Watering is one of the most important lawn care items. Correct and timely irrigation will provide a beautiful view, stimulate plant growth and create a favorable climate. With a lack of moisture, the growth process slows down, the lawn grass turns yellow and begins to wither. Watering the lawn is necessary in spring, summer and autumn.

How do you know if your lawn needs watering?

With a lack of moisture, the grass itself will demonstrate this to you. It is better to get ahead of drying by the first signs:

• The grass began to curl up;
• The lawn began to trample, the grass rises for a long time after being pressed;
• In drought, the grass turns brown;
• The grass fades or turns yellow;
• Bald spots appear.

Wilting is most noticeable on old grass... The first to suffer from drought are bluegrass and white bent. Average requirement for soil moisture in meadow bluegrass, chaff. The fescue is the least whimsical.

With a lack of water, drought-resistant grasses remain alive. If their leaves dry up and root system, the plants go into dormancy. When the soil is moistened, it begins to grow again. Even though the herbs survived, appearance them in drought leaves much to be desired. A yellowed lawn is unlikely to please the eye.

When is the best time to water your lawn?

The most common question is when to water - in the morning or in the evening? Each case has its own characteristics and subtleties.

Watering is best done in the early morning. In cool, windless weather, the water evaporates less and the grass will have time to dry out before the onset of heat.

Daytime watering is also acceptable, but it should be borne in mind that in the scorching sun, wet grass can get burned: water droplets create a lens effect. Moisturizing the grass stand in the heat is called harmful watering, spots appear on the blades of grass. Therefore, for daytime watering, cloudy days or autumn period when the sun is hotter.

Evening watering in summer time it is recommended to run between 16.00 and 18.00. This is due to the fact that the grass must dry out. If the grass cover remains wet overnight, this can adversely affect its condition and lead to fungal diseases.

How often should the lawn be watered?

To accurately answer the question of how many times you need to water your lawn, you need to take into account the following factors: soil type, weather and root depth. The weather is the most important factor. In the driest hot summer weather, watering is recommended every day. On average in Russia, in the heat and on sandy soils the lawn must be watered 2-3 times a week. In autumn and in cool weather, the rate of moistening of the grass stand is reduced to 1 time in 10 days. The main point to consider when watering is that the land between waterings must have time to dry out. This will stimulate the growth of the root system: the roots begin to grow deeper, extracting the remaining moisture. In October, a week before frost, watering should be stopped completely.

One of the most difficult issues- how much water is required to water the lawn. For the middle zone, there is an irrigation rate, which ranges from 20 to 40 liters per 1 square meter of lawn. Watering should be moderate. Puddles and water accumulation are unacceptable. Watering frequency is determined by soil composition and weather conditions. For the lungs sandy loam soil irrigation frequency - every 3-4 days. For clayey, once every 7-10 days. Additional hydration is carried out after cutting, during the period of active growth and when feeding with fertilizers. Excessive watering of the lawn leads to overgrowth with moss and the development of fungal diseases.

If the lawn was made recently, the grass has not yet sprouted on it, then the soil must be constantly kept moist. Watering in this case is required daily. The soil without vegetation and turf does not retain moisture, the dark surface of the earth heats up, the water evaporates quickly. On average, daily watering should be done for about 7-10 days. Further, the frequency of soil moisture is determined from the composition of the soil and the average daily temperature.

Irrigation types

For young grass, or immediately after planting it, you need a little water: the root system has not yet formed a layer of sod that absorbs and retains moisture. Therefore, you can water not much, but often.

Deep abundant watering should be done in drought, in summer period.

Improper or harmful watering is usually oversaturation of the soil with moisture or moistening on a hot day. In both cases, the grass turns yellow and withers. Watering in drought conditions is best done in the early morning.

Lawn irrigation products

Means and methods of watering a green lawn everyone chooses for himself. Depending on the area of ​​the lawn, the complexity of the relief and its forms, it can be considered the following options glaze:

A garden watering can is the easiest way to water your lawn with your own hands. Ideal for watering a small lawn near your home. You cannot do without a watering can and to moisten problem areas, in places where the hose stream does not reach or so as not to wet it again garden paths.

Garden hoses - simple and universal way glaze. Together with the spray nozzles, it perfectly irrigates the soil, does not wash off the soil and does not damage the root system. You can water the plants without using special nozzles, slightly blocking the stream with your finger. Due to the fact that watering is done by hand, the earth will be thoroughly moistened throughout the entire area. The downside is that you have to waste your time moving the hose with the nozzle across the lawn.

Perforated hoses differ from conventional hoses only in that there are a lot of holes along their entire surface. The hose is deployed over the territory of the lawn, and quite large areas are irrigated through the holes.

