the lawn. If the area is large, thenwatering takes a long time.
- Perforated hose speeds up this process, as pressurized water sprays most of the area from the holes. You also have to carry the hose manually.
- It is not advisable to use sprinklers, as watering will have to be done frequently. With this type of irrigation, the topsoil is moistened, and the roots remain dry. The only plus is the imitation of rain, which does not erode the soil, as happens with jet irrigation.
This is how the do-it-yourself automatic lawn watering system looks like. All of these methods require human presence and physical effort.
Automatic watering
The most convenient is the automatic watering of the lawn, especially if it is large. To do this, you can use:
- Circular sprinkler consisting of a platform with a sprinkler. The spread of spray in such watering can cover a small lawn at the same time. If irrigation of a large area is required, then several circular sprinklers are used at once. To make this type of watering fully automatic, you can purchase a timer and set the irrigation time.
- Automatic lawn watering system in the form of a rotating sprinkler is the ability to adjust not only the power of the jet, but also its distance. This is convenient when, for example, benches or a table with chairs are located on the lawn.
- For large flower beds and lawnsa pulse sprinkler is suitable, capable of irrigating up to 70 m 2 of land at once. It can be used on both slopes and uneven ground. Has a butt joint.
- For large areas of regular square shape, an automatic lawn watering system with oscillating sprinklers is used. At the same time, irrigation is carried out evenly, and the diameter of the drops and the irrigation area are entered manually.
- For a fully automatic irrigation system, all its parts are laid underground, and the sprinklers remain on the surface. They can be rigidly fixed or sunk into the soil until the next watering time. Recessed sprinklers are more convenient, as there is no risk that they will be broken when cutting grass. It is important to remember that the automatic lawn watering system is installed before it is planted.
- Computer-controlled automatic irrigation is the most convenient and reliable option, consisting of an underground part of the system, sprinklers, a pump, large water tanks and a computer. In the program settings, there is even a function to automatically turn off watering if it rains. A computer system for automatic lawn watering, the price of which (from 160,000 rubles to 350,000 rubles) is the highest of all the listed options, is nevertheless the most reliable. Such an installation is installed once, but serves its owner for decades.
All types of automatic watering involve drawing up a preliminary plan so that the irrigation really covers the entire lawn andwas effective.
Drafting an irrigation scheme
Before drawing up an irrigation scheme, it is necessary to take into account what requirements the plants themselves put forward for it. For some, drip irrigation may be suitable, while for others, rain. Also, the scheme should take into account:
- plot scale conditionally divided into irrigation zones;
- number of sprinklers and their categories;
- sprinkler installation locations, taking into account the area they can irrigate;
- how many points of divorce are required for pipes;
- number and length of pipes;
- the location of the pump and its power, if there is a threat of low water pressure;
Even on a small scale, this diagram will help you see what the whole automatic lawn watering system will look like. You can set up simple irrigation automation with your own hands, for a more complex one, when laying pipes underground, you need expert knowledge.
Necessary equipment for creating automatic watering with your own hands
When the scheme is drawn up and everything is taken into account, the next stage is the purchase of irrigation equipment. The number of components required depends solely on the size and shape of the site and its "inhabitants":
- For a plot of up to 20 acres, plastic pipes with a diameter of 15 and 32 mm are required. If the lawn is larger, then the size of the pipes should be 25 and 40 mm.
- The shape and type of sprinkler depends on the effect you want to get when irrigating.
- Connectors and valves are matched to pipes and sprinklers.
- Water tanks and a pump of the required power.
- Regulators for water supply and pressure.
- Controllers and sensors for soil moisture.
- Water filter so the system does not have to be cleaned often, especially if fertilizer is fed through it with water.
The tools needed to set up automatic watering are a shovel and a welding machine.
Installing an automatic watering system
Installation of an automatic lawn irrigation system begins with earthworks. If the lawn is not yet equipped, then you should simply dig trenches for laying pipes. If the lawn is planted, then you need to work more carefully, since prolonged contact of the grass with the ground leads to its drying. After carrying out all the work, you will have to "repair" green spaces. To avoid this, it is recommended to lay a film along the entire trench and put earth on it.
When the ditches are ready, it's time to lay the pipes. In the places of their divorce, previously marked on the diagram, connectors are inserted into which sprinklers are mounted. When the entire line is assembled, it is connected to the water supply system. Water under high pressure flows through a larger diameter pipe and is distributed to smaller outlets.
Possible problems
For the system to work without interruption, it is important that the main line pipe is properly sized, and the sprinklers are so distributed throughout the area that full coverage is obtained.
To do this, you should calculate in advance under what pressure the water is supplied and how far the drops fall. If everything is done correctly, then they will notextra sprinklers installed and plants fully watered.
Autowatering from Gardena
To obtain a guaranteed high-quality result, the Gardena automatic lawn irrigation system is suitable. Sprinklers of this company provide excellent irrigation even in areas with difficult terrain. They are made of high quality materials and are very durable.
Gardena sprinklers can be installed even by a person who does not understand anything about lawn watering. The wide range of the company allows you to choose any type of irrigation: from drip to pivot with pop-up sprinklers.
Hunter Irrigation Products
Automatic lawn irrigation systems Hunter is a real technical complex, to control which it is enough to enter the necessary parameters, and he will do the rest on his own. The entire mechanism and its components are laid underground, only control sensors remain on the surface. This company manufactures irrigation systems for large lawns, parks and golf courses.
