Time is at a premium for most of us and watering the garden by hand takes more longer that most people have available. Hand watering is also one of the most inefficient ways of providing water for plants as it inevitably wastes large amounts of water which never reach the soil. The best solution for this problem is to arrange for the installation of a proper soil irrigation system. Irrigation installation isn't as complicated as you might think and if done properly will save you both time and water for many years into the future.

The drip-irrigation system

One of the most common systems of irrigation employed by the busy home-owner is an drip-irrigation system. The drip irrigation system will deliver different amounts of water to each area so when considering this, or any other type of irrigation installation it is important to take some time to think about exactly how you will lay out your plants and how much water each part of your garden will need.

For example, you might plan your garden in areas like this:

• High-yield, thirsty plants.

• Well established trees that require little water to thrive.

• Plants with medium water requirements

By carefully arranging your plants by zone you can provide everything you grow with exactly what it needs to maximise its potential.

Setting up your irrigation system

You will need to work out your water flow rate and the amount of water drippers you can fit into each area. Don't forget that if the land you want to irrigate is not flat the bumps and hills are going to affect the flow rate you can achieve. Land which is not level may also cause problems with clogged drippers in the future. To prevent clogging on sloping gardens it is a good idea to insert a vacuum breaker into the highest point of your irrigation installation to stop the drippers drawing mulch or dirt into the system.

Service your system regularly

Providing a proper irrigation system is far more than a labour saving device it is a valuable investment that will keep your plants healthy. To ensure that your irrigation system is working at it's full potential you should arrange for regular irrigation servicing so you can be confident that your water is reaching exactly where it should, and is not being lost or wasted along the way.

If you would like to know more about exactly what an irrigation system can do for your garden then talk to your supplier today. They will be able to suggest the perfect irrigation installation for your land.