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When it comes to irrigation systems for planting beds there are some additional considerations. A well designed planting bed that takes the soil and light conditions into consideration should, once established, not require regular watering. The real advantage to irrigating planting bed is in ensuring the survival of new, and therefore, vulnerable plantings. Installation of a large planting plan can be costly and if one does not have the time to make sure that new plants receive sufficient watering then it may be a wise investment. After two to three years plants should be able to withstand normal moisture fluctuations and benefit from irrigation only during periods of drought. If one does choose to have irrigation installed in bed areas, there are two basic approaches. Most people are familiar with the standard systems that employ spray heads. Such systems do pose some issues when applied to planting beds. For one, the plants themselves tend to create obstacles to the distribution of water, especially as they grow. Such systems lead to battering of some plants creating areas that do not receive sufficient water and areas that are overwatered. Drip irrigation systems provide an alternative approach to irrigation for bed areas; commonly used in hotter, dryer sections of the country they are now being employed more frequently in the northeast. Such systems are especially affective (and water saving) when used on tree and shrub plantings because they direct water to individual root systems. They are also quiet, unobtrusive and help limit water loss due to evaporation. |
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