Basics - What is Drip?
Drip irrigation has its roots in agriculture, where in many parts of the world it was the only option available for harsh climates with limited water supplies. Its development depended on advancements in polyethylene tubing, and its growth was most rapid in arid and drought-plagued regions. Beginning in the late 1960's farmers discovered that by using drip irrigation they could increase yields while lowering water use. The 80's saw drip irrigation making the transition into commercial landscape with mixed success. In today's market, drip irrigation is well-trusted and used extensively in agriculture, and is actively utilized in commercial landscaping and residential gardening.
 Drip Irrigation is the slow application of water directly to the plant's root zone using "drippers", which are also referred to as "emitters". Maintaining an optimum moisture level in the soil at all times results in less water lost to the sun and the wind. No water is wasted on non-growth areas, and the root zone is maintained at its ideal moisture level, combining the proper balance of water and air for a very efficient irrigation system. Unlike drippers, "microsprinklers" throw the water over a wide area, and are designed to be used in areas where drippers are not practical, such as large areas of ground cover or flowerbeds. Like drippers, microsprinklers have many of the same benefits, resulting in abundant foliage and less water use. Low volume irrigation offers some key advantages and benefits to both contractors and homeowners.
We now know that drip irrigation is the precise and slow delivery water to plants' roots.
Conventional irrigation systems rate sprinklers and bubblers in gallons per minute. Drip irrigation flow rates are in gallons per hour not per minute, because of the low flow from each emitter. For example a lawn sprinkler may be rated at 1 to 5 GPM (gallons per minute), or 60 to 300 GPH (gallons per hour).
A drip emitters are usually rated at 1-4 GPH (gallon per hour); a microsprinkler might be rated at 15-45 GPH (gallons per hour).
With conventional watering systems, water is lost through run off or evaporation, or blown away by wind, or wasted on non-growth areas. Using drip irrigation, water is absorbed slowly into the soil, directly into the root zone, and no water is wasted on non-growth areas. By placing water just at the root zone of the plant you can water much less and not as often. This method causes the water to be pushed deeper into the soil and helps to promote the plants' roots to grow downward and not just laterally, as they would with shallower watering.
The very low flow of water from outlets on a drip system also enables you to water a much larger area from a single water source. Less water usage equals a larger single watering zone.
Another advantage of using a low flow drip system is that you do not need high pressure to supply the drippers and microsprinklers. Most drip systems are recommended to run at about 15 to 30 PSI (pounds per square inch). For comparison most houses have water pressure of anywhere from 40 PSI to 60 PSI. The benefit is that you do not have to worry about large pressure drops in your household water flow just because the irrigation system has turned on; for example you will not notice if the system goes on when you are in the shower! Because of this low pressure, drip systems can use tubing and other components that do not require glue, clamps or hard-to-connect components. In fact, most components of a drip system can be moved or reused. This is explained in more depth in other sections
There are other details about drip irrigation that make it the only sensible way to water your landscape but here we have provided only a broad overview. To see all the details scroll back up to our main help menu and check out the other sections.
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What is Drip
