Hose and Sprinkler
Uses
- Lawns
- Larger garden beds
Advantages
- Sprinkler is inexpensive and easy to use
- Used with a timer for added convenience
- Excellent for beds that need infrequent watering
Disadvantages
- Uneven watering
- Hard to avoid overspray
- Water loss from evaporation
Watering Wand
Uses
- Individual plants or small beds
- Containers
- New trees or plants mixed with established plants
Advantages
- Easy to water individual plants
- water only the roots
Disadvantages
- Time consuming to water large areas
Soaker Hose
Uses
- Level garden beds
- Food gardens
- New trees and shrubs
Advantages
- Takes less time than hand-watering
- Less evaporation
- Use a timer for regular watering
Disadvantages
- Does not work well on slopes
- May accidentally overwater, since water is not easily visible
- Some soaker hose materials may release heavy metals
- Easy to damage when digging
- Proper placement is important to make sure the soil is evenly moist; difficult to tailor to the needs of individual plants
- soaker hose may break down relatively quickly if not covered by mulch
Learn more about dripline and soaker hoses or view a video on how to use a soaker hose
Dripline
Uses
- Garden beds that need regular water—slopes OK
- Food gardens
- Fruit & other trees that need water after established
- Containers
- Trees, shrubs, perennials
Advantages
- Very efficient
- Waters evenly on slopes
- Can tailor system to plants & soil
- Can use a timer for regular watering
Disadvantages
- Needs to be properly installed & maintained to work well (may need help from a professional)
- High-quality drip parts can be expensive
Learn more about dripline and soaker hoses.
Automatic overhead Sprinkler System
Uses
- Larger lawn or garden areas that require regular watering
- Advantages
- Convenience—no watering by hand
- Waters while you’re out of town
Disadvantages
- Less efficient than most other methods, especially if spray heads are used (typically wastes 40 percent or more of water used)
- Expensive to install
- Requires annual tune-up & regular maintenance
- Water use & bills usually higher than other watering methods
Learn more about automatic irrigation systems
Questions? Call the Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224 or email help@gardenhotline.org