The sprinkler is convenient device that turns a powerful jet from a hose into rain. The use of such a nozzle does not allow water to destroy the soil surface during irrigation. The disadvantage of the device is a large proportion of water vapor during irrigation. Small particles of water are blown away by the wind.

The circular sprinkler is like a fountain during operation. They are usually installed in several pieces, perfect for watering lawns of a small area.

Rotating Sprinkler - This device is a sprinkler with the ability to adjust the stream. This system watering allows you to adjust the watering distance so as not to flood garden paths or swings.

The swinging or oscillating sprinkler is specially designed for watering rectangular and square lawns. The device allows you to adjust the distance and degree of watering.

Automatic irrigation systems are used on large lawns when watering with your own hands takes a very long time. The most important aspect is that irrigation systems are installed in front of the lawn device. There are two types of sprinklers used in these systems: stationary (or visible) and recessed. Recessed sprinklers appear on the surface of the lawn only during watering.

The automatic irrigation system consists of underground system pipes and hoses, sprinklers, large water container, pumps, tensiometers, rain sensors and computers. Tensiometers transmit information about soil moisture to the computer. Rain sensors indicate that there is no need for watering at the programmed time, in the presence of precipitation. Such systems are calculated and installed by specialists.

The correct lawn on the site, which looks like in a picture from a glossy magazine, emphasizes and complements the overall design of the territory and the buildings themselves, evokes undoubted respect for the owner of the house.

How do you achieve results to make your lawn look like the picture?

I will write a series of articles from my personal experience on the arrangement of the lawn and ... The most important thing I will tell you about the care of the lawn; a haircut, watering, feeding, aeration, scarification, etc. What, why and why.

Today exclusively about watering- rules and regulations. We will only touch on automatic irrigation, because I do not know what devices to measure the water poured from the hose, except to count with buckets and watering cans.

Consider generally accepted rules, they all come to the same rate of 4 - 6 l / m2 per day. Or 4 mm - 6 mm, in terms of precipitation.

For example, let's take the norms from a well-known document SNiP 2.04.02-84 “WATER SUPPLY. OUTDOOR NETWORKS AND STRUCTURES ".

Section 2.3 of this SNiPa there is a table: "Water consumption for irrigation in settlements and territories industrial enterprises should be taken depending on the coverage of the territory, the method of watering it, the type of plantings, climatic and other local conditions according to Table 3. "

We look at it carefully:

Table 3

Purpose of water	Meter	Water consumption for irrigation, l / m
Mechanized washing of improved driveways and squares	1 sink	1,2-1,5
Mechanized watering of improved driveways and squares	1 watering	0,3-0,4
Hand watering (with hoses) of advanced sidewalk and driveway pavements	Also	0,4-0,5
Watering urban green spaces	"	3-4
Watering lawns and flower beds	"	4-6
Watering plantings in soil winter greenhouses	1 day	15
Watering plantings in shelving winter and soil spring greenhouses, greenhouses of all types, insulated soil	Also	6
Watering plantings on household plots: vegetable crops	"	3-15
fruit trees	"	10-15

Notes:

1. In the absence of data on areas by type of improvement (green spaces, driveways, etc.), the specific average daily water consumption for irrigation per capita should be taken 50-90 l / day, depending on climatic conditions, capacity of the water supply source , the degree of improvement settlements and other local conditions.
2. The number of waterings should be taken 1-2 per day, depending on climatic conditions.

Here we see water consumption rates for different plants and lawn, including.

Item: "Watering lawns and flower beds --- 4-6"

Below is a note, paragraph 2 indicates that you should water 1 - 2 times a day.

From this we conclude that the lawn wants to receive 5 l / m2 or 5 mm of precipitation per day, and 35 l / m2 or 35 mm of precipitation per week. Why a week, I'll explain a little later.

All automatic irrigation equipment makes it easy to calculate rainfall rates, with this difficulties will not arise. For each sprinkler, nozzle, nozzle, there is water consumption rates and precipitation rates... The rate of precipitation, in the tables, is usually indicated in mm / h. For example mp rotator by Hunter MP-1000, at a pressure of 2.8 bar, a sector of 90-180-210-270-360 degrees and a radius of 4.1 meters, it produces a square of 11 mm / h, and a triangle of 13 mm / h. From these data, we make a calculation and we get that the zone equipped with the MP1000 should work for 25 - 30 minutes.

Reliable equipment manufacturers automatic watering , such as Hunter, Rain Bird, Irritrol, Toro, must indicate characteristics of water consumption and precipitation rates.

Now let's get down to the main thing.

Generally accepted watering rules used by almost everyone landscapers and gardeners, we have disassembled.

The rule is 5 liters per square meter per day.

How true is this statement? To what depth is the soil moistened with such irrigation? We water often and little by little. 5 mm of precipitation will soak the soil by 8 - 10 cm no more, and then, if it is light, on heavy soils 5 centimeters.

