Madison Irrigation Services

As the owner and operator of a major landscape company for over 20 years I have seen many people successfully install their own landscaping-saving themselves a great deal of money. However, Installing a home irrigation system for the garden should be a job best left to professionals. Many people do not realize the many things that need to be considered before tackling this project. Property measurements, slope calculations, and properly adjusting for water pressure are just some of the tasks involved with irrigation. This project requires more than laying piping and securing spray heads. Professional landscapers will know how to avoid gas lines when laying pipes, and are aware of any special city codes and restrictions of using city or well water. So before tackling a project of this magnitude, contact a professional. You may end up spending more money fixing a do-it-yourself job.

Four common types of irrigation systems exist: spray, rotary, flood and micro-irrigation.
Below is an overview on each of these types of systems. Please contact us directly for an estimate and consultation on the right system for your property.

Spray Systems:

These are the most popular form of irrigation for home lawns and gardens, and are perfect for small yard areas. The nozzles are easily changed to accommodate different spray positions, and the system in general requires little maintenance. Spray systems are also ideal for weak pressure systems. The spray can throw a continuous stream of water from zero to fifteen feet.

Rotary Systems:

These systems are most frequently used for large areas and are commonly seen on athletic fields. Rotary systems throw one or more streams of water up to 100 feet. This system is ideal to cover large areas in which a high number of spray heads would be impractical. Despite the velocity of the water from the sprayer, rotary systems actually produce less water than spray systems. The same-sized area on a rotary system would have to be watered four times more frequently than with a spray system.

Flood Systems:

These systems irrigate low to the ground. Bed sprays, bubblers and jet systems are different types of flood irrigation. Flood systems work well for plants, such as roses, that have adverse affects to damp foliage. Bubblers and jets are limited to the type of soil conditions in which they operate, for example sandy conditions would cause the water to sink on impact rather than spread throughout the garden. The type of water flow used by a flood systems is not effective for watering entire large lawns.

Micro-irrigation System:

These systems generate a low volume of water. Typical these systems include drip, trickle and some spray heads. Micro-irrigation is ideal for small areas of plants whose foliage cannot be sprayed. The water supply drips or trickles from plastic tubing close to the root, never touching the plants' leaves.

One draw back to these systems is If they are not properly installed, the tubing can be visible and is easily destroyed by mowers, weed eaters, animals and children. The tubes are also known to break in freezing weather.