Easy Does It, St. Louis: Drip Irrigation dos and don\’ts

When they think of lawn irrigation, most St. Louis residents think of either the classic rotating or oscillating sprinkler a homeowner might buy in a hardware store. Or, conversely, they may think of \”pop-up\” sprinkler heads which emerge from underground, do their duty, then retreat back under the turf.

Sub-surface drip irrigation, however, is completely sub-subterranean. It has many advantages over above-ground sprinklers in certain situations and may be right for your needs. A drip irrigation system for turf is a simple grid of drippers formed by parallel emitter lines. It is, in reality, an underground sprinkler system. It\’s a robust technology that has proven reliable even in the harshest conditions.

Emitter lines consist of polyethylene tubing with drip emitters installed at specific intervals. Subsurface emitter lines do best when buried 4-6\” below the surface and installed with air vents and automatic flushing ends. Emitter lines are placed under the soil in one of three ways. The first is hand trenching, the second is a mechanical trencher that cuts a narrow slot, and the third is with a pipe pulling vibratory plow. There is no best method, but usually site conditions suggest the most economical approach.

Advantages of underground drip irrigation over sprinkler system irrigation in the St Louis area:

* No evaporation issues

* No overspray even in small or irregular areas or on nearby windows

* Drip irrigation systems are totally safe from damage from above, whether intentional or accidental

* No unsightly water on hillsides, walkways or fencing

* A reduced number of water supply valves, which means you need less water flow

* Your particular landscape, with its berms, slopes and flat areas, will dictate the spacing of emitter lines and flow

* Grass roots grow deeper to seek the water, making the lawn more drought resistant, and reducing thatch build-up

Heavy clay soils call for maximum spacing of drip irrigation emitter lines — approximately 18\” from each other. In non-clay soils, closer spacing is more appropriate. However, the closest your lines should ever be is 12\”, with emitter holes 12\” apart from each other. In order to not disturb your emitter lines, be careful to bury them away from areas which will be replanted often.

Looking to find the best deal on drip irrigation supplies in St. Louis, then visit the MPR website to find the best advice on for you or your customers.