Only thanks to this generally recognized watering, the roots of lawn grasses are not more than 10 cm, the very layer that we call sod. But ... The roots of grasses, especially on light soil, grow more than 30 centimeters, even bluegrass can grow a root system up to 60 cm.

I paid attention to the growth of roots quite by accident. Once upon a time sowed gray fescue, varieties (Festuca glauca Elijah Blue), for interest. I got up well, some of them were planted in liter pots, and a few bushes ended up in 15 liter containers (by accident). After a short time, I decided to plant it in the ground, it didn't work out just to take and pull the fescue out of the container, the roots filled it completely - the depth was 40 centimeters.

I made an instant conclusion, the size of the roots of the grasses on the lawn, we set artificially, thanks to frequent and not deep watering.

Since then, quite a few experiments have been carried out on the topic watering the lawn.

Now I water it once a week, but deeply, the full weekly rate is given out with a margin. Experimentally, I found (I placed the jars and drilled samples) that in my area, 30 mm of precipitation penetrates to a depth of 30 cm.

Zones with an MP rotator work an average of three and a half hours, but once a week. The roots of my grass are between 30 and 50 cm in size.

After abundant watering, upper layer the soil dries up, and the roots rush down for moisture. And the water itself in hot weather rises up through the capillaries. The growth rate at the roots of lawn grasses is good, up to 1 cm per day. The grass no longer suffers, but produces the result that the breeders intended.

The rain sensor for the summer period June - August, I turn it off. It may be triggered in light rain and the system will not start. In summer, the probability of precipitation is 30 mm, practically zero, there will be no overflow.

In the hottest periods, I also add daytime spraying, turning on for one minute. This idea cools the soil surface well, the lawn does not suffer from overheating. I have never noticed the effect of the so-called lens.

The rules and regulations given here cannot absolutely apply to all lawns. The desired result can be achieved only by testing, all the same half liter jars and pits or drilling.

Heavy, especially clayey soils are not suitable for a high-quality lawn, it is very difficult for the roots to penetrate to the depth.

Spare no effort and money to prepare the soil for the lawn, green grass throughout summer season you will only be pleased. On clay, neither fertilizers nor watering will save much (aeration and sanding will partially save). The same applies to carbonate chernozems, which, when dried, turn into black concrete.

Try not to water according to landscape designers' rules. Experiment.

Good luck with your law science!

Looks great, but also requires appropriate care. In this regard, many owners of private houses and cottages have a lot of questions about how to properly water rolled lawn what time it is best to do it and what indicates the need for watering.

Green lawn = regular watering of the lawn

Watering your lawn is of paramount importance, not only in terms of its fresh, aesthetically pleasing appearance. A sufficient amount of moisture in the soil gives the grass the strength to resist many negative factors, including diseases and the rapid growth of weeds. A well-moistened lawn looks great and gives the entire area around the cottage a well-groomed look.

What time of day is it better to water

Despite the fact that it itself, its transportation and “installation” on the spot do not present any particular difficulties, there are some nuances regarding its care. It is very important to choose for watering right time days. If you water your lawn at noon - the time when the sun is most active - the water droplets on the grass will act like natural lenses. By attracting and focusing the sun's rays, they will cause burns. As a result, the lawn will look burnt and withered. Therefore, watering during the day is highly discouraged.

Watering the rolled lawn in the evening is not particularly good either. In the evening and at night, the air temperature drops, so the moisture that has fallen on the blades of grass does not have time to dry. Because of this, the risk of damage to the lawn by various fungal diseases increases, which is also very undesirable. It is best to water in the early morning. The ideal time is between 6 and 9 am. In this case, the soil will be perfectly moistened, and the drops on the grass itself will completely dry before noon.

How to know if your lawn needs watering

Watering too often, for example, bluegrass is not recommended. Waterlogged soil will cause the spread of mold and disease-causing fungi. But it is also not good to leave the rolled lawn for a long time without moisture: the grass will simply dry out and all the beauty will disappear. If the bluegrass lacks moisture, it takes on a bluish-gray tint. The dried blades of grass begin to dry and curl. There can be no question of any beauty here. This lawn must be properly watered.

Another sign of dryness is the reduced firmness of the grass. Juicy, moisture-filled blades of grass quickly regain their shape after they are crushed. If you step on a well-moistened lawn, and then remove your foot, it will quickly return to initial appearance... Dried grass cannot do this. If more than 30% of the lawn looks crumpled after stepping on it, watering is required.

How to water

Pay attention to the water temperature when watering. If the hose has accumulated hot water, it must be drained. Watering hot water for grass is tantamount to a person taking a shower from boiling water. Burns cannot be avoided. The second nuance is the irrigation area. Since the grass must be sufficiently hydrated, this will require a lot of water.

