Manually watering a summer cottage is always difficult, especially if its area is not so small. The irrigation system on the site will solve one of the most pressing problems - lawns, flowerbeds, beds will always be properly moistened, and you will not puzzle over how it is more convenient to water the garden without spending a lot of effort on it. You will have the opportunity to relax more in the country, without wasting time on hours of manual watering.
What are automatic irrigation systems? They are divided sprinkler and drip. The operation of the mechanism depends on the indicators of air humidity sensors - the system turns off during rain, with increased humidity. The irrigation system works by the hour, each zone in the garden has its own irrigation duration, which you set yourself.
Sprinkler system features
The sprinkler system of autowatering will irrigate the site according to a given schedule. The best time for its installation is autumn, at this time the risk of damaging the plants is less. Autowatering will allow replacing hoses and buckets in the garden with small fountains, thanks to which you can grow a uniform beautiful lawn, a luxurious flowerbed. With a correctly and carefully thought out installation of the system, all mechanisms are hidden underground or masked, so that the installation will not affect the appearance of the landscape. The system will carry out watering the garden according to the specified program and during your absence, and you will not worry about the condition of the plants.
If you are fond of landscape design, plant plants that need regular plentiful watering, arranging an automatic watering on the site will be your best option - the garden will be “under supervision”, even if you are away, you will not need to hire a gardener. The system is not cheap, but it will definitely pay for itself
The main thing in such a system is the control panel of the mechanism - a mini-computer that manages in accordance with the selected program. He will turn off the system in rainy weather, the pump is in automatic mode. The weather is monitored by a portable weather station. The remote control can be installed both in the house and on the street, the program is set for a certain period of time - the number of watering zones in the garden, the number of watering per day are determined.
Pipes are connected to the solenoid valves, the remote control gives the valves a command to open or close, so water is supplied to the irrigation heads. Watering the site is carried out by a sprinkler (or watering head). Sprinklers are installed underground when the system is under pressure, watering is done through retractable nozzles.
The sprinkler with the valve closed in the idle state is in the ground when pressure is applied to the system, the nozzle extends and the watering head begins to work in the set mode
For watering a small area, mainly fan heads are used, they also cope well with watering flower beds. They work within a radius of five meters. Special nozzles are made for watering heads, thanks to which it is possible to carry out radical watering, watering at a remote distance, etc.
Unidirectional spraying in this case is used to water the lawn near the track. The jet length is adjusted so that it covers the width of the lawn
Rotary sprinklers are no less common, they are equipped with a circular rotation mechanism and allow you to water large areas, which is why they are mainly used in parks, for watering the lawns of sports grounds, etc. When watering young plants, large crops, the root zone of shrubs, nozzles-bubblers are used.
Such a rotating sprinkler is designed to irrigate a large area of lawn. Water is evenly sprayed in all directions, providing full irrigation
Water is supplied to the irrigation heads at different angles, with different strengths, the result is either directed irrigation or irrigation with a spread of water at different distances. For fan and rotary sprinklers, the irrigation intensity is different, therefore, they are not installed in one zone. If the irrigation is not carried out from the water supply, you will need to buy a pump station.
Pivot irrigation is good for a small flower bed or lawn. The best time for watering is morning or evening, during the day, in extreme heat, burns can remain on the leaves of plants
Tip. Watering systems for summer cottages are produced by various companies today, when choosing, pay attention to the popularity of the company, the reviews, the quality of the installation work (and they cost almost the same as the system), and, of course, a guarantee.
Suppose you have already selected the desired system. Before starting installation, you should have a site plan, dendroplan (where the planting sites, their varieties, varieties, location on the site will be indicated), as well as the location of the source from which you will take water for irrigation, the location of the power point.
Think about where to place the sprinklers, in addition to the main zones, what they should be - this can be care for a remote or inaccessible zone, a zone near tracks, etc. The cost of installation depends on the consideration of these factors.
An example of the location of an automatic irrigation system in a country house - with proper organization, not a single plot in the garden will be left without irrigation. Specialists will select the right equipment for all garden areas
When is the best time to mount an autowatering system? It is most convenient to do this when you have already prepared a layer for sowing lawns, planted all the plants, made paths. High-quality installation will guarantee the long and successful operation of your system.
Drip autowatering for a garden and a small site
For many summer residents, such a choice is more preferable - it is very economical, installing a drip system of autowatering will cost much cheaper. If the plot is small, you do not need to water vast areas, so sprinkler irrigation here, in general, is not needed.
Scheme drip autowatering garden - water is distributed from a large barrel for each bed separately. So you can provide the perfect watering for every crop.
During drip irrigation, water (it can be supplied along with fertilizers) is introduced in small doses into the root zone of the plant. For the winter, the system is not dismantled, you just need to purge the pipeline with compressed air before the onset of the winter period, and start the system after winter conservation. The use of soft hoses made of frost-resistant plastic allows you to leave the device for the winter, they can winter both in the ground and in the open ground.
Drop watering can be used everywhere - in the garden, in the garden, in a greenhouse or in a greenhouse. If you connect a controller to the system, it will turn off irrigation during rain, and in general will work according to a predetermined program, as with an automatic irrigation sprinkler system.
Article in topic: Automatic drip irrigation of a lawn: we bring water to hard-to-reach areas
An autowatering system is connected to the water supply system only by a crane for filling the tank, it is an autonomous structure that includes a pump, tank, automation, a system of dividers and pipes. Specialists select the pump model and tank volume, taking into account the volume of the system. But you can choose the dividers and automation yourself - the choice here depends on the financial situation and the frequency of site maintenance.
Tip. So that the droppers do not flood the plants, the tank is installed at a low height - up to one and a half meters. It is convenient to use a barrel of 150-200 liters, tightly covered with a lid.
When using the drip irrigation system, the saving of irrigation water is 50%. The method allows you to avoid burns on the leaves of plants, as sometimes happens when sprinkling irrigation in the hot season. The risk of plant disease with fungus, late blight is practically eliminated. If necessary, you can adjust the degree of soil moisture at any point.
Drop watering provides complete hydration of the root zone, the ability to add fertilizers, mineral additives allows you to grow an excellent crop, providing crops with ideal conditions for growth and development
The system is ideal for growing vegetables; it was not by chance that it was invented in the 50s of the last century in Israel, a country with a hot arid climate, when there was an acute shortage of water. The ability to make the necessary nutrition with microelements along with water, fertilizers allows you to collect good crops.
Today, autowatering can be used at home. For example, if you grow tropical plants, large-sized watering will contribute to their full development.
Summer residents collect drip irrigation systems with their own hands, but if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to purchase a ready-made system - it is simple and reliable in maintenance, and will quickly pay for itself.
The use of irrigation systems allows plants to constantly be in favorable conditions, such mechanisms solve many very important tasks, allowing your garden to look beautiful and well-groomed, the garden to give excellent crops, and you to have more time to enjoy a relaxing holiday in the bosom of nature.
