If you’re looking for ways to keep your garden watered, without wasting too much time and money, you’ve probably gone through a lot of options, in your mind. Maybe you’ve considered a sprinkler, a hose, or a good old-fashioned watering can. All of these methods might be convenient, but most of the time, you will end up wasting water, on plants that don’t need any more.

If you live in a drought stricken area, like my sister does, you know that every bit of water counts. She ended up getting a drip irrigation system and she hasn’t regretted this decision, at all.

When you install a drip irrigation system, you can choose one, of two varieties: above ground and below ground. The above ground version drips small amounts of water continuously, onto the ground, and allows it to soak in. It is all regulated from a pressure controller, which ensures that the water just comes out at a drip, instead of a spray, or a stream.

These pressure regulators are very inexpensive. The whole drip system can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose, with holes poked in it, although it is ideal for you, to get a pipe designed for this type of use, I’ve found that the hose method works acceptably.

The underground system is a bit more of a pain, to install and maintain. But, if you’re really into the aesthetic aspect of your garden and don’t want any visible watering system, then you might consider it worth it. It’s essentially the same as the above ground version, only a small trench is dug, for the hose, or pipe, prior to any planting.

This allows the water direct access to the roots, for the most watering efficiency. Plus, you can impress your neighbours, by having a beautiful garden, without ever going outside, to water it! They’ll be baffled.

To choose between the two systems, you need to take several things into account. Do you have the same plant layout, year round? If it is always changing, you probably won’t want to bury your hose. It can be a pain, to dig it up and re-align it, with all your new plants, every year, or so.

Even if your plant layout never changes, you need to consider how much you really mind seeing a hose in your garden. If it really bothers you, to the extent that you’re willing to work for a few hours to get rid of it, then by all means bury it. But otherwise, I would suggest staying above ground, if for nothing else, than the convenience of repairing and re-arranging.

One of the main advantages of the drip irrigation system, is its efficiency. Instead of spraying large amounts of water, willy-nilly, like a hose does, it makes the most of your precious water, by putting it exactly where it is needed. It can also provide your garden, with constant watering, instead of just having to go thirsty, whenever you’re not around to water it.

So, if you’re looking for an easy, cheap, convenient, and efficient alternative watering method, you should go out to the gardening store today and purchase the necessary items, to install a drip irrigation system. I think you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to maintain a garden, after you have it.

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Sally Robson is a South African Internet marketer, who together with her husband Derek, have a vision of empowering all fellow South Africans and other non U.S folk, to have equal opportunity and success on the internet, by overcoming the many obstacles facing them. They have started a string of sites, resources, courses and articles, as part of Dersalsites. Sally has a passion for gardening. For more articles and advice on gardening topics, visit Sally at: http://www.dersalsites.com/sallysgardeningtips/ 

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