If you have a lawn, watering it is an absolute must. However, standing with a hose in your hand several times a week can be quite tiring.
Fortunately, you have the option to get a sprinkler.
Sprinklers provide an easier way to keep grass and other plants in your turf hydrated. However, not all sprinklers are created equal.
Different types of sprinklers have their own advantages when used for specific situations. The key is to know what suits your needs best.
This article describes the five best lawn sprinklers available in the market and what you should consider when going through the selection process.
5 Types of Sprinklers
Sprinklers can make or break lawn care in Conway, AR. If you don’t pick the right one, you’ll end up spending more money on water bills and fail to get the most out of what you paid for.
To make sure you do it right, you must first learn about the different characteristics of the five types of sprinklers available in the market, as explained below:
1. Oscillating Sprinklers
Remember those sprinklers you usually find in suburban lawns? There’s a good chance that they are oscillating sprinklers.
This type of sprinkler has a long barrel or tube adorned with several nozzles along its entire length. These nozzles shoot out thin streams of water. As the barrel or tube sways, the water jets move from side to side, spreading the water in several directions.
Aside from watering your lawn, this type of sprinkler is also good for one more thing: entertaining children. But it does have a couple of drawbacks.
For instance, when the water pressure is low, the sprinklers may not spray water far enough to reach as far as it normally would. Alternatively, too much water pressure can cause it to spray too far, thereby missing the area that requires watering.
This means that when using oscillating sprinklers, you need to get its placement and the water supply pressure calculated precisely.
Despite that, this type of sprinkler still is the most popular choice for suburban lawns since it can cover a bigger rectangular area.
2. Impact Sprinklers
Impact sprinklers are those that spray water in a circular or semi-circular pattern using strong water pressure.
They make a distinctive clicking sound when they are activated and are fairly wind-resistant due to the force of the water. They also cover a considerably wider area and spray water at a low angle, which makes it a great choice for yards with low-hanging trees.
However, this type of sprinkler is not the best choice for landscapes with delicate plants and flower beds. Unless you have a diffuser pin attached to it, switching to impact sprinklers under these circumstances may destroy your garden.
3. Rotary Sprinklers
Also called rotating sprinklers, rotary sprinklers are comprised of multiple arms and sprinkler tips attached to a spinning head. When activated, the head of rotary sprinklers spins, causing the water to spray from the sprinkler arm in a circular pattern.
This type of sprinkler is an excellent choice for smaller lawns, but not for long and narrow lawns – unless you move it from one place to another, that is.
4. Stationary Sprinklers (a.k.a. Fixed Sprinklers)
Stationary or fixed sprinklers are probably the simplest, most affordable and easiest-to-use type of sprinklers out there. They work well with low water pressure, making them a good option for homeowners with smaller yards.
These sprinklers come in multiple shapes, sizes, and designs to suit the specific spray pattern for your lawn. There are variants that spray in a single pattern (e.g., fountain or square) as well as multiple patterns that can be switched using a selector located at the top of the sprinkler.
One drawback of this type of sprinkler is that it cannot spray water far enough to cover large lawns. Its biggest disadvantage is that it is not designed to be moved once placed.
5. Sprinkler Hoses
Sprinkler hoses function exactly as their name implies. Essentially, these are garden hoses with tiny holes across their entire length. This is where water squirts from.
Although they aren’t technically considered sprinklers, sprinkler hoses have the same function: to irrigate the lawn. Plus, they can be used much like sprinklers in two different ways:
- When the striped side is placed upward, sprinkler hoses can serve as a low-angle sprinkler.
- When the striped side is pointed downward, they can act as a soaker hose.
Sprinkler hoses are most ideal for narrow lawn areas with irregular shapes. They are also great for surrounding newly planted trees.
4 Factors to Consider When Choosing Sprinklers
Now that you have a general idea of what the different types of sprinklers can offer, it is time to take your pick.
To make the decision-making process easier, experts in lawn care in Maumelle, AR list down four factors you must consider to avoid choosing sprinklers that won’t work well with your lawn:
1. Material
Check what the sprinkler is made of. If it is manufactured using metal, there’s a higher chance that it will last longer. However, metal sprinklers would be more challenging to move (although most sprinklers aren’t designed to be relocated frequently in the first place).
2. Filter
Whether a sprinkler has a good filter is an important thing to consider, especially if you have mineral deposits in your pipes or have hard water. This will help prevent dirt and particulate matter from accumulating inside the sprinkler and cause it to break down prematurely.
3. Coverage (Shape and Area)
Determine the shape and area that can be covered by each sprinkler you consider for your lawn. This will help you decide whether you need to move it throughout your lawn to keep the plants and grass watered or you should get several sprinklers instead.
4. Adjustability
While sprinklers can be automated, it is still important that you can adjust their settings to suit your lawn’s dimensions and needs. Check whether the controls are intuitive or if they can make a noticeable difference when adjusted.
Choosing the Right Sprinkler
Sprinklers are meant to make keeping your lawn and garden watered easier and less time-consuming. However, this can only be achieved if you pick the one that is best suited for your lawn and your own preferences.