No matter how small or vast, your garden space is, it’s always essential to establish means to support the growth of plants through efficient irrigation. Today as the world is taking a leap towards modernization with technology, we can use technology’s leverage to upgrade our gardens.
Fortunately, current engineering solutions for garden irrigation promote energy and sustainability. In this post, we will explore these options and see if we can integrate these irrigation systems into our gardens.
Vertical Garden Irrigation
There are many gardening trends you can follow today. For instance, gravel gardens and meadow-scaping are prevalent in the US, while raised garden beds Australia are common. However, in spaces without much ground where you can plant, you can use special containers installed vertically against a wall, for instance. This is called a vertical garden, which is common in urban areas as they try to reduce their carbon footprint and improve the quality of air in their area.
There are many ways to choose from when it comes to the irrigation of this garden type. With modern technology, you can now set up an irrigation system with adjustable time intervals and water volume based on your plants’ needs.
How Does it Work?
Drip irrigation is the primary option when it comes to vertical gardens. This system comprises a splitter, pressure reducer, filter, water distribution pipes, emitters, and a timer. Once water is supplied to the system, it will deliver consistent and predictable water to the garden.
Smart Irrigation Controller
A smart irrigation system adjusts the watering conditions based on the current needs of the plants. You can integrate smart technology without remaking the current system if you have an existing irrigation system. You can switch the current irrigation controller with the smart one. You can add moisture-based and weather sensors to your underground irrigation system. The best part about this technology is you can cut 30%-40% on water usage because of this.
How Does It Work?
If you want a monitoring system that integrates all the factors you’ll need to observe all at once, a smart irrigation controller is the answer. Moreover, smart irrigation systems scan all relevant factors that could affect how we carry out irrigation. It will closely monitor weather, evaporation, and soil conditions.
From these data, the watering run times and schedule of irrigation will be tailored. You can link it to your home or office Wi-Fi, so you can control it with a smart device that you bring with you. This way, you can open the app on your phone and turn on the irrigation system in case you forget it and are away from home.
Solar-Powered Garden Irrigation
Solar-Powered Garden Irrigation is the most effective way to reduce energy costs for irrigation. This works well for both small-scale ad large-scale farmers. A creek, pond, springs, and other waterways could work as a water source for solar-powered garden irrigation.
How Does It Work?
Basically, there should be water pumped that will be powered by solar panels. This will move the water through a filter and then to a water reducer.
Large-feed lines will then collect the water and send it to sub-feeder lines. The last receiver of the water in this mechanism is the drip tubes, which will supply a controlled amount of water to the garden.
Rainwater Harvesting for Garden Irrigation
In dry areas, rainwater harvesting is a technique used to collect, store, filter, and administer water to gardens and farms. When drought happens, there will be an ample supply of water to support the growth of plants in arid regions. Moreover, rainwater is safe for plants because it doesn’t contain destructive elements like fluoride, chlorine, or ammonia.
How Does It Work?
A rainwater collection system often comprises gutters, roof drains, or piping systems to supply water to and from the storage system. You can use barrel storage or cistern systems to cover a more complex area, like large-scale farms.
Current filtration and treatment systems exist, so you can ensure that the rainwater is safe for the plants. A complete rainwater collection system consists of a catchment surface (like a roof), gutters and downspouts, a filtration system, storage tanks or cisterns, and a delivery system. Meanwhile, if you still encounter issues affecting your roofs or gutters, you can seek help from Armour Construction to repair or replace them and ensure they are in good condition. Furthermore, they can provide roofing and gutter solutions that would work well with your rainwater collection system.
Drip Irrigation
With 95-100% water use efficiency, drip irrigation is considered the most reliable nutrient and water delivery system for farms and gardens.
It intends to deliver water and nutrients straight to the plant’s root zone, ensuring that the plant receives enough at the right time, thus, promoting the growth and survival of the plants without wasting water and fertilizers, among other resources.
How Does It Work
Drip irrigation is different from other types because it’s more controlled, which means there will be less runoff. It works mainly through drip emitters, which are installed in rows in the ground. A feeder hose will connect it to the water source.
Final Thoughts
Moving to a technology-centered world, we must never forget about sustainability. With green spaces in our homes, we also promote a healthy environment for the coming generations. With the transformative engineering solutions mentioned here, we hope you can maintain a garden that meets modern and sustainable appeal.