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Good hose-end sprinkler for small rectangular lawn?

12 years ago

I need help to find a good watering solution for a 15' by 40' lawn that I installed (dwarf fescue sod) last year. Within 5 years, I expect to reconfigure the whole back yard, so I don't want to install permanent underground sprinklers, but I haven't found a decent hose-end sprinkler solution.

I have an oscillating arm sprinkler, a basic impulse-on-a-stake model, a Gilmour Pattern Master, several different ones that have lots of holes (what are these called? Like this http://www.melnor.com/sprinklers/701.html). For all of them, the coverage is so uneven that parts of the lawn are dying and parts are growing like crazy. Not to mention that I have to move them all over the place constantly in order to cover all of the lawn.

Are there any good sprinkler designs that might meet my need? The only other thought I've had is to thrash together a surface-piped system like themishmosh describes here http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lawns/msg0922115219316.html but I gather that there's no end of pitfalls to such a design. Thanks for any ideas!

Here is a link that might be useful: surface-piped system

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Comments (6)

rdaystrom
12 years ago
The best, most versatile sprinkler I have ever had is the Gardena Aquazoom 3800. It is adjustable in width and length as well as water volume. It can do full, one end, or center. It has huge coverage. It's timer is not dependent on water pressure so it shuts off when you want it to. Can use a quick coupling or regular hose connection. On the other deal...A sprinkler system built on top of the ground is a lot of trouble and a real eyesore. Been there and done that. I would rather move my sprinkler if I have to.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardena Sprinkler at Amazon
mc510
Original Author
12 years ago
Wow, that's a spendy sprinkler! Though if it really works, I guess it would be worth it to me. Does it cover pretty evenly? The ultra-cheapo oscillating arm sprinkler that I already have seems to put a lot of water and the ends and very little in the middle.
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Great pictures. You need to do something ASAP or your fescue at the edges will be more gone than it is. I would suggest a stopgap measure of using a hose and good oscillator sprinkler. The good ones do not have that mechanical linkage you see on the cheap ones. Those linkages will bind up and freeze the sprinkler in about 1 season. I've had one of the turbo models for 5 years and it's still going strong. The good oscillators cost upwards of $16 (on sale) and upwards of $20 during the season. Oscillators put out a very even spread of water and do it very slowly so it will sink in. Mine take 8 hours to get an inch of water out. Who installed your sprinkler system? It does seem like they mis calculated the coverage. Where are you on the central coast? To me that means from Santa Barbara to San Francisco.
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Parafly, is your soil staying damp between waterings? I know you are worried about overtaxing your well, and if you do have head to head coverage even with your spotty pressure, I think you may be watering more than you need to like you suspect. Definitely best thing would be to put some tuna cans or other straight sided vessels out on the lawn to see what you are actually putting down in a given time. But if your soil is remaining damp between waterings, maybe second best would be to cut back the duration of each watering slightly every day and see if you are still keeping it damp. Maybe start by cutting it by 25% and if that still works be more gentle with further reductions. If this helps your well recover that would be great. No need to waste water, which is obviously precious for you now. I'm sorry if you posted this and I missed it, but when are you watering? I was originally going to start at 6 a.m. and get three waterings of 15 minutes per day, but the good folks here suggested I start at 10 or so depending on how long the dew lasts, and this has been great advice for me: it turns out 3 ten minute waterings at 10, 1 and 4 is quite adequate for me and maybe more than necessary.
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If you have enough water pressure, I would get three 10 foot hunter sprays and join them with poly pipe and a hose adapter on the end. At least that is what I did (75ft x 10 ft)--I have 8 sprays but only have enough water pressure to run 4 at a time to get full spray. I tried a timer but it cuts water pressure down too much. Some parts I got from sprinklerwarehouse, some from Lowes.
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I think I figured it out. I think back spray occurs when using a hose end shut significant distance from the hose bibb, such as a hose end sprayer etc. My hunch is timers are designed to be installed directly to the hose bib. So, I bought a y type manifold and attached the timer at the hose bib. No leaks. Yeah!
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rdaystrom
12 years ago
The pattern is even. It comes with a little tool for unclogging the nozzles if something gets in one. The other features make it worth the money to me. Those being a really variable and adjustable pattern in width and throw. Adjustable water volume. The good reliable timer is a big advantage. I hate to set a sprinkler and forget about it all night when I didn't plan it that way.
caseyc3
12 years ago
That's funny I just made my own in-and-above ground setup before seeing the mishmosh one. I basically just take an in-ground sprinkler (rotary in this case) and attach a few fittings and pipe that brings a hose end adapter to the surface. Then built a few pvc pass through so I could use hose and connect a few in series. My water pressure is only good to run two at a time but luckily my front yard is small and I get really great even coverage.

I would love to have an in-ground system for real, but the town I'm in outlawed them, LOL.
mc510
Original Author
12 years ago
Reporting back, I took your advice, rdaystrom, and got a Gardena Aquazoom sprinkler -- the Aquazoom 1973 model. Just like the one linked above, but with a smaller range and without a built-in timer. $47 at Amazon. It's every bit as good as described; I think my lawn watering problems are solved!

Here is a link that might be useful: aquazoom 1973
rdaystrom
12 years ago
That's great. I'm glad you're happy with it. I have enjoyed mine for sure. If you feel the need for a timer later on you can get the Gardena timer. They are very reliable compared to most other water timers. See the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardena timer

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