To avoid unnecessary waste of resources and not to water the sidewalk or roadway, you need to correctly distribute sprinklers throughout the area. The ideal solution to the problem will help: with it, the sprinklers are installed at an optimally calibrated distance, and the owner of the house does not have to calculate every time where he has watered enough and which areas he missed.

Why do you need to water abundantly? V middle lane In Russia, the amount of precipitation is not very high. Rains do not always cope with the task of fully watering the roll lawn. He needs additional irrigation, moreover, abundant enough. It is important that the water penetrates deep into the soil and nourishes the roots well. They are the natural “transport system” for all nutrients that any plant receives. How well the roots are watered, the grass will be full vitality and energy.

Even if forecasters promised rain in the near future, you should not delay watering the lawn too much. Dry earth forms crusts through which rainwater is difficult to break through. Even in anticipation of the long-awaited rainfall, it is better to lightly irrigate the ground so that the rain can do its job better.

Watering frequency of rolled lawn

Even taking into account all of the above features, there are certain recommendations regarding the frequency of lawn irrigation. In regions with low rainfall or in seasons when it rarely rains, the grass should be watered at least once every 10 days. This is at medium temperatures the environment... In season maximum temperatures irrigation is carried out at least once every 3-5 days. Water abundantly (you can also use pre-collected in clean barrels rainwater), but do not allow puddles to form.

There are some nuances regarding the frequency of watering. A newly planted lawn with a still weak, insufficiently formed root system needs more frequent irrigation. That is why it is better to purchase ready-made, grown by professionals. It does not need to be irrigated too often. The best proven in this respect is 100% breeder. This variety has several important advantages:

• a well-formed, strong root system;
• it is planted on high-quality, well-fertilized soil without stones;
• turf throughout the entire area has the same thickness (from 2 to 4 cm);
• the grass is trimmed evenly, everywhere it absorbs and evaporates moisture;
• breeding bluegrass dense, uniform and beautiful;
• it does not have undesirable impurities that spoil the overall aesthetics;
• the rolled lawn is safe against weeds and other pests.

It is for this reason that, even with regard to watering and maintenance, it is better to prefer a rolled lawn from the Gorgazon company. It supplies only original product of guaranteed quality. With it, the consumer will not have any special hassle in terms of irrigation. Abundant watering a couple of times a week or once every 3 days is enough for the grass to be juicy and pleasing to the eye. And ours is much lower than that of competitors.

A well-groomed, luxurious lawn can rightfully be considered a real decoration of any country or garden plot... A lot of effort will be required for independent, but even more attention will be required by the site in the first years of its life. This is timely harvesting, and cutting, sowing seeds, correct feeding and fertilization of the soil, and most importantly - timely and sufficient. How to water your lawnright, what watering equipment will be able to provide plentiful, but delicate watering, which is the preferred frequency watering and what average norms recommended for lawns? You will find answers to all your questions after reading this article.

1. How do you know if your lawn needs watering?

Many mistakenly believe that regular moistening is required for the lawn only after its initial sowing and until the first shoots appear, and then Mother Nature will take care of everything herself. After all, for example, the forest is full of green lawns, which no one cares for, but they look fresh and very lively. Indeed, grasses in their natural habitat are much more resilient than those on artificially planted lawns. This happens because in the wild, all grass has a great height and long leaves and stems, which help to accumulate moisture and increase its reserves, thereby deepening the root system. The longer the roots, the more moisture they are able to extract from the ground.

The lawn is regularly mowed, and the height of its plantings barely reaches 10-15 cm. Hence the main problem - shallow, shallow root system, which lies at a depth of 10-15 cm and very quickly lends itself to drought. It is not at all difficult to determine the moment when the water reserves have dried up completely and it is necessary to replenish its losses.

Of course, the easiest way is to stick a stick in the ground. If it easily penetrates to a depth of about 15 cm, then the moisture reserve in the soil is still sufficient. But you will not resort to such a method every time.

We suggest you take a close look at your lawn, if you notice the following signs, then it's time to water:

• The grass has taken on an unhealthy bluish or grayish tint;
• In places where the sun is constantly shining, the grass is paler than in other places;
• Bald spots appeared;
• The stalks began to curl;
• After walking on the lawn or driving a lawn mower, the grass could not quickly regain its shape in a short period;
• General wilting of the green cover.

When the moment is completely missed - you did not attach importance to the color change, or you were simply not there - the grass turns yellow and fades. Drought tolerant grasses can be rescued even after they have completely withered. After abundant watering, they are able to recover. But the appearance of the lawn for a long time will not bring aesthetic pleasure from its contemplation.

