Drip Information
Deep Watering
Water plants by applying water slowly and deeply over a long period of time. Deep watering allows roots to
become more firmly established which means healthier plants. It also means less run-off as water is applied slow
enough that the soil is able to absorb it. Because deep watering is more important than frequency, be sure to
check the soil for moisture and proper drainage.
Drip Watering Tips and Information
Because plants have different watering needs than grass, your irrigation clock should allow different settings for drip
and sprinkler stations. Drip irrigation is truly beneficial to plants in desert environments. Drip systems should
run longer than sprinkler systems because they deliver water more slowly. Determine the amount of time to water
based on the rate of flow of your drip emitters, the types of plants you are watering and the condition of the soil.
Information and Links
- Irrigation
tutorial
(Courtesy of Lowe's) - Understanding Drip Systems
(Courtesy of Univ. of Nevada Cooperative Extension) - Winterize your
irrigation system
(Courtesy of www.irrigationtutorials.com)
Drip Tips
Rate of flow - To find out how fast your drip emitter produces water, measure how many seconds it takes to fill a tablespoon:- 14 seconds equals 1 gallon per hour (gph)
- 7 seconds equals 2 gph
- 4 seconds equals 4 gph
In general, the higher the gph flow of your emitter, the shorter your drip system run time.
- High-flow emitter (up to 20 gph) - 12 minutes each
- Low-flow emitter (up to 4 gph) - 30 minutes each
- Low-flow emitter (up to 2 gph) - 60 minutes each
- Low-flow emitter (up to 1 gph) - 90 minutes each