Polyacrylamide (or PAM as it is also known) is marketed in many areas as a soil additive used to increase a soil’s water holding capacity. It is a synthetic compound that is typically sold as soft,...
Municipal Water Systems Irrigation systems utilizing municipal or county water are supplied through a water meter. Water meters range in size from ⅝ inches to 2 inches or more. For a typical...
There are many types of piping available – CPVC, PVC, galvanized iron, and polyethylene just to name a few. The two piping types most commonly used for irrigation systems are white PVC (polyvinyl...
There are three basic types of valves used in irrigation systems – gate valves, ball valves, and electric valves. Gate and ball valves are both manual valves that can be used if you do not plan to...
In order to properly irrigate a yard (or crop) the homeowner or grower needs to know when to begin irrigation, how much water to apply, and how long to operate the system. Most irrigation systems...
Filters We normally do not filter irrigation water used with sprinkler systems. The large nozzle sizes (typically 7/64 inches and larger) will usually pass any particles or sediment in the water...
There is another drip product used almost exclusively in commercial vegetable production called “drip tape” or line source drip tubing. This is an extremely thin, extruded drip tubing (typical wall...
Microsprayers (and microsprinklers) are tiny, plastic sprayers (or sprinklers) typically mounted on some type of plastic stake. The microsprayer is connected to drip tubing with a barbed coupling...
Drip irrigation is quite different from “conventional” irrigation methods. Sprinklers and spray heads apply water to an entire area, while drip irrigation components apply water only to the root...
Sprinklers and spray heads are common fixtures in today’s landscapes. We give them very little notice since we have seen so many of them. However, most of us do not know which one is a sprinkler,...
The soil type found in a landscape is the most often overlooked aspect of irrigation design and operation. Most homeowners only consider plant water needs and ground slope (or runoff). Soil type,...
The best time of day to irrigate is the subject of some debate. One group suggests that early morning is the best time, while another group claims that afternoon is the best. Very few people...
