How do you irrigate?

I'm an "other." I drag the hose to my fruit trees and shrubs as necessary, same for my xeric rockgarden. I have my blueberries on a drip hose. The new dog free zone garden is overhead as needed with the hope it will be mostly self-sufficient in the coming years. Eventually everything that needs regular water will have drip hoses. Most things get a dusting when I fill the dog barrels and dishes. If community irrigation ever comes back online (severely damaged in last winter's storms), perhaps I'll set up an irrigation system. I am lousy at keeping potted things alive in the summer heat, but I have lots of young plants that get hand watered with the hose.

Luckily the veggie beds are near each of the hoses, so I only have to drag the hose to the flower beds. But, this is the first year of my life I have only had to water twice. The rain has been consistent enough to keep ALL the beds in good shape. Hopefully this odd watering season won't cause BER on the maters, but time will tell. The Fourth of July ones are almost reddening enough to eat. Yippee!

I voted other because I water with a watering can, soaker hose, drip system and I drag a hose!

Pray for some releif to the Northeasterners- have God send it our way. I live in a place that never sees more than 8" annual precip. I forget what rain is, and snow is something that happens in fairy tales. Water wars- neighborhood or county wide- are ugly but normal. Sometimes people kill eachother. Still. I feel lethal insticts shudder through me when I see someone cleaning their driveway with a hose.

But as a hypicrite, I don't care for xeric plants and grow Bananas. I have dragged hoses- slow-water ditch-siphon hoses every third day or every other for all of my garden career. I use tons of mulch.
Yes.
Until last night.
Low-qaulity dirt-cheap hoses serpentined throught the beds, I am going around with my knife making little holes wherever I want water.

Dang, 4-hour hose-dragging operation is so different from turning a valve and turning it off four hours later.
K. James

Well I have Electric rain twice a day in cycles and also use http://watersorb.com/index.htm polymer crystals to absorb and release water to the roots as needed. My sand perks at 55mph, so the roots just wave as the water rushes past.
My gardens get the spinkler at 5AM for an early drink and at 5pm for resitation.
Lawn is not on my agenda.
Sidney

I live in an apartment (townhome type) that has removed all of the ourdoor faucets assemblies from the back of the building since water in included:) I count on rain mainly for the front flower bed and the garden I dug myself along the side of my end apartment.
I use watering cans for the containers on the patio and around the front door area. If there isn't much rain I will also use the cans to get the front bed. I have 2 for the front and 2 for the back. It's a chore sometimes but not having my plants would be like punishment:)

All except the first two for our family. LoL

Other because I use all of the listed methods at some point at one place or the other. Unfortunately we have been inundated with floods in this area (upstate NY) lately although we have been lucky not to be directly affected.

I do whatever it takes. We have a little over 5 acres, and I pretty much have something from corner to corner that needs tending. So, I drag around hundreds of feed of hose, use a watering can when I'm close enough to the rainbarrels to dip into, or pack 5 gallon buckets of water to the things I can't reach with a hose.

I don't have a sprinkler system, but I have overhead sprinklers, (some work, some don't work so well), and I have lots and lots of soaker hoses.

I checked underground watering system which I do have but there is a considerable size area of our vacant lot where I water by dragging hoses. Also in my front yard. I also have the parts for a drip irrigation system, but haven't put it together yet. I also have a rainbarrel where I dip water into a watering can for seedlings. Oh, and yes, I have soaker hoses most of the places where the automatic sprinkler system goes.
We have had a terrible drought this year and I have used several methods and then barely made it.
Last week or two we have had adequate rain which is something I can barely remember.

This message was edited Jul 4, 2006 6:39 PM

I, too had to vote "Other", as I drag four 75 ft hoses around (there's spicket in front and rear of house, also two hydrents my husband installed for me-one close to vegetable garden and one to reach the furthest flower beds.)
I love to fertilize plants from my 3 gallon watering can, so I'm sure of the mix, and we use soakers in a couple beds, plus in the grass all around the covered patio under the overhang.

Again, we need to be able to mark multiple choices! I use a watering can, drag the hose, use the soaker hose, and use sprinklers - depends on location and need. Since we're about to enter monsoon season here in the NC foothills, it may soon be "only when it rains" - every day (lol).

We have underground sprinklers, and I also drag the hose to where the sprinklers don't hit.
We have gardens in back and down front that the sprinklers do not reach, so I get my exercise and my flowers get their drink.

