We just moved and are renting a home that doesn't have inground sprinklers. The back and front are typical square-ish yards, but the sides are long and skinny. Since fall is rainy, I don't need to do this right away, but I'd love ideas so I can check them out/research and be ready for next year.
Maybe a 10x30 foot area (maybe a little longer). The yellow sprinklers that kids like to jump through - I have one of those, but heard they can be damaging to the eaves of a home.
A neighbor mentioned a Soaker Hose - does anyone know if that would work? We are on a little bit of an incline, so one side of the house that might work for. Not sure about the other side.
I'd love your ideas. Anything that waters in a circle or arc is going to over-water the neighbor on either side. Sigh.
If you are renting why don't you ask the landlord what he/she or prior renters used for that area? Good luck
A soaker hose is very efficient because all of the water goes into the soil and is not lost to evaporation. You want to water deeply about once a week - don't make the mistake most people do, which is to water a little bit every day. An inch of water encourages deeper roots, while a light frequent sprinkling causes roots to grow/stay near the wet surface. So those lawns aren't drought resistant.
You won't get a lot of run-off though, so the incline isn't going to help you too much. But that's okay - all the water will go straight down. The problem is, you will have to move the hose because the water isn't going to spread sideways. The hose may tell you how much water usually runs through per hour, although that can vary depending on water pressure from the house. Otherwise, test it a few times and dig down after, say, 1 hour, to see how far down the wetness is. Then move the hose about 6 inches and repeat. If you do a little every day, you should be able to maintain it.
Your other option is an oscillating sprinkler instead of a soaker, and just don't put it on low pressure so it's not spraying all over. Water early in the day or late (before 8, after 6) to limit evaporation.
A final option is a traveling sprinkler where you lay out the hose in the path you want the sprinkler to take - then it can follow any shape yard. Again, you will lose water to evaporation so timing is important.
But since you are renting, make sure the landlord expects you to be in charge of yard care. If so, see if he/she will spring for the cost of the equipment even if you handle the operation of it.
A flat sprinkler hose works well for long skinny areas.....
Typically they are flat, and have two or three "tubes", with lots of holes poked in them.... adjust the water pressure to get the coverage needed.
I remember my dad had one of those, and we also liked to run through that sprinkler, also....
http://www.amazon.com/Flexon-50-Foot-Three-Sprinkler-FS50...
I use a soaker hose.
I've used a sprinkler that goes back and forth instead of around. I adjust how much the sprinkler covers by adjusting the amount of water coming from the faucet.
You can know how deep you've watered by putting a tuna can on the lawn under the spray. It will fill up showing you how much water was used. No need to dig into the ground.
Make nice with your neighbors, then you are watering twice as much. We have a sliver next to our driveway so our neighbor reset his sprinkler heads to get that bit of our yard as well, in return we give him beer.
Oh, if that doesn't work that little thing that looks like a tractor that runs along the hose is great for small areas.
Very odd to me that people are saying soaker hoses are so great for a 10x30 area that is lawn. You would need a 300 ft soaker hose to do that area! I love soaker hoses, I have one attached to my rain barrel for the lower garden, still for 300 sq ft of lawn that is a poor choice.
Well, my first thought is: they have these things called hoses. You screw it on the tap outside then you turn on the water. You adjust a thing on the end to spray, stream, or regular strength. Then you stand there and water your grass.
Since that seems obvious I'll just say there are many small sprinklers that do smaller areas and if you don't turn the water on high the radius of the sprinkler won't be large and into the neighbors yard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CIMfLPU4Ro
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/imp/166565?mr:ploc=902...
definitely a soaker hose. they are by far the most efficient for most places, and certainly for yours. the in-the-air sprinklers lose most of the water- to the air.
khairete
S.
Since you are renting I would check with the landlord first. Too much water in a small area can cause damage to the foundation and if one side doesn't get much sun you will get mold.
If your landlord approves this I would get a hose and use that to water, this way you can control how much water is being used.
