The Importance of an Efficient Watering System for Your Garden

By Lauren Thomas

When disaster hits you may be faced with a water crisis as well as a food crisis. Chances are if the disaster was big enough to cause your local grocery store to not carry the food supply you need, then you are probably going to have a measure of difficulty getting water to your plants as well.  When you are relying on these plants to yield a harvest, they can’t die when you need them most because you’re limited on water.  Something that you may want to consider as you grow your own food source is how you plan to water your plants.

There are many methods growers can use to water their garden, but some methods are more efficient in saving water than others.  Homesteaders and preppers need to consider drip irrigation as a way to water their garden.  Drip irrigation is perhaps the most efficient way to conserve water as you tend to your garden.  The reason drip irrigation works so well is because it prevents water loss by evaporation and runoff.  

Most watering methods apply water too quickly, and water is wasted because it doesn’t have enough time to soak into the soil before it is evaporated into the air or runs off to another location.   With drip irrigation, water loss is dramatically reduced.  As the name implies, the water drips slowly into the soil.  This doesn’t seem very exciting, but because the water has time to actually soak deep into the soil your plants are going to be targeted with more water and less will be wasted.

Another benefit of drip irrigation is that it is developing your plants to better withstand a drought.  Because the water has time to soak in deeply, it helps plants develop deep roots that reach further down away from the surface, where more moisture is located.  With other watering systems that don’t deliver water down deep to the plant, the water stays near the surface and the plant’s roots tend to reach towards the surface to retrieve water.  However, when it gets hot, the water near the surface of the soil is going to be the first to leave, and if your plant’s roots are near the surface they will not be left with much moisture besides what you continually provide them.

Drip irrigation works even better to save on water when combined with a rain barrel.  As long as there is enough elevation difference between the rain barrel and your garden, there should be enough pressure to water with drip irrigation with a rain barrel.  If you are really lacking on water, this might be your best option.

It doesn’t take much to disrupt a water source.  Even in the United States people in California are experiencing one of the worst droughts in state history.  New water restrictions have been put in place that residents must follow when it comes to water usage.  But even with the new restrictions, many cities still allow residents to use drip irrigation to water their plants while other watering systems can’t be used.  Drip irrigation has a reputation for water efficiency and is a very useful tool during a water crisis.

There are many options available to use for drip irrigation.  One downside of many drip irrigation options is that they can be kind of complicated to set up.  If you want a simpler drip irrigation option I would suggest checking out gardendripsystem.com for more information about drip irrigation. You don’t have to wait for a disaster before you reap the benefits of drip irrigation.  You can save money on your water bill as well as develop healthier plants.