What are the benefits of using drip irrigation as opposed to sprinkler irrigation for plants?
Generally, we prefer to install drip irrigation in bed areas to avoid the potential of plants growing up and blocking sprinkler heads. This problem can be alleviated somewhat by using 12 inch pop-up sprinkler heads or by installing sprinkler heads on risers. However, risers can cause an un-aesthetic look to the landscape and they are easily vandalized or broken. Another problem with watering shrubs beds with sprinkler heads is that top heavy plants such as many perennials and shrubs with large flowers can tend to droop down with all the water collecting on leaf and flower surfaces. Larger growing ornamental grasses can also have this problem eventhough some tend to flop over when the fall rains arrive (this is very common with some of the larger growing species of miscanthus sinensis) The one problem with drip irrigation is that it can cause denser more limited root systems. Down the road, the drip irrigation may require more emitters to cover the expanding root system of plants, espec
