Over
half the water you use from a sprinkler is wasted because it evaporates
before it hits the ground. Add to this water lost from a poorly aimed
sprinkler hitting sidewalks driveways, curbs and other non-garden areas.
In addition, time of day makes a big difference. You're likely to lose
70 to 90% of the water from the sprinkler by watering during the day or
during the hot hours. Irrigation systems are a little bit better, but
must properly maintained in order to work well. Irrigation systems are
notorious for leaks.
Don't
believe me? Try an experiment. Next time you use a sprinkler to water
your garden, use your sprinkler as you usually do for the length of time
you usually do it. Turn off the sprinkler, then go to the garden and
dig into the soil. You'll probably see a half an inch or so of damp
ground and the rest of the ground will be dry. This encourages roots to
stay in the damp zone and the plant never develops a strong root system,
which is necessary for its life in the long-term.
There
are a few things you can do about this. First, invest in a soaker hose
and set it up in the garden at the beginning of the garden season. You
can also buy soaker hoses in various sizes and shapes, like a circle for
watering a newly planted tree or shrub. Use it. Or, put a sprinkler
(not the oscillating kind which sprays water into a huge, aerial arc) on
the ground and turn it on very low so the water simply leaks out to the
soil, and leave it for a few hours to soak deeply. Yes, you will cover
less area this way, but you will water far more deeply. Having a lot of
organic matter worked into your garden soil also help it retain
moisture. So consider composting and adding leaves to the top of the
garden bed for the winter.
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