2. When is the best time to water?

One of important factors determining the effectiveness water treatments, Is the time at which they are produced. Consider all possible options with their advantages and disadvantages:

3. Norms of water consumption by herbaceous plants

It is very important to understand the line between abundant watering and overflow, and also to avoid underfilling in any case. Many people argue that it is better to water the lawn more often, but for less time. This judgment is fundamentally wrong and won't bring absolutely no benefits. On the contrary, the evaporation coefficient will be very high, the grass will get wet only superficially, and the soil will not have time to soak to the very roots. Such short-term showers can only be used to refresh the area and reduce the ambient temperature. Therefore, it is better to water the lawn once, but v enough ... It is almost impossible to calculate a clear rate of water consumption for a particular area. We can only generalize and say that 1m2 land needs 15-20 liters of water.
This indicator directly depends on the mechanical soil composition on your site:

• Lungs sandy soils they quickly pass any amount of moisture through themselves and are not able to retain and accumulate it in sufficient quantities. The reason for this is their increased friability. Such soils require more water, and the rates in this case are up to 35 liters per square meter... But such soil is very difficult to pour. Water can go quite deep without harm to the horse system of plants.
• Clay soils heavier and denser, they retain moisture well and can nourish plants for much longer. Such a lawn can be watered much less frequently and water consumption rates will be much lower. When watering a lawn with this type of soil, make sure that no puddles form on the surface. Water can stagnate for a long time, especially if the soil has already been saturated and is no longer able to absorb water. Shallow root systems can rot. After drying excess moisture the top layer of the earth is compacted, a hard crust is formed, which will prevent the flow of oxygen to the roots. As soon as the lawn stops "breathing", the grass will begin to fade. In this case, you need to fluff the topsoil as quickly as possible.

Recommended rate water is often determined by the depth of the root system and is not required. You should not strictly adhere to it if you know that the roots of your lawn have gone 25 or even 30 cm deep. In this case, you need to increase the amount of water so that moisture reaches the deepest roots. Just be guided that 35-50 liters per square meter moisten the soil to a depth of 10 cm.

And now let's move on to the answer to a logical question that has probably already appeared in your head - and how actually determine how many liters water necessary pour it onto your area so that it is saturated with moisture to a depth of 10 cm.This is very simple to do:

• When you start your next watering, take a watch or timer and ruler with you;
• Place an empty glass jar on the ground at different ends and in the middle of the plot;
• Open the water and at the same time mark the time or turn on the timer;
• Observe the water level in the banks. When it reaches 1.3 cm, it can be said that the lawn received about 10-15 liters of water per square. With a mark of 2.5 cm - about 20-25 liters. For a more accurate determination of the amount of liquid, and at the same time in order to understand how evenly irrigation occurs, measure the water level in all banks, add and divide by their number.

For convenience, you can pre-apply a mark on the wall of the jar with a marker, the height of which will be the cherished 10 cm. Upon reaching the liquid set height, turn off the timer. Now you know for sure not only the amount of water required for high-quality irrigation of your lawn, but also the time during which it should be carried out. The next time, the banks will no longer be needed.

4. How often should the lawn be watered?

When and for how long it is best to water the lawn, you already know. Now it's time to decide on the frequency of watering. She depends on many factors:

• The mechanical composition of the soil;
• Depth of the root system;
• Weather conditions;
• Landscaping features.

About different norms of water consumption by sand or clay soils we have already said. The first ones need to be moisturized much more abundantly and more often. The deeper the root system is located, the longer, but less often watering should be. If your site has slopes, or completely located on a slope, the level of water absorption in different points will not be the same. In order to prevent overflow in one place and obvious underfilling in another, such lawns recommend water in 15 through 5. Where 15 is the watering time, in minutes. And 5 is the absorption time, also in minutes. With such intervals it will be possible to achieve best result.
Most summer residents think that if their lawn to be in shady area, then it should be watered much less frequently. The determining factor in this case is the object that creates the shadow. If this is a shadow from a house or other building, then they are partly right. If the lawn is in the shade of trees or tall shrubs, then it requires even more frequent watering than that located in an open area under scorching sun... This is due to the fact that the root system of large plants is much stronger and more intense in attracting moisture and nutrients... And the thin root system of cereal plants barely has time to get the required minimum.

Also, an important role is played by climate of the region, where you live. If the daytime temperature is not too high, and heavy rainfall periodically falls, then one watering per week is quite enough. If rainfall occurs irregularly and it is hot enough during the day, water the lawn 2-3 times a week. Just try to stick golden mean- water when the top layer dries out completely to a depth of 10 cm. After all, it can often rain for two weeks, and then a slight drought will begin, and it will be difficult to navigate by the weather.

