Water, Systematically!
Thirsty plants love an optimal and, above all, targeted watering. Gardener Ramona Glatz explains what automatic systems are available – and how you can even save valuable water with pop-up sprinklers, drip irrigation, and the like.
There is nothing more satisfying in the garden than watching plants grow and flourish. ‘Of course, that's why I wanted to be a gardener,’ says 28-year-old Ramona Glatz. She is a trained perennial gardener and master gardener and landscape architect. With her parents and around 20 employees, she maintains one hectare of garden space at Buckhof in Freiamt – and takes care of customers' gardens. “Seeing what you've done in the garden during the day in the evening – that's what I love about my job,” she says. And, of course, garden maintenance also includes proper irrigation.
The good old watering can is a sure way to get a good workout in the garden. But: ‘Watering cans are less precise than automatic systems,’ says Ramona Glatz. ‘That's why watering takes more water than is absolutely necessary.’
Automatic irrigation systems, on the other hand, save water. “They are worthwhile for every garden, even smaller ones,” says the master gardener. A square sprinkler is particularly suitable for lawns: ‘The movable nozzles distribute the water in a rectangular shape. That's why it's so practical for lawns,’ explains Ramona. The sprinkler is set manually. It covers a large area: ‘Even simple models can easily water 300 square metres or more under the right conditions,’ says the expert.
A discrete, almost invisible irrigation is provided by pop-up sprinklers: ‘These are installed in the ground. When watering, they rise up and then disappear again,’ says Ramona. One advantage: ‘Since they are installed underground, hoses do not disturb the aesthetics of the garden.’ The sprinklers easily achieve a throw range of 15 metres and more. They water lawns, but also flowerbeds, in a targeted and efficient manner.
There are also a variety of systems for tub and potted plants: so-called drip irrigation. This consists of hoses that are laid above or below ground. These are equipped with drippers that release the water slowly and continuously. ‘Drip irrigation systems are ideal for beds, tubs and potted plants,’ says Ramona. A variant of drip irrigation: row drippers that are placed along a row of plants.
‘This is particularly advantageous in vegetable patches,’ says Ramona. “You can connect up to 100 metres of hose.” And: “They minimise water loss through evaporation. The plant receives water evenly, which penetrates deep into the soil.” This encourages the plants to form more roots. “Because the water reaches the root zone directly. The plants then form deep roots,” says Ramona.
That's good! Many flowering plants don't like being watered upside down at all. This can quickly become dangerous in summer: ‘When the sun hits the wet leaves, a burning glass effect occurs,’ explains Ramona. Therefore, the following principle applies: ‘It is better to water in the morning hours. And directly moisten the soil. I also recommend watering less often, but more.’ How much you water depends on the soil, weather and plant. ‘The best way to find out if plants need water is to take a soil sample. To do this, simply take a sample of soil from the pot or bed that is two to three centimetres deep and feel how moist or dry it is. You get a feel for it over time,’ says Ramona.
A soil sensor that measures the soil moisture is particularly useful for this – and knows when watering can be stopped. ‘Combining the systems saves a lot of valuable water,’ says Ramona. Ideally, drip irrigation can save 70 per cent compared to conventional watering. Sprinklers such as the pop-up sprinkler can save up to 50 per cent. Incidentally, all irrigation systems can be connected to GRAF rainwater cisterns. Ramona Glatz is also keen to point this out: ‘We only use GRAF systems for our customers,’ she says. The Glatz company is also aware of the advantages of soft rainwater, which many plants prefer to hard drinking water. And: ‘Of course it is practical to use free water from above.’ With an average price of 3.50 euros per cubic metre including wastewater charges, depending on the size of the garden, using rainwater can quickly save several hundred euros.
Incidentally, smart gardening systems that are controlled by an app and irrigation computers also read weather data and water less when it rains a lot. The expert's conclusion? ‘It's worth investing in such systems – in irrigation systems, but also in rainwater tanks.’
