Which is better: sprinkler irrigation or drip irrigation?

Answer 1

Drip irrigation is more efficient and better for water conservation. The drip system puts the water right where you want it in the varrying proper amounts for each plant. Sprinklers probably cost less initially, but, depending on the $ you save from water conservation, the drip system may be more cost effective in the long run. How big of an area are you watering? what does water cost in your area? Good luck

Answer 2

Have you ever tried to work around drip irrigation? It is a pain in the butt! You can't rake around it as the little tubing always gets caught and pulled out of the valves no matter how careful one tries to be. One little pebble and the tubing gets clogged. And if you have the underground type, you can forget exactly where the tubing is and easily cut it when digging. I HATE DRIP IRRIGATION!! It does get the water where you want it. But it is difficult to live with.

Answer 3

Depends on what you are watering. The trouble with sprinklers is that a lot of water is blown away to where you don't want it or evaporates. Run off isn't an issue that's about drainage.

I have both at my home and I find that drip is great for areas where you are not going to be digging in regularly, say a bed with only shrubs or hedging. The drippers or drip holes must be checked regularly for blockages though, and the drippers must be left on for an adequate amount of water to be delivered to the plant. Also drippers on new plants should be right over the roots otherwise the roots will not get enough water to survive in hot weather. The advantage is you get deep root systems on your plants because with drip the water goes down in the one spot this is certainly an advantage for deep rooted plants such as trees and shrubs.

There are all types of sprinklers and it pays to get ones that deliver large droplets of water. (less inclined to blow or evaporate water drops). You can get special bed sprinklers or shrub heads that deliver a lot of water in a shot period of time, and there's less chance of hitting pipes with your spade when you only have one line running through your bed. These are particularly good for perennials etc that you only need to water to a shallow depth quickly.

So I think a combination of both is the most successful.

Answer 4

Yes, drip irrigation is a good thing. I am less skeptical of automatic sprinklers, particularly because they still run when it is raining or has just rained! The best methods involve watering from collected rainwater.

Answer 5

Depends on what you are irrigating. Sprinklers for lawns,drip for plants.

Answer 6

i like a drip system, because it will do the job, and use less water than a sprinkeler system. with a drip system the water will soak into the ground, a sprinkeler you will have water run off, that is a waste of water.