5. Lawn watering equipment

So that watering does not take much time and effort, and most importantly, it is economical and expedient, you need to choose an irrigation system that will match the size and shape of your lawn. Let's start with the simplest ways:

• Watering with hand watering can. Despite all modern technologies and devices that can make the irrigation process completely automated, many people enjoy doing watering with their own hands. It is wise to do this only on small lawns, otherwise it will be too long and tiring. Be sure to choose watering cans with frequent but small holes. Then the water jets will be thin and will not wash away the delicate roots. Also, a garden watering can is useful for watering hard-to-reach areas or where local watering is needed.
  
• Watering with help is one of the simplest and most affordable methods of irrigating lawns. In order to make watering more gentle and prevent even short-term moistening with a jet with a strong pressure, as sometimes happens when pinching the edge of the hose with your finger, use special diffusing nozzles. Inconvenience This method of irrigation is that the hose must be constantly carried with you and do not skimp on its length. Thus, you can water areas of any size and shape.
• For watering long, narrow green strips, best perforated hoses. Due to the fact that many small holes are located along their entire length, water is evenly sprayed in all directions, which provides cooling of the above-ground space and gentle watering.
  
• Watering the lawn with various sprinklers. These are special nozzles that can be either stationary or movable, which imitate natural rainwater irrigation. It is believed that this is the most optimal way watering for lawns. Especially considering that you can pick up optimal view sprinkler for different areas and even site shapes. So, for example, there are circular sprinklers that are suitable for irrigation. Rotating sprinklers are suitable for irrigation of round and oval lawns. You can adjust the radius of action and the intensity of the pressure and avoid unwanted irrigation of unnecessary areas. For watering rectangular or square areas, there is a floating, or oscillating sprinkler. Its nozzle swings smoothly in one direction or the other. By setting the necessary settings, you can adjust the length of the water jets. Big advantage sprinklers is that the water dissipates and turns into a very fine spray, which before hitting the ground and grass have time to heat up to ambient temperature. The risk of stressing the plants is minimal. Disadvantage of such systems is that in a strong wind, a certain amount of water is carried away and more water is required for high-quality irrigation. Also, with such irrigation, a very high evaporation coefficient.
• Drip system watering the lawn is also very effective and allows the soil to be moistened even in daytime no harm to plants. In this case, water gets directly to the roots. Throughout the site, which brings some inconvenience when mowing the lawn. After all, the hoses will have to be twisted and untwisted every time.
• Subsoil the irrigation system has a minimum evaporation rate. It is a system of pipes or hoses that are laid underground throughout the site. There are micro-holes on the walls of the pipes, which supply water to the roots. Due to the special structure of the hoses, which are labyrinths for the passage and accumulation of liquid, the holes are rarely clogged even with wet soil. The only "but" - you should think about such an irrigation system before arranging and preparing a place for a lawn.
• Automatic the irrigation system is also underground piping. In certain places, pipes come to the surface, and various nozzles are attached to them, including sprinklers that disperse water. By choosing a similar system irrigation, consider mowing the lawn much more comfortably if the sprinklers are recessed. It is also necessary to equip the automatic system in advance. For greater convenience, it can be equipped with a soil moisture sensor, a precipitation sensor and a timer. This will allow the system to turn on only when needed or at a specific time. Your presence is not necessary to maintain a healthy lawn.

One more question - where to get water for watering. In order to save money, many people install special sedimentation tanks on the sites, which serve to collect rainwater. They can be embedded in labor with a ball valve and an adapter for a certain diameter of the hose. Another way to save money is to take water from a natural reservoir - a lake or river. This will require a special submersible pump, which will be able to provide the necessary pressure. or the well will also have to be equipped with a pump. But to water such cold water direct from source is not recommended. Better to sharpen it in a container and wait until it picks up temperature or use spray nozzles. Then the temperature difference will not be felt. Well, the easiest way is to take water from the central water supply.

6. How to protect the lawn from drought?

There are especially dry months when any plants need more water. But it happens that it is not possible to make an automatic irrigation system on your site, just as it is not possible to come every day to irrigate. In such situations, there are several tips to help your lawn cope with drought without watering:

• Weeds must be removed regularly. This will allow the grass to grow continuously and unobstructed and will reduce water consumption. Weeds, by the way, absorb much more moisture than cereals.
• Along with the timely removal of unwanted plants, feed the lawn with seasonal fertilizers. Then the soil will be rich in trace elements and fertile.
• Do not cut your lawn as often and as short as usual. Let the grass grow much taller than usual. Thus, it will create a shadow for itself, and the topsoil will dry out more slowly.
• The cut grass can be left directly on the lawn. It will help to retain moisture in the soil.

Thus, the lawn can last up to two weeks without watering. However, it is not recommended to do this all the time.

To increase resilience plot to drought you need to take care of strengthening the root system. To do this, in the fall, regularly pierce the sod with a pitchfork - this will prevent the soil from compaction and becoming impenetrable for water and oxygen. You can fill the lawn with mulch. Such simple recommendations keep your lawn in in the best possible way and keep it from drying out.