I chose other because I use a combination of the other choices. I use a watering can in some areas, I drag the water hose to other areas, and then I also have three beds with installed soaker hoses.

Dee

Dave!!..Me either...Gotta have my sprinkler system...Jeanne

I voted dragging the hose to where I need, but there's a soaker hose in the front yard bed.

With 2.5 acres, I can't drag a hose around and would need buckets to individually water. When we moved to this property, I did have sprinklers installed over the entire property and stagger the watering over three days so that each section is watered twice weekly. The only exception is for new large plantings which have their zone sceduled daily for two weeks. Normally,I can stop watering about mid june due to the rainy season, through fall, but with the recent droughts, I still have the sprinklers on their programed coarses.

We had an underground sprinkler system installed - all sprays - when essentially all we had was turf, five trees in mulched beds and some foundation plantings in Central Florida. System runs only Tuesday and Saturday as prescribed by local ordinance, half hour each zone each day, for a total coverage of 1 inch a week. Has automatic shutoff that will not let it run within 48 hours of 1/2-inch rainfall. Now we are embarked on a professionally designed major landscaping project which will reduce the turf to about 1/3 of its original space. I have converted three spray heads to microjet circuits (max 10 jets per circuit) in beds where sprays are ineffective. In addition, I am installing several drip circuits under mulch or under the turf throughout the entire property to deliver water to individual plants as needed (especially during establishment). The drip system is supplied by quck-disconnects at four hose bibs at the house, appropriately reduced from 60 psi to 25. Obviously I take no joy in handwatering or lugging hoses but I do take joy in designing, building and installing a system that will deliver water only to plants that need it and only when they need it.

This message was edited May 28, 2010 5:46 PM

I'm another 'other' -- I catch as much rain as I can, and dip the watering can in, and pull out the hoses as needed. I'm planning on planting gourds in the spring, and think I'll fix up a Fiskars soaker hose "grid" for those. I just never trust tap water, though; maybe I can hook it up to a rain barrel.

I use a variety of methods. I keep dishpans in the kitchen sink to collect all water run there. They are emptied into a 5 gallon bucket, and when it is full, I water what needs it most. The plants thrive on dishwater!

I have 40 or so 5 gallon buckets along the drip edges to collect what precious little rain we get. I keep a close eye on it and make sure to use it before mosquitoes become a problem.

I collect the water from the air conditioner. You'd be surprised how much water you can get there!

When the pond needs some water replaced, I water with what I take out. Tons of nutrients from the fish there, too.

The water from kiddie pools also goes for watering around here.

When all else fails, I haul out the hose and water what needs it right away to survive. I rarely use a nozzle, and have the water turned on low right at the base of the plant. That way the water gets right where it needs to be and doesn't run off or evaporate.

I use a sprinkler system set with a rain gauge for twice weekly, which is fine, but seedlings or other stuff gets a watering can, with Plant Food in. I also have St. Augustin grass which I found that I am allergic to - it irritates my skin, wich I had known that before it was installed!

I just put in a drip system this year and I gotta say, I LOVE IT!!

My first reason for putting it in my drip system was so that I could go on vacation and not bug the neighbor. I have come home many times to crispy critters for plants!!!! Not a pretty sight. The neighbor would have her kids water my garden and they just weren't very good at it. I live in a place that NEVER gets enough rain.

I still like to pull the hose around every now and then. It is so fun to "watch" the plants grow.

Lissy

I have been dragging a hose around the yard - but I am starting to put in rain barrels. I still will have a hose from the rain barrel - but I will get short ones and not have to drag them so far!

This is the first house we have that has an automatic system. I can't believe how much time it frees up not having to drag hoses around all week. So that leaves me more time in the evening to do the fun things I like to do like deadhead and prune and foliar feed my plants(yeah I'm weird i know)..nancy

This year we've had way too much rain. I voted other becuase I do more than one. I use a waering can on some things, drag the hose to other areas, keep a soaker hose in a couple of areas and use a variety of sprinklers to suit the spaces.

Ann

Watering can first, drag the hose second. I fill all the cans and set them around the yard for convienence. I'd love to have a rain barrel, but our roof is under walnut trees.

I use to drag the hose around every other day at 6a.m. in the morning to water. No more. My husband fixed our sprinkler system and now all I have to worry about are my potted plants that don't get hit by the system.

Here in FL, a system of sort is almost required. And it's been very dry here this year.

