When is Drip Irrigation Right for Your Customers?

Professional landscapers know that less is more when it comes to drip irrigation, a system that will bring immediate time, water and monetary savings to you and your clients. Watering through drip irrigation virtually eliminates water loss by applying precise amounts of water to the roots of plants and bushes, resulting in the most cost-effective means for maintaining vegetation.

Banking on benefits
Drip irrigation is an integral part of a water conserving landscape, says Brian Gregson, president of Rainwater Services, a provider of eco-friendly irrigation solutions in St. Petersburg, Fla. New measures of sprinkler bans—such as the one recently enacted in Tampa, Fla.—have prompted more residential and commercial property owners to seek out drip irrigation in order to maintain a low-cost landscape. “Water conservation is the biggest reason to use drip irrigation,” he says, adding that the practice can also save clients a significant amount as compared to traditional irrigation.

Landscapers will also find that plants and vegetation are healthier thanks to the daily, uniform applications of water, says Leon Springer, president/owner of Northern California-based Drip Works, a wholesale provider of drip irrigation systems. “Your clients can have a healthier garden because you are only using water where it’s needed instead of spraying it everywhere,” he says. The results are fewer unsightly weeds, which can translate into fewer client maintenance calls and a leaner bottom line.

Considering the average residential property resides on about one-eighth of an acre of land, Springer estimates the average wholesale costs for drip equipment such as valves, timers and tubing would average around $300—a price that results in a large profit margin for the landscaper.

At the root of the system’s benefits is low visibility; a drip irrigation system can be installed on the surface of a garden and easily covered with a layer of mulch for optimal aesthetic value, Gregson says.

Look of the land
Drip irrigation may have its cost benefits, but is it right for all of your clients? The increasing popularity of xeriscaping—cultivating low-maintenance, drought-resistant vegetation—has sparked an added interest in drip over the past decade, Gregson says. In areas of the country such as the Southwest where sprinkler restrictions are common, drip irrigation allows your clients to maintain landscaping without engaging in wasteful watering tactics.

Commercial business parks are also ideal platforms for drip irrigation installation. Springer says the seamless integration of trees and shrubs amid concrete creates a ready-made map for drip systems. Emitter tubes can also be easily concealed under mulch to prevent damage and conceal visibility, he says.

Conversely, customers looking to irrigate open, grassier spaces such as a golf course or recreation field may want to consider other irrigation options, Gregson says. “Anywhere where there are large areas of turf grass or sod to irrigate—you probably want to look at something else,” he says.

Location matters
While drip irrigation may be landscape dependent, it is not necessarily geographically dependent, Gregson says. In Florida, where the wettest months are often the hottest, non-native plants need more water because the rain tends to evaporate more quickly after it falls. “It’s going back up to the sky instead of down into the roots,” Gregson says on the need for efficient drip systems.

Soil types also factor into the effectiveness of a drip system. In an area such as Florida and the surrounding Southeast, the spongy nature of the clay heavy soil creates an absorbent base for your customers’ irrigation needs.

“When you put drip tubing down, the water spreads out wider, so you would want to place them as deep,” says Gregson, suggesting that the irrigation specialist spaces the tubes about 18 inches from each other.

In the case of some the sandier soils seen in the west and southwest, the ground acts like a sieve, requiring tighter-spaced tubing which could result in slightly higher costs for both you and the client. Gregson recommends about 12 inches of spacing between the tubes.

Adds Springer: “With sandy soil, the water goes straight down, so you have to space the emitters closer together and put them closer to the plant.”

Partnership is key
At the core of an efficient drip irrigation is an effective design landscape, Gregson says. He urges landscapers to always work in tandem with irrigation specialists to save time and money before the installation legwork begins. The end result will yield a more efficient system with an optimal cost savings.