What Kind of Sprinkler Do You Need ?
When you're driving around town, and you spot that gorgeous
house with the lush, green, pefect lawn, did you ever wonder
how it got that way? Among other things, chances are the homeowner
makes good use of a good sprinkler system to keep the lawn
that way. A large lawn, especially one with a lot of plants
and flowers, needs a lot of water. So if you want to be like
that person and improve the quality of your own lawn, here
is a guide to the various kinds of sprinklers you might use.
1)
The Yard Hose. Okay, this is not actually a sprinkler, but
it is a component necessary for all the other sprinklers
on this page. Whenever you decide to buy a new hose, you
need to keep your sprinkler system in mind. Think
about the thickness and length of the hose. Will it
be adequate for your needs? Hoses generally come in diameters
of half-inch, five-eighths inch, and three-quarters inch.
And the larger the diameter, the greater the amount of water
you'll get in a certain amount of time. So for sprinkler
purposes, the larger the diameter, the better.
Also,
because sprinklers are usually on for a long period of time,
you need to buy a hose that is puncture-resistant. AThis
means, if possible, avoid vinyl and synthetic hoses, because
they are too light and puncture easily. Also, a hose with
thin walls will wind up in kinks a lot, whereas thicker
hoses will not. Those kinks can cause small holes to appear.
Generally, therefore, a thicker hose is better--although
it does have one down side. The thicker hose will, of course,
be heavier and harder to carry around.
Finally,
as you're shopping for a hose, don't forget to check the
length. You want something long enough to put the sprinkler
where it needs to be, and yet short enough to be manageable.
2)
A soaker hose. Yes, we're still on the subject of hoses,
but this is a very specific kind. A soaker hose has pores
designed into it, in order to produce a slow-flowing water
stream. If high-pressured watering is needed, stay away
from the soaker hose. However, if you just need a small
plot of ground watered occasionally, this is a good choice,
as it will save water.
Now
onto the speakers. The idea when watering your plants and
flowers is to water starting at the ground level, moving
up. The reason for this is so that the roots receive an
adequate amount of water; also, this reduces the possibility
of spreading plant disease. However, larger plants,
such as ferns, do well with a fine misting. Keeping all
that information in mind, let's consider a few more watering
devices--all of these falling into the sprinkler category.
3)
Rotary Sprinkler. This one has two or three spinning arms.
It shoots out a fine watery mist at a distance set by the
user.
4)
Pulsating Sprinkler. This one shoots out just one spray
of water. It pulsates and moves in a circular manner. The
circular motion can be set to make a full circle or only
half circle.
5)
Oscillating Sprinkler. This one has a curved arm that sprays
water out of a group of tiny holes. The movement is a back
and forth action of the arm.
6)
Traveling Sprinkler. This one gets its name from the wheels
on the bottom. As the water sprays out, it forces
the sprinkler to move all over the surface of the lawn.
It stops when it reaches the hose's end.
If
after examining your lawn and what kind of plant life you
have, you still can't decide what kind of sprinkler you
need, consult with a salesperson at the home-and-garden
store. A knowledgeable one should be able to help.