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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters switch to microdrip systems, in just one day we'll save enough water to fill 5,735 kiddie pools.
COCKTAIL FACT
In Las Vegas, lawn and golf course sprinklers account for about 70% of southern Nevada's total water use.
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home › tip library › Micro Drip Irrigation
When can a dribble turn into a cash flow?
The Bite
When it comes to sprinklers. Outfit your garden with a microdrip irrigation system to reduce the amount of water you use, then watch the cash and time savings flood on in.The Benefits
- Micro water waste. Microdrip systems use 20%-50% less water than conventional sprinkler systems.
- Macro money savings. Microdrip systems cost about a third more than your standard sprinkler system), but once installed, it'll save the average household more than $30 per year.
- Bigger plants, faster. The slow, even distribution of water to the roots of your plants helps them grow faster.
- Saving time, if you're used to standing in the yard with your hose or running around trying to move your sprinkler (without getting drenched).
Personally Speaking
Heather's gorgeous rose bushes would like to thank a volunteer stint at EarthPledge and classes at the NY Botanical Gardens for turning her into a microdrip-touting madwoman.Wanna Try?
- DripWorks and The Drip Store - buy drip irrigation systems online.
- Drip Watering Made Easy - a free, downloadable handbook covers all the basics.
- Visit Your Local Nursery - it'll have the goods and the know-how, and may even offer DIY classes.
Aug 16,2007
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
It All Starts with a Little Drip
A few years ago, I had a bad work experience. After spending a year traveling, I found myself in a horrid job - back in dodgy Internet advertising, selling crap to businesses so they could sell crap to people, and I found myself crying in my car, trying not to crash on the West Side Highway as I sobbed to my brother about how unfulfilling my work life was. His answer?
“So leave.”
The very same day, a dear friend forwarded a NYT article to me on the NY Botanical Garden’s Landscape Design program, saying, “You should really quit and start taking these classes.”
Within a month, I’d stopped working full time in Internet advertising and decided to go to landscape design school.
LD school led me to a fascination with green roofs. Which led me to Earth Pledge. Which led me to sustainability. Which led me to green consulting, which led me to Jen, which led to the Bite.
The world works in crazy ways.
One of the last classes I took at NYBG was a course on microdrip irrigation - easily the best way to maximize your water usage. If you are in the NYC area, you should seriously check out its program. (And if you want more local NYC green tips, sign up for our local edition, which launches September 25th).
-Heather…off to help Mom chart out her microdrip project…
“So leave.”
The very same day, a dear friend forwarded a NYT article to me on the NY Botanical Garden’s Landscape Design program, saying, “You should really quit and start taking these classes.”
Within a month, I’d stopped working full time in Internet advertising and decided to go to landscape design school.
LD school led me to a fascination with green roofs. Which led me to Earth Pledge. Which led me to sustainability. Which led me to green consulting, which led me to Jen, which led to the Bite.
The world works in crazy ways.
One of the last classes I took at NYBG was a course on microdrip irrigation - easily the best way to maximize your water usage. If you are in the NYC area, you should seriously check out its program. (And if you want more local NYC green tips, sign up for our local edition, which launches September 25th).
-Heather…off to help Mom chart out her microdrip project…
Biter Comments...
Here in drought-plagued Oklahoma we have used Dripworks' T-tape irrigation system in our big vegetable garden for the past 5 yrs. This year we added an automatic timer: easy and foolproof!
T-tape not only avoids waste by delivering the water straigt to the roots, but also defeats weeds (they die in the dry paths) and saves plants from mildew and other diseases which thrive on wet leaves. Also, we can work in the garden WHILE watering. Yields have been fantastic. Highly recommended!
Evelyn,
Xeriscaping's a fantastic way to save water at home. See our Xeriscape tip here: http://www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/archives/x_rated_garden_week/
And you can check out all our past garden-related tips here: http://www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/categories/category/Garden/
Happy biting!
I just moved into a new house a few months ago and all the drip irrigation is busted. As we rent, I can have the landlord replace it but the yard is also a typical suburban yard, e.g. lots of grass. So I got written permission from the landlord so that I can "modify the landscaping to suit my needs". This includes removing non-native plants, reducing lawn space, adding more planting beds, creating vegetable gardens and updating the backyard to be almost completely edible. I don't plan on moving for a long time and may enter a lease to buy option on the home so it works for me.
The landscape when I am finished will have a total of 60% less lawn, 4-6 more trees (there are 7 on the property now) and provide about 70% of my family's produce and kitchen herb needs. Not too bad for a smaller suburban lot. Drip irrigation will be a big portion of this as well as reconfiguring other landscape items to fit the layout better. I'll definately be downloading the free ebook to help plan because the temperatures are starting to drop below 100 degrees and I can do more work outsied without jeopardizing the plant's health.
Oh yes, working in the garden while the water is definitely one of the many pluses of micro drip. Another thing I love about it is there is usually less weeds to pull since you get more water to the plant and less to the surrounding area that weeds might grow in. I guess micro drip could also be considered a natural weed preventive since the only other thing that gets rid of weeds naturally is pulling them! Hey, if you want more natural remedies check these out at the www.thewishingwellness.com
Don't forget rain barrels. I plan to use them myself. I downloaded plans for them but I have no idea on where to get the food grade barrels(here in Indiana). Any ideas anyone?? Making your own costs about $30 compared to $100-150 ready made. Also is there a plan to have a local green edition for the Chicago area? Since I'm about an hour away that would be really convenient & have things more pertinent to my area(Midwest).
What is so dodgy about internet advertising? The Ikia furniture store at http://www.ikiaonline.com is doing a lot of advertising.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Evelyn | August 16, 2007 at 05:20 AM