Watering large lawns with a watering can makes little sense. The solution is a lawn sprinkler, provided you know the subtle differences.
Summer, sun and sunshine could be so beautiful if flowers, herbs, trees and the lawn weren't constantly thirsty. But thanks to the gardener's favorite little helper, sunbathing can be enjoyed: a lawn sprinkler is happy to take on this task - thanks to sophisticated technology even almost independently. In the first part of this article, we reveal which devices are commonly available on the market and what needs to be considered when buying a sprinkler. Then we summarized our best tips on the subject of sprinkling, watering and watering the lawn.
Buy a lawn sprinkler - which type should it be?
Since one square meter of green space loses an average of four liters of water per sunny day (the value varies depending on humidity and soil type), but not every plant can tolerate the same amount of water, there are now different types of lawn sprinklers on the market. The way they work and look is fundamentally different, as can be seen from the following table:
| Variant | Advantages | Cons |
| Circular sprinkler » watering is radial | ✔ easy to set ✔ most devices have different programs to choose from that can be set ✔ can also be used under trees ✔ normally can Sections of circles or full circles are irrigated | ✘ Due to the recoil caused by the water jet, these lawn sprinklers must be fixed ✘ If several devices are used, double sprinkling may occur |
| Gear sprinklers (belong to the sector or circular sprinkler category) » suitable for ground cover, shrubs, bushes and large lawn areas » irrigation radiates | ✔ With this variant, a so-called sprinkler head is sunk into the ground on a kind of tripod ✔ The devices are therefore visually very inconspicuous ✔ Depending on the water pressure, the geared sprinkler comes out of the ground independently ✔ thanks to the rotating movement it willWater distributed evenly ✔ very quiet | ✘ Devices with plastic parts are more prone to failure and less robust ✘ Requires regular maintenance |
| Impact or rocker arm sprinkler » suitable for large lawn areas and ground cover » watering is jet-shaped | ✔ works very precisely ✔ high throw distances possible ✔ no assembly necessary ✔ is one of the best-selling devices - therefore the selection is very large ✔ Since these devices are not permanently installed, they can be placed elsewhere in the garden as required ✔ If made of metal, these lawn sprinklers are very durable | ✘ the nozzle is not sunk into the ground, so the impact sprinkler is always visible ✘ with some devices you can hear the impact noise very loudly |
| Sprinkler » suitable for shrubs and lawns » the watering is area-wide | ✔ available as a spike to stick into the ground or a foot to stand up ✔ there are nozzles through which the water is sprayed ✔ because these sprinklers only work when the spray nozzle is pressed out of the ground, they are very inconspicuous | ✘ more suitable for smaller areas ✘ high degree of evaporation |
| Square sprinkler » suitable for large areas » the watering is area-wide | ✔ ideal for rectangular or square areas ✔ easy to install: the square sprinkler only needs to be connected to the garden hose ✔ this lawn sprinkler distributes the water using movable nozzles ✔ Often the throwing width, length and range can be set directly on the device and thus the irrigation area can be precisely determined ✔ little overlapping with several devices | ✘ Just like the rocker arm sprinkler, the square sprinkler is not sunk into the ground and can therefore disturb the overall picture a bit ✘ With some devices, the throw width, length and distance can only be adjusted via the water pressure✘ in strong winds, the fine jets of water can drift away ✘ less suitable for use under trees |
| Large-area sprinkler » suitable for large areas » the type of irrigation can usually be set individually | ✔ this is where modern technology comes into play ✔ electronically controlled ✔ precise area coverage possible ✔ even water distribution ✔ in short: these devices are very convenient | ✘ the many setting optionscan be a bit overwhelming at the beginning ✘ the devices are more expensive than conventional sprinklers |
Tip!
There are now sprinklers for terrace and balcony plants that work extremely economically. Above all, the 1-minute watering system from Gardena is known for efficient watering of potted plants and is also ideally suited for temporary bridging (e.g. during holiday periods when no one is watering).
How do I recognize a good lawn sprinkler?
This question is not that easy to answer in one sentence. We have therefore summarized the most important criteria when selecting a lawn sprinkler in this table:
| Criterion | Notes |
| Application | As you can see from the overview of common lawn sprinklers, there are models that distribute the water in a radial and planar way. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to decide how and which plants to sprinkle. In addition, not every type of lawn tolerates the same amount of water (more on this under “Watering the lawn – our best tips”). |
| Casting distance, -width and -length | As soon as it is clear whether a radial or area-shaped sprinkler is needed, you should measure the area that is to be irrigated. Following this, the manufacturer descriptions according to criteria such as the maximum
|
| Options | With this criterion, lawn sprinklers can be divided into two categories: 1. mechanical 2. electronically adjustable. More and more devices can be controlled remotely and are therefore very user-friendly. On the other hand, mechanically adjustable sprinklers are usually less sensitive and easier to repair. |
| connection | Not every lawn sprinkler is equipped with a standard thread. In this case, a special hose or pipe system is required, which is not always included in the scope of delivery. |
| Manufacturer | The most well-known brands in the field of lawn sprinklers include companies such as:
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| Other | When reading ratings and test reports, you should also look out for the following criteria:
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- What do I need the lawn sprinkler for?
- Do the throwing distance and other important values suit my garden?
- Does the existing pipe system fit the lawn sprinkler?
- How can the corresponding settings be made on the device?
- How maintenance and care intensive is the model?
