Well, yes and no. I noticed on our most recent unbelievably warm night that when I felt foliage of plants, it was hot! Crazy stuff. So if overhead water was also serving to cool things down, that's not really a waste.

Just saying........+oM

Well, sure, it is the least efficient method in terms of water use. That's why drip is used so extensively in places where water supply is really short.

But I "cheat" once in a while, too, when I just don't have time, or a couple of days when it was extremely hot, and hook up a small sprinkler to do my container plants. I can't do it very often or very long, or everything would be coated in rust colored lime deposits.

I redid my one major planting bed along the side and front of the one house, and hooked it up to drip. What I can tell you about water use by this method versus a sprinkler is that my well pump runs constantly when I use a sprinkler, versus cycling on and off over the course of about 3-4 minutes when I run the drip. So it must be using a lot less water to actually do a larger area than my sprinkler waters.

This year is it, I've had it, since I actually didn't even plant a lot of garden space, seeing this coming back in early June. I'm not going to get caught off-guard next year, everything critical is going to be drip-enabled by spring planting season.

FWIW, I do fear that this is the "new normal". Not necessarily drought per se, but these bizarre climate swings. Probably be an extremely cold and harsh winter this year. Probably be cold and drenched in rain next summer (especially if I'm ready for it to be dry). And it stinks.

Tom, good point and I did notice that myself...that being the foilage was hot at night.

denn, for some reason I can't grasp the concept of drip irrigation for getting proper coverage on mass plantings. I might have to google a bit too see the various installs.

Here is just a snap shot of maybe 20% of my landscape. I just can't imagine winding hose all throughout there. This is from 2 months ago. The turf looks like death now.

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my water.. turns everything a real cool coppery color.. if i were to overhead water ...

you ought to think about a water supply line.. to put spigots around the perimeter.. with spigots every 50 or so.. so that all you would really need.. was one 75 foot hose ... trust me.. one hose is easier than moving 250 feet of hose ...

btw.. grass looks great [and green is green.. i dont care its not a fairway] -- on reread.. is see you did let the lawn brown.. ... mine has been brown for 6 weeks.. i wonder why you waste time and money on that.. it will come back in fall .. when night temps fall ...

i know your head is spinning.. since they are all new plantings.. but it is an extreme year.. and inside 2 or 3 years... they should all be free range ...

back to the spigots.. think cemetery .. where there are spigots here and there ... one inch supply line .. can be pulled into the lawn.. with little or no effect on such ... T up ... 2 foot gardens stake.. elbow.. and a spigot .. blow it out in fall ... or if you have a low spot.. let it drain .. no need to go 36 inches deep for year around water ...

i bought all the supply line.. used the mortgage map for a plan .. and had an installer drag in the hose ... and show me one connection .... i did the rest .... and half of it.. is above ground ....

a man ... can never have enough spigots.. now mull that one.. lol ..

could tell you more about it.. if you are interested ...

finally.. if you ever conceptualize inground timed water system.. for the lawn.. you will need to drag in the wires.. when you install the supply line ... i skipped that cost.. figuring that when i was to freaking lazy to turn on the water by walking out there.. it was probably going to be too late to worry about the lawn .. but i left being a lawn warrior in suburbia ... but i have neighbors.. who just have to have that perfect green lawn.. that requires a computer/timer .. to run one hour before dawn every day ...

ken

at 3 o'clock.. at the border.. just above the mulch.. you can see a lonely spigot...
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between the piles.. there is what looks like a blank mulch ring.. with no tree.. there is a spigot there ...
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same spigot just above pile
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running.. above ground down the fence line.. just right of the seat.. next to a post ... is a spigot
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trace the hose ... and behind goldner traum.. is a.. wait for it.. spigot.. which you cant see ...
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same spigot.. but you can see it at 9 pm
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follow the hose.. another .. ignore the dwarf ... also.. drip irrigation in this area ...
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Here is a link that might be useful: 660 feet of supply line for $149

Whaas, actually, based on your photo, I think drip would be EXACTLY what you need. It might take just a bit of experimentation with different emitters to get just the "right" amount of water to each plant. But the way drip is now, it is extremely easy to set up, once you get past the basic feeling of being overwhelmed by so many choices of equipment when you first look at a site like Dripworks dot com.

And Ken is absolutely right about installing a perimeter supply system. I did that a number of years ago, and it is a godsend to have spigots every 50-75 feet over a couple of acres. Just don't do what I do every once in a while and forget about it when digging and slice into the line.

but denn.. this garden is trees.. conifers.. which are trees.. and shrubs ...

once established.. they WILL NOT NEED water ... ever ...

so the investment in drip would not be recoverable ... IMHO ... but then.. if he is going to continue to build beds.. the drip could be recovered and reused in new beds.. until establishment.. i used the link below.. with a hose connect .. on various plantings .. over the years ... i have seen 250 feet for under $75 ....

but the spigots.. the time simply spent dragging.. water filled hose.. i mean really .. its good exercise.. but the mans basic premise.. these last few weeks.. is that it is killing him ...

WILL ... insure you only water when they need it.. once out of the blistering heat.. you should not have to be out there every day ...

in my one pic above.. with the dwarf .... i would have to spend hours gingerly moving the hoses around the patio.. and that is why that one area.. is on drip .... in one hour.. it is watered to 6 inches deep in my sand ... otherwise.. 2 hours of noodling hose all around.. there is beauty there ...

for what you already have invested in plants.. another hundred for the techline.. and piece of mind.. is reasonable. ... which is what denn is saying.. but i am adding the reusable angle ... if you only dripped two of your beds.. then that would reduce and hour or two from you standing there... piddling by hand.. eh... and who cares if it is above the mulch ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Whaas-

Yes and no. I wouldn't be embarrassed. You are trying to keep trees ALIVE, not like you are "wasting" it (not that we can really waste water, it either evaporates or goes back into the groundwater source. Its more the electricity and equipment to pump it (are you on a well?).

My brother lives in a very fancy subdivision up on top of a hill (he isn't wealthy, just spends his money wisely, except on overpriced housing). I would imagine they all have in ground sprinkler systems. My brother told me he runs his 3hours in the morning and 3 hours at night. His yard his huge (he lives on several acres, with a good portion of that grass. I told him he is probably using a 1000 gallons a day to keep his grass green (he doesn't care because its a community well...nice logic). All of that just to keep his *(&(*&*(& grass green!

I've got neighbors down the road that half the sprinkler is going into the street! My God people. I really hope some of these clowns blow out a well pump ($$$), seeing we are all on wells around my neighborhood. Luckily the Mississippi River is a mile away, so I doubt ground water should dry up anytime soon, but still...its grass.

In Israel I believe everything is on drip irrigation. Water is so tight in that country that all waste water is reused for agriculture. Those people know what they are doing.

I've just been laying a hose by my trees and giving them a good drink every few days. Everything seems to be doing fine.

most of the irrigation tapes and emitter technology came from Israeli research ...

in fact.. i believe my filter.. which looks like a bunch of casino chips with 120 mil tolerance.. was made there ..

ken

I prefer "overhead" sprinkler watering. IMO it more closely simulates rain. Earlier the cooling effect was mentioned. Also it is an area application so my theory is trees do not just have a comfy watered rootball to keep their roots in. After using a rain gauge a few times you get an idea how much rain you are simulating.

But as pointed out it waters a whole area so you are bound to use more water to get the tree's roots as much water. Here, no biggie. Next newer county over they have voluntary restrictions. Also this year the goal is just keeping things alive much less encouraging root growth.

0.13 inches of rain in a month or so. I share your pain.