Watering your lawn is one of mandatory conditions his healthy and nice looking especially in regions with hot, dry summers. If it rains rarely, and irrigation is done irregularly, the grass burns out, yellow spots... To bring back the lawn former beauty, it will take a lot of time and a large volume of water, since surface wetting will not be enough: water must penetrate into the ground by at least 5-6 centimeters.

How to water properly? You can, of course, and from a hose, but the best solution to save water and time spent on watering, an automatic watering system will be created. The pipes are laid after preparing the soil for the lawn, before sowing the grass mixture! On an adult lawn, it will be necessary to open the sod and then restore it upon completion of work. More simple solution in this case, there will be an organization of automatic irrigation using a drip irrigation system, but such a system can cover only a small area.

1. Irrigation system with sprinklers

The installation of a lawn automatic irrigation system equipped with sprinklers involves the implementation of work according to a specific plan. First of all, you need to draw up a project: draw a site plan, marking on it the zones that need irrigation. In accordance with the irrigation area and the shape of the lawn, the required amount sprinklers, their type and brand, a diagram of their placement is applied to the plan. The next step is to determine the place where the power supply of the system and the water intake (water supply, well or well) are connected.

The principle of operation of the system is as follows: a pump or pumping station is connected to the water intake point, which supplies water through a filter and electromagnetic drips through a pipeline to the sprinklers. If not enough debit(power) point of water intake or pressure water, then water is first pumped into storage capacity, and from there it is fed to the irrigation system. Water supply pipes are laid in trenches. For automatic control the system is connected to the controller.

Automatic watering of the lawn - a schematic diagram of the system (ist: poliv.ua)

Lawn watering equipment

1. Pump or pumping station.

By using pump or pumping station water is delivered from the water intake point (well, well, water supply) to the irrigation zone. For the system to work correctly, it is important not to be mistaken with the equipment power.

First, let's define the required water consumption for watering the lawn.

The water consumption per sprinkler per minute is multiplied by the number of sprinklers. For example, 2 l / min * 10 pcs. = 20 l / minute the flow rate of all sprinklers in the system or 20 * 60 = 1200 l per hour = 1.2 cubic meters per hour.

To keep the sprinklers working water pressure in the system must meet the manufacturer's requirements (this value can be found in the instructions). In this case, the radius of the irrigated sector depends on the magnitude of the pressure.

For example, the rotary sprinkler Hunter PGJ-12:

• recommended range pressure: 1.7 to 3.8 bar;
• consumption water: 2.2 - 20.5 l / min,

with a minimum irrigation sector, the water consumption per hour for 10 sprinklers will be 2.2 * 10 * 60 = 1320 l / h = 1.3 cubic meters per hour

The instructions for the pump usually indicate its performance (cubic meters per hour) and head (in meters). 10 meters equals approximately 1 bar.

For example, pumping station Dzhileks Jumbo 50/28 Ch-14:

• productivity 3 cubic meters per hour
• head 28 meters = 2.8 bar

It should be borne in mind that when water passes through the pipes, part of the pressure is lost. This loss is approximately 1-1.5 bar per 100 meters.

As a result of the calculation, we found out that the capacity of this pumping station with a margin covers the needs of automatic irrigation from 10 sprinklers. (Note that more powerful hardware is more expensive.)

If the automatic irrigation system is connected directly to the water supply system, it is necessary to measure the water pressure in it using a pressure gauge. Measurements are made twice - with one tap turned on, which provides only the irrigation system, and with two or three taps turned on. Next, we determine the water flow per minute using a stopwatch and a container with a known volume (for example, a 10-liter bucket).

If the water supply will be provided with water from the well, it is necessary to take into account its flow rate (indicated in the certificate of the well). If there is no borehole passport, measurements are carried out in the same way as in the case of a water supply system.

We calculate the required daily volume of water based on the lawn irrigation rate. The lawn watering rate is 10 liters per sq. meter, respectively:

S (lawn area) sq. * 0.01 cbm. / sq.m. = daily volume of water for irrigation m3

We divide the daily volume by the time of watering (no more than 6 hours). The result obtained should not exceed the maximum well production rate. If the flow rate of the well is not enough even with an increase in the irrigation time, it is necessary to install a storage tank. The capacity should have time to accumulate between waterings.

What pump is needed for an automatic lawn irrigation system?

The most suitable for organizing autowatering are considered centrifugal pumps... Such pumps are distinguished by ease of operation, the ability to maintain constant pressure for a long time, and reliability.

For correct work the pump container must be filled with water before switching on.

The pump can be submersible and surface.

When watering from a well or well, micro-contaminants can enter the system - particles of soil, silt, sand. To avoid clogging of the sprinkler nozzles and prolong their life, a filter must be installed.

