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What is the best irrigation system for beds and pots in an urban garden (aprox 12m x 6m)

mcgsmcgs Posts: 3
in The potting shed
Hi we are building a new home and wanted to install an irrigation system for the garden at the same time.  What is the best system to use, we are flexible since still in the building process so hoping someone can advise on what would be most useful.  One long bed aprox 1.5m wide x 10m long and then pots on the opposite side sitting on a gravel track and a couple of wall climbers (apple and  hydrangea).  Lawn in between.  Then second small courtyard, more shaded, aprox 5m x 5m all planted with shade loving plants (under canopy of large ash tree)

Posts

  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    Hozelock and Gardena both have a wide range of systems which would do the job. They offer dripper and mini sprinkler options fed from water timers running on mains water. You could also use seeper hose on the beds.
  • mcgsmcgs Posts: 3
    can you explain to me what the main differences (pros and cons) of sprinkler vs dripper are?  I was asked by the architect to choose between drip feed, mister or sprinkler. 

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    I have a gardena system installed in my garden and it does a great job. Comes on for an hour every day and pretty much waters over half the garden. Planning to extend it to the rest of it this year. Using drippers is a very efficient way of watering and as long as you take into account the differing needs of every plant it's a great way to take a load off. And easy enough to hook on a few pots too. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • mcgsmcgs Posts: 3
    edited May 2020
    Thats brilliant.  Assume it is easy enough to install post the build finishing but before planting the beds so I dont need to pay contractor a fortune to put it all in for me?  Also does anyone have theirs automated so they can run it when they are on holiday etc or is it enough to just put it on timer?  There seem to be so many options out there its all a bit confusing. We have the opportunity since garden is completely new start from scratch to do it properly from the outset so really need someone to tell me what I actually need but worried the companies will try to sell me stuff thats not really necessary. 

  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    You need to tailor your system to what you are intending to grow. We never water our garden only the pots and plants in the greenhouse. Maybe if you explain what it is you need a watering system for then someone can give you a more specific answer as to sprinklers drip system etc. 

    Plants in the ground, if chosen correctly to suit the soil and aspect should be pretty self sufficient water wise.
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Yes @mcgs , the very reason I installed the system was an impending holiday after planting a lot of new plants in a freshly landscaped garden. The most important thing in planning is getting water access near to where you want it so you're not trailing or burying lots of hose and irrigation pipes. Those systems can get as simple or as complicated as you'd like them to. Gardena does have an online planning tool to give you an idea of parts and possible layouts https://www.gardena.com/uk/garden-life/garden-planner/ of course you don't have to buy their system...there are more generic types which are cheaper to install. Some head units are operated by apps or plenty of electronic timers too, like ours which is easy to programme without any extra complications and cost.
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    If I was building from scratch I'd put in a rainwater harvesting system with a few thousand litres of storage to feed the irrigation. It'll probably need a pump depending on the levels but solar power would cut down on the running costs.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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