Take Care,
Donna

We use a combination of everything. But I am tired of dragging hoses around.

What I would like to have is a 'drip' or 'soaker' system put into the flower beds but the sprinkler 'experts' have said that drip systems need constant repair here, water unevenly, and aren't recommended. Same thing for soakers. (We had them in California and they worked fine so I'm not sure I buy that.) I need something that will keep the water off the foliage to keep down mildew issues. I wish I could find a clever and creative sprinkler guy.

Hi, DonnaA2Z, I'm also in Jacksonville! Come by for free plants!

I used sprinklers last year with well water for irrigation, but the pump stopped working this Spring and new watering regulations went into effect. Until I can get a micro-drip irrigation installed, the only legal way to water as much as is needed to keep my botanical garden type plantings alive is to use the hose. It is taking me about 2 hours to water everything, so I need to get the well pump repaired and come up with a drip system soon, for both financial savings for using well water instead of city water and time saving with an automated watering system.

Jeremy

I am very lucky, I have flood irrigation. It waters my back yard and my side yards. I water the potted plants and small front yard with the garden hose. My flood irrigation is very inexpensive so my water bill stays in control.
I have underground hoses 1" and 4" throughout the yard to water all my little nooks and cranies. It has been very effective. When I planned my landscape three years ago, I started from the southeast corner down. My yard has a grade toward the northwest so I am able to have paths through my raised gardens and still irrigate them.

I grew up on a farm with flood irrigation, so this is just my thing.

My lawn is lower than the outlet on the north so it gets about 4" of water before draining out. The grandchildren love to play in it.

Marie

I voted 'Other', as I use both the hose and the watering can!

Maybe someday I'll get more 'high-tech' than that.

I love that flood irragation.
I can see a way to do that in small part to a few of my beds.
Thanks for the idea!

We have over a hundred pots and containers.
These all sit in deep saucers now that Summer had hit.
I water these every few days from my small preform ponds using a watering can and bucket.
We then refill the ponds w/ the hose.
Maybe one a month or so we do drag out the hose and deep water the beds.
So far this year we've had a good rain at least once a week so watering the beds has been minimal. Thankfully! lol

Ric

Don't have a big yard and so I use a can. It saves me time as it is quicker, plus it gives me the excercise of walking a wee bit. Hose is not a feasible option given the limited supply of water and force.

Dinu

I use a watering can for my containers, and drag the hose when it hasn't rained for the rest of them. Didn't offer that option in the query. :--) I have 3/4 of an acre, deep lot, and it takes a while to make the rounds either way.

Since I live in a state with riparian water rights, I pump water from our creek through hoses. Saves our well pump and the warmer water is better for the plants. I also use buckets to "spot water", I collect air conditioner water, rainfall, roof runoff, and any other water I can acquire.

We just got a new pump this year for the creek that is much more powerful, so now I can water from 3 hoses at once and get it done much more quickly. The bad news is that our huge and numerous trees get most of the water and I soon need to repeat the process!

Marked "other", since there was no "combo" choice.

Only had to water a couple times this yr so far, since it has rained sooo much! Both my rain barrels are full and waiting to donate. Mosquitos donated lots of larve, so instead of dumping the barrels bi-weekly, I got 2 goldfish for each rain barrel. They ate the thousands of larve, so now I have to feed the fish, being careful to leave them in when watering, LOL

When I do water, I use the rain from the barrels, but may switch to hose as my back's been bothering me lately. Have a hose connect on the one, not on the other. If/when it ever stops raining here and dries out, I will def have to use the hose.

Grass will need to fend for itself as I only water the veggie garden, fruit trees and berries, roses in the baby bed, plants in pots, daylilies, plus a few others. I'll have to water the roses and other established plants with the hose when it finally dries out here as the 2 barrels cannot keep up with the task, even when my back can. Would like to get 4 more free barrels, to maximize the free water runoff, although it hasn't mattered yet this year.

Have fun in your yards and gardens, everyone! ~ Suzi :)

I drag the hose around and sit in a chair when I water. The chair moves around the yard with me. Not very fast, but it allows me to put the water right where I want it and also enjoy the garden at the same time. My front yard can take about 2-3 hours to water and my back and side yard at least 3 hours. I usually need to water each area at least once a week, sometimes twice. Pots at least every other day. I use sprinklers as a last resort, but very rarely when time is a problem.

susan