If the pressure in the system is not constant, then for the proper operation of the autowatering system, a special regulator is required that maintains the preset outlet water pressure.

4. Pipes.

The pipeline consists of two parts:

1. a main pipe that connects the water supply to the solenoid valves, and
2. pipe sections through which water is supplied to the sprinklers.

It is necessary to lay pipes as straight as possible, avoiding unnecessary turns and branching, since in these areas there is a large loss of water pressure.

From the right choice the diameter of the pipe depends on the pressure with which water will be supplied to the sprinklers and its volume. Also, this parameter is consistent with the outlet on the pump - if the outlet diameter is 1 inch, then the central line pipe is 25 mm or 32 mm in size. In the secondary sections (branches), the pipe diameter is consistent with the diameter of the outlet of the solenoid valve. To maintain pressure on the branches, pipes with a smaller diameter than the main pipe can be used.

Auto-irrigation fittings are needed to create branching and turning sections, connect pipes, transition from one pipe diameter to another.

6. Solenoid valves.

The valves open and close the flow of water to the irrigation areas. The valves are sized according to the water flow rate. They are located in the ground, in special plastic boxes with service opening top cover... The valves are controlled by the controller.

7. Controller.

A device that is installed to control the entire irrigation system. All automatic system controlled by a program that opens and closes solenoid valves at a specific time, provides watering according to a specified schedule. Weather sensors can be connected to the controller, which signal about rain. Bye it's raining- watering does not work as soon as the rain stops - the program returns to the mode of water supply for irrigation.

8. Sprinklers (other names: sprinkler, spray, sprinkler, sprinkler)

There are two types of lawn sprinklers used: rotary and fan (static). Fan sprinklers spray water 360 degrees. Their irrigation radius can be up to 6 meters. Some fan sprinklers have removable (replaceable) nozzles.

Rotary sprinklers rotate, gradually watering certain areas... For advanced models, the spray angle is adjustable.

Using sprinklers different types in one irrigation zone is undesirable. Fan sprinklers are more often used for small lawns, while rotary sprinklers even irrigate golf courses.

The main rule of sprinkler placement is to overlap the irrigation zones. When choosing their location, it is necessary to ensure that stationary objects are not watered, for which humidity is undesirable - a house, a fence, paths, and also take into account the placement of trees and shrubs that will impede proper spraying and can be affected by various diseases from high humidity.

9. Water intake sockets.

It is comfortable additional option automatic irrigation systems. Water intake sockets are installed on the main section of the lawn irrigation system and are always under pressure. They are intended for temporary connection with specific purpose For example: watering trees or shrubs, replenishing a pond with water, washing a car or paths.

Division into irrigation zones

Sometimes the flow rate of the water intake source may not be enough for the simultaneous irrigation of a large area of ​​the lawn. Then several layers are made from the main pipe, creating separate irrigation zones. A solenoid valve is installed in front of each branch. The controller regulates the sequence of watering zones. Also, separate irrigation zones must be arranged if part of the lawn is located on sunny side, and the part is in the shade. In the shade, the lawn is watered less often.

System maintenance

The lawn irrigation system cannot be dismantled for the winter, therefore it is necessary to prepare it for the winter. Water can remain in the pipes, which will damage them if they freeze. To drain the water at the lowest point of the system, a special tap or valve (or several such taps) is installed. If it is not possible to drain all the water, it is necessary to purge the system with compressed air.

2. Drip irrigation

System drip irrigation is laid on the surface of the lawn and does not require burying into the ground, so it is easy to organize it on an adult lawn. Typically such a system is used on small or narrow lawns where it is inconvenient or impractical to install a system with sprinklers. Basically, drip irrigation is used for watering shrubs and vegetable gardens (including greenhouses).

The drip irrigation equipment is the same as the automatic sprinkler irrigation system, with the exception of the pipes and the sprinklers themselves. Instead, special hoses or drip irrigation tapes are laid. The most modern tapes are with emitters. Emitters are complex device droppers that are located inside the hose at a certain distance from each other.

Pros of a drip irrigation system:

• No need to dig trenches to lay pipes.
• The irrigation zone can be adjusted more clearly and easily, in contrast to irrigation with sprinklers.
• The irrigation zone can include those plants for which sprinkling can be harmful: flowers, vegetable beds, shrubs.
• The influence of the wind is excluded.

Cons of drip irrigation:

• The fragility of the tape.
• The need to dismantle all equipment for the winter.
• There is a risk of animal damage to the system.

The drip irrigation system can be connected to the sprinkler irrigation system through a special reducer that reduces the pressure.

Conclusion

A properly installed lawn irrigation system will free you from tedious and long watering with a hose, and will provide a beautiful view of the grass cover. If the area allotted for a green lawn is small, then it is quite possible to carry out the installation with your own hands.