Irrigation Systems

Thanks to Bill & Shirley (my in-laws), I visited the Lee Valley Tools website on Wednesday evening. I was just in time to notice that they were offering a seminar on low-flow and drip irrigation systems at the Edmonton location. So, I enrolled!

Last night, I went to the seminar and discovered that designing one of these systems isn't all that difficult - perhaps a little time consuming, but worth the initial time investment because of all the time we'll save not having to stand there with a watering hose or set up and move sprinklers! I consider getting a sprinkler in the right position to be a true art.

It's even possible to use this type of system for containers and hanging baskets, but I'm sticking to using it for our perennial beds and vegetable planters since I actually enjoy watering the containers from our rain barrel.

The best part - this type of irrigation system isn't even all that expensive. It's a D-I-Y project that requires a little thought and planning, then we can sit back, drink vino or pivo on the porch, and watch the plants smile.

Part of the seminar was a little practice session, which is what you see in the photo above - my first little length of low-flow irrigation hose! The little end with a spike is called a 'shrubbler' and it emits between 0-10 gallons of water per hour in a two foot diameter.

Next decision: Simple or Sophisticated? A sophisticated system would include a digital timer (or timers), but I've decided to stick with the K.I.S.S. principle - get the basic system working, see how much water is actually necessary, then get the timers on a little later.

I'll keep track of time and costs for this, and expect to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome just as I was by the relative simplicity of system design and setup. Wish me luck!