Keeping your grass looking bright, lively, and healthy is part of maintaining a well-manicured lawn. This might mean that you have to head outside once or twice a day during the spring and summer with your hose to keep your grass hydrated. But this can be tiresome, especially if you have a large yard or expansive landscaping. In this case, an above ground irrigation system could be extremely helpful.
Irrigation systems have been used throughout history to water crops, grass, and plants when rainfall was inadequate. The Indus Valley Civilization developed sophisticated irrigation systems as far back as 3000 BCE. Ancient Persians, Chinese, and Egyptians used canals, wells, and reservoirs to supply water for their irrigation systems.
For your above ground irrigation system, you can rely on your hose to supply the water for your lawn. With above ground systems, the sprinklers often expel water that covers a larger circumference than in-ground irrigation systems. Also, depending on the length of the hose you get, and the number of gallons per minute it can pump, you can easily water far patches of grass and foliage on your lawn. Some hoses carry as much as 23 gallons of water per minute, and some of the longest hoses extend 100 feet.
In addition to hoses, the lawn sprinkler system will make a difference. You can choose from stationary sprinklers, oscillating ones, and ones that rotate. Stationary sprinklers allow for fast watering, and help cover hard to reach areas. Oscillating sprinklers cover your lawn evenly, and are often used for gentle watering purposes. With rotating sprinklers, you can water your lawn using a lower rate, which allows greater absorption for the soil without wasting excess run-off water from the hose.
Your garden irrigation system can also be programmed with sprinkler timers that only turn on at certain times of the day. This saves you time and water, as you can program how long the water should run for, and how much should run through the hose.
With the right irrigation system on your lawn, you do not have to worry about standing out in the sun to water your grass or garden. The sprinkler timer will kick in when you want it to, and keep your lawn looking green and healthy all summer long.
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