2024 Summer Guide to Lawn Sprinklers

Many people turn on the sprinkler and let the water flow out without any proper watering routine. However, a good irrigation schedule in the summer involves deep and infrequent watering, two or three times a week. Any volume of water fed by your sprinkler below that level can make the grass look as dry as dust.

Therefore, knowing how to pick a decent sprinkler based on your lawn needs and correctly incorporating it into your summer watering schedule is ideal for growing refreshed, vibrant grass. To save time, walk through this quick guide and gather all the essential information on lawn sprinklers to get started.

Hand Watering vs. Hose vs. Sprinkler: What"s Best for Summer Watering in Your Lawn?

Summer is the most favorable season to water your lawns and keep them in good shape all year round. While there are endless methods for watering your lawn, each has its positive and negative sides. Here, we compare the three most familiar watering options so you can decide on one that works for you and your lawn!

1. Hand Watering

Hand watering seems simple at the surface level, but it"s time-consuming and monotonous to stand for hours in the scorching heat watering your lawn. This method is preferable only if you have a small gardening area and a temperate climate.

2. Subsurface Drip Irrigation

Subsurface drip irrigation delivers water directly to the roots of the grass via buried drip emitter tubing. Installing a subsurface drip irrigation system takes careful planning, but once installed, it can help reduce water usage because no water is lost due to evaporation.

3. Lawn Sprinkler

Lawn sprinklers are meticulously pieced together for watering regardless of the small and big lawn sizes. In addition, you can eliminate the manual labor and water your lawn twice or thrice a week without hassle. Many other remarkable advantages of sprinklers include:

• Efficient water Use
• Reduces Labor Cost
• Ideal medium to large size lawns
• Controlled Water Distribution
• Eliminates soil issues

Type of Lawn Sprinklers

Lawn sprinklers are good alternatives to garden drip irrigation ideas. There are numerous types, each designed to match your preferences.

• Rotating sprinklers can irrigate a large area. They distribute water in a circular or semicircular pattern.

• Spray sprinklers are the most popular and most common type of sprinkler head. They provide a fan shape, and the water is sprayed in different patterns depending on the nozzle.
• Oscillating sprinklers have a swift watering speed with a rectangular and square spray pattern. The sprinkler moves back and forth, spraying water in a circular pattern.

• Impact sprinklers are typically made of brass or bronze. They provide long throws of water across your lawn.

How to Choose the Best Lawn Sprinkler for Watering?

A good sprinkler delivers a balanced amount of water to cover all areas and keeps the water down to the ground surface to prevent wind drift and evaporation. However, choosing this sort of sprinkler requires a lot of screening, especially when the market is well over with hundreds of irrigation sprinklers. Consider these aspects beforehand to make your decision-making easier!

1. Lawn Shape

Every sprinkler has a unique spray pattern, so it's best to consider the shape of your lawn and decide on the type of sprinkler that gives a comprehensive cover to each area in your yard.

For instance, Micro sprinklers are ideal for a small garden, and in-ground sprinklers will run best if you have irregularly shaped or curved lawns. For uniform or rectangular areas, you can pick an oscillating sprinkler.

2. Soil Variety

Sprinklers are excellent for sandy soils. Therefore, examine soil type before spending money, and choose the sprinkler according to your lawn's needs.

For example, lawns with low drainage capacity need low-flow rate sprinklers to prevent water logging, while fast-draining soil can thrive with high-flow sprinklers.

3. Grass Type

Like humans, each grass variety has unique requirements. While cool-season grasses demand more water than usual, warm-season ones can tolerate moderate watering.

Rotors or Impact sprinklers are most suitable for grass with high watering needs, but you should still do your due diligence and speak to a gardener to collect professional advice.

4. Nozzle Pick

To choose the right sprinkler nozzle, consider the flow rate of your water system, the type of grass you have, and the size of the lawn you need to water.

To choose the nozzle, measure the distance back to the spray head and then select the radius that closely matches this distance.

The two primary types of sprinklers are pop-up sprinklers, which are great for lawns, and fixed sprinklers.

5. Total Budget

While budget is key, you want to purchase trusted quality sprinklers. The goal is to acquire a sprinkler that will last for years and provide efficient coverage and water to your lawn.

To stay on budget, measure and plan your sprinkler system before purchasing any products. Careful planning and quality sprinklers will make installing the lawn sprinkler system easy and affordable.

When and How Long Should You Run Your Lawn Sprinkler?

Summer heat makes your lawn more vulnerable to drying up and wilting before time, but that"s where the genius of lawn sprinklers comes into play. Running them in equilibrium allows you to have a healthy, fertile, and green lawn in due time.

• As endorsed by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANRC), the best time to run your sprinkler is early morning. Watering your lawns during the evening or afternoon is less effective because of high evaporation. Plus, it"s more suitable if you determine your lawn type and estimate the sprinkler output for optimal use.

• According to Purdue Extension, an average sprinkler takes roughly 30 to 35 minutes to get half an inch of water down the grass. So, the best way forward is to examine your grass type and how much water it needs every week. This will help you operate the sprinkler for the time necessary to meet the grass's water requirements.

Tips to Care for Your Lawn Sprinklers

Sprinklers with damaged and broken parts are alarming. Not only can they increase maintenance costs, but they can also harm your lawn with elevated pressure or reduced watering frequency. Here"s how you can look after these devices for maximized output.

• Check the sprinkler head and replace it if broken
• Run the sprinklers at the suggested water pressure to make sure your sprinklers will run properly
• Make sure the sprinkler head is not in a tilted direction when running
• Clean the clogged sprinkler head gently with a paperclip or hand
• Fine-tune your sprinklers every two weeks to avoid potential risks

The Bottom Line

Lawn sprinklers are ideal for watering any size lawn. By adjusting your summer watering schedules and choosing the right type of sprinkler, you can transform your home lawns into a stunning space.

Check out DripWorks.com for top brands and durability. For more information on sprinkler irrigation, see our blog. If you need assistance with an irrigation project, feel free to contact us at support@dripworks.com.