July is Smart Irrigation Month!

Shall we take a moment to reflect on this past year? Like the smallest of moments, because 2020 doesn’t deserve any more refection than that. So many of us were stuck at home and left to own devices, and with all that extra time, many of us decided to take on a new hobby. Can you say VICTORY GARDEN!? Just the name alone sounds like a quest to triumph over. Now, one of the biggest benefits of having your own garden is having fresh, ground to table produce with less cost. But what if you could make your savings a little more beneficial by cutting back on your monthly water bill as well? July is Smart Irrigation Month, so let’s talk about how you can make that victory garden a little more victorious.

Before we get to victory gardens, let’s dive into the past and talk about how irrigation and food production go hand in hand. Irrigation, as a concept, has been around for roughly 8,000 years with architectural examples in nearly every continent. Yep, you read that right, NEARLY EVERY CONTINENT. (…Thanks Antarctica, for not making it every continent.)

Yet, what is really astounding is that the earliest known instances: from canals in Egypt andNorth America, to terracing in China, underground tunnels in Sri Lanka, and even the aqueducts in Ancient Rome (just to name a few), ALL happened organically. Meaning these ideas originated within their own cultures based on their own needs, not by outside forces. So, its pretty safe to say that irrigation, as a practice, is totally a global phenomenon (even without Antarctica’s help …pff). Without it, horticulture would never have made way for agriculture. Moreover, without agriculture there never would have been enough food or textiles to support the growth of small communities to cities, and in extension the local food markets to the global food trade we now have today. Thus, to say irrigation has played a pivotal role in the advancement of the human race, is a tremendous understatement.

However, historically speaking irrigation has never exactly been water efficient. As time passed and our societies grew, the methods, scale and purpose of irrigation also expanded to fit our new found needs. But even as the technology changed, water efficiency stayed, well, a little dumpy. It wasn’t until the FAR end of this past millennia, we’re talking the 1960’s, that water conservation even became a topic of interest. Now, I can guess what you’re thinking – “That’s already 60ish years ago, which is a pretty long time.” – But in comparison to the 8 millennia that have past since the known advent of irrigation, we are just a wee bit behind on our conservation game as an industry.

Now, let’s bring it back to present day era, where drought, climate zone shifting, and water conservation is more often than not, a popular topic and valid concern.  “Smart Irrigation Month” is an initiative launched back in 2015 by The Irrigation Association. Their goal is to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of using water efficient irrigation technologies. Which officially brings us back to victory gardens, and how those benefits can apply to you.

If you’re like me, watering the garden often looks like a garden hose getting kinked and twisted as it is lugged across the lawn. Or maybe, it’s a watering can that is constantly spilling water down the front of your clothing, as you transport it from plant to plant. Regardless of the method, there always seems to be more water streaming away from the plants before it actually soaks in. Which can result in the plant receiving more water than what is actually needed, causing the monthly water bill to sky rocket.

So how do you remedy that issue? One method is Pressure Compensating Drip Systems.

The name is a mouth full, I know, but the concept is a pretty straight forward. In essence this system, is as simple as hooking up some tubing (we recommend ½” Polyethylene Tubing) to your spigot, running the line to the garden you wish to irrigate to, and installing some pressure compensating emitters to that line. Now, pressure compensating emitters can be a bit of a rabbit hole. Thus, here is a little bit of direction. The point of “pressure compensating” is that water pressure is being regulated to release a very specific amount of water at a very specific rate. This ensures all your plants are getting the exact amount of water needed directly to their root system. No run off, no inconsistent watering from day to day, just one happy, accurately watered plant. Simply turn on your spigot, set a timer on your phone, and turn off your water when the timer goes off.

At this point in time, you are probably wondering what are those smart irrigation benefits?

In terms of water conservation, drip systems are low to the ground allowing more time for water to soak into a plant’s root systems. This cuts back on unnecessary water evaporation, misdirection due to windy conditions, little to no water runoff or soil erosion, and less soil compaction. Meaning your plant’s roots can get to the air they need to thrive, a lot easier. But the biggest savings comes from taking away that unnecessary watering of soil between your plants. In fact, according to Irrigation and Green Industry, drip systems are considered to be 90-95% more efficient than the typical “spray” technique used with garden hoses or watering cans. In regards to energy and money efficiency, compared to their high-pressure, high-energy counterparts, Penn State reported in 2020 that drip irrigation can cut down water-based energy costs as much as 50%. This is due to drip systems being pressure regulated, thus less energy is being used to push water through your pipelines. As far as your water bill, Penn State also averaged that the cost of watering your produce had the potential of dropping by a whopping 76%! This means that with a proper pressure compensating drip system, you can spend more time watching your produce grow, and less time worrying about the utilities bill at the end of the month.

Are you wondering what questions are best for planning your new drip system? Then tune in next week for our following blog post, a “how to” for planning a simple drip system!