Lawn Sprinkler Maintenance - Duties for Longevity
Even though lawn sprinklers are weather and dirt resistant, that doesn't mean they can't be cared for. Therefore, the device should be cleaned on the outside at least every two weeks. For example, dirt such as grass, leaves and dirt can clog the nozzles and cause problems. Not only may the sprinkler stop dispensing water at all, it may just leak out and flood the area around the sprinkler, which the plants may not like.
Tip!
While coarse dirt can easily be removed by hand or with a damp cloth, stubborn dirt can also be cleaned with a little washing-up liquid on the outside .
To avoid a drop in water pressure, you should check the connection between the water hose and the lawn sprinkler regularly and clean it if necessary. Deposits can form here, which must be removed depending on the type.
Gear sprinklers are powered by wheels and a turbine. These are usually made of plastic or metal and are very robust. However, problems such as poor water quality, excessive pressure or normal wear and tear can mean that the gears no longer move and the turbine is therefore no longer driven. Therefore, we recommend cleaning of the filter regularly by removing dirt and other particles.
Depending on the problem, it can also help if you replace the seals. Most manufacturers carry a wide range of replacement parts, which include body caps andRubber protective covers count. With a little manual skill, you can avoid buying a new lawn sprinkler.
In addition, many manufacturers provide model-specific care instructions - these can be found in the operating instructions and should be observed.
➽ Winterizing lawn sprinklers
Lawn sprinklers may not survive the winter if they are not stored properly. At the beginning of the cold period, the device should first be thoroughly cleaned and then dried in the sunlight. In the worst case, moisture inside could lead to rust, which renders the sprinkler unusable. Therefore, a dry place is suitable for storage.
Blow up the lawn - our best tips
A well-groomed lawn is the hallmark of every garden. However, excessive solar radiation and heat quickly take their toll on the green. Since the roots of grass only protrude about 15 cm into the ground, additional watering is essential. What's more, lawn weeds such as plantain and hawkweed will still spread - even when the lawn withers.
Simply turning on the lawn sprinkler at some point is often not a solution either. Therefore, we show the most common errors and solutions below.
Error 1: The irrigation follows too late
Many gardeners only use the lawn sprinkler when the grass has already dried up a bit. But in this case, the drought damage is already very advanced, because most of the stalks are already irretrievably damaged. Therefore, the sprinkler should be used when the lawn no longer looks lush green, but has a slight gray tinge.
Tip! A severe drought can also be easily recognized by limp leaves or by the fact that the blades of grass do not straighten up again after stepping on them.
Error 2: Too much or too little water
As already mentioned at the beginning, the floor dries out at different speeds depending on the type of soil, temperature and humidity. It is therefore not possible to say in general how much or how little water is optimal. Nevertheless, the following values are given as a guide:
| Soil Type | liters per square meter | Regularity |
| Sandy bottom | 15 to 15 liters | every three to four days for about one to two hours |
| Clayey or loamy soil | 15 to 20 liters | once a week |
Error 3: No control of the amount of water in the soil
The reason for the different watering recommendations is that clay soils retain water longer. In addition, you should always keep an eye on how the lawn looks and water it more often or less frequently. Here are three ways to control the amount of water in the soil:
- Set up a rain gauge
If the recommendations just mentioned are followed, a rain gauge should also be set up. This way you can determine exactly how wet the soil is. - Attach flow meter
A flow meter is recommended for dosing the water and determining the optimal amount of water. This requires the total size of the lawn to be watered. This value is multiplied by the liters per square meter recommended for the floor. After entering the corresponding number in the flow meter, the device will stop automatically when the water volume has passed through. - Moisture test with turf
If you don't have such modern technology at your disposal, you can use an old trick: you dig a turf with a spade (a square piece turf) from the lawn. Now you can use a ruler to measure how wet the grass is. Afterwards, the turf should of course be reinserted and carefully stepped on.
Error 4: Watering occurs during the day
On stressful days, you might not get around to watering the lawn until the afternoon. But then about 90 percent of the moisture evaporates again. Irrigation should be done in the morning, especially on hot days, so that excess water can dry off during the day and mold growth is prevented.
Water clocks (also known as power line timers) prevent the time problem. While simple models can only be used to set fixed times for sprinkling the lawn, high-tech devices can do a lot more.
✓ Irrigation intervals can be set for different days.
✓ Some models can be connected directly to the pipe system so that the different areas in the garden can be irrigated at different levels.
✓ These Depending on the watering computer or expansion module, the amount of water may even vary depending on the precipitation and the humidity of theBodens.
✓ Depending on the range of functions, it is even possible to access the watering timer and thus the lawn sprinkler via WLAN.
Admittedly, these luxury versions in combination with a high-quality lawn sprinkler are a bit more expensive - but a cost-benefit calculation is definitely worthwhile here: what is it worth that the garden is watered almost automatically - and in return valuable free time is won?
Error 5: New lawn is not sufficiently watered
After sowing, the lawn sprinkler should run about every other day for two to three weeks so that the fresh lawn can thrive.
But be careful with jet irrigation: If the jet is too hard, the seeds may be washed away. In this case, a device that sprays flat is recommended.
Mistake 6: The lawn doesn't need water after a thunderstorm or summer rain
Many hobby gardeners are happy about a shower because the plants have had enough water. But when it's not pouring rain, it's probably just dampening the surface of the earth. In this case, it is essential to use a lawn sprinkler to ensure that the green is sufficiently moistened.
Mistake 7: Watering after weeding
Actually it seems logical: the lawn has just been cleared of weeds, now a little water and everything is done. But small weeds and remaining parts of plants grow better when they are supplied with water.