When installing a drip irrigation system there are many different ways to get water to the plant material. Today let’s talk about the difference between using emitter line versus individually emitting each plant.
Emitter line is a drip line that has a built-in emitter every set amount of inches, usually 12 or 18 inches. When using individual emitters it is best to use a blank drip line, meaning no built in emitters and no way for water to get out unless you add an emitter. This allows you to decide when water should be added to your plant material as it is more of a customized install for your specific landscaping needs.
There are good times to use both of these drip lines in your irrigation system. Emitter line is great for annual beds or any planting bed that is changing frequently. This way there is always water all around the area and because it will change you don’t have to worry about finding the line and making sure there is already an emitter attached. However the emitter line is not at its peak efficiency in planter beds. If you really want to be efficient and save water the best application for emitter line is in your lawn. When installing into your lawn the drip line is put about 2 inches into the ground where the water will go straight to the root, allowing you to water at peak times for an extremely healthy lawn. There is no water waste from run-off, wind, evaporation or broken heads. This is something that you can retro fit your current system to do and once in place you will start seeing a great amount of water savings because of the way you can get water to your grass.
Now we can talk about individual emitters. This is the best way to water any plant material that you are not expecting to move anytime soon. It is also the most effective way to water individual plants. Unlike the emitter line, which is set in its spacing, you can customize this type of drip line and make it work for your individual planting beds. When installing this type of drip system we also add 2 emitters per plant, that way, in the event that one of these emitters gets clogged due to tiny debris in the lines you still have a backup to keep your planting material watered and healthy. By only adding emitters to where the plants are it ensures that they will be getting adequate water and that you will not be wasting water throughout your planting beds. With both of these types of installation you will be able to water at peak daylight times, giving your planting material water when it needs it most.
Contact the professionals at Barrett for more information!
