Watering your lawn is essential to have a healthy lawn, and it is key to figuring out which watering method works best for your yard. These days there seem to be endless options available that cover all lawn sizes, budgets, and the effort they take to use. So, let me share with you some of the different watering options available and go over how they might perform on your lawn.
3 Types of Lawn Sprinklers for Your Yard
Types of garden sprinklers can be broken down into a few main categories.
- Handheld Sprinklers
- Moveable Ground Sprinklers
- In-Ground Irrigation Systems
Let’s take a closer look at each of these sprinkler types and go over their benefits.
Handheld Sprinklers
Just like the name says this sprinkler is a handheld, gun-like device that connects directly to a garden hose and sprays water through an adjustable jet. This option is a very affordable solution that is perfect for a small yard. This is an ideal solution if you have a small lawn that doesn’t need extensive watering. You may even find that other types of sprinklers are just too big.
Moveable Ground Sprinklers
Moveable sprinklers, similar to handhelds, connect directly to a garden hose and do not need any special installation. The upside to moveable ground sprinklers is that they come in a wide range of options that vary in watering patterns, area size coverage, and cost to purchase.
If you have a medium area to cover, then there’s a sprinkler to fit your needs. Oscillating, rotary, and high-impact moveable ground sprinklers are just a few of the options available. Each achieves perfect watering once set up correctly and does not require you to water manually as a handheld sprinkler does.
If you like the idea of a simple solution but have a large area, then a watering tractor is a version that moves across the lawn on wheels using the power of the water pressure. As I said, there’s a huge range of options.
In-Ground Irrigation Systems
In-ground irrigation systems are permanent watering solutions buried below the lawn with pop-up sprinkler heads. This option is by far the most expensive solution, but they are definitely the most flexible.
Irrigation systems use a combination of components, including automated timers, zone manifolds, underground pipework, and a selection of different types of lawn sprinkler heads.
The great benefit of in-ground irrigation systems is that they are completely automatic and need very little attention once installed. This type of sprinkler system can be added to any size lawn and garden and are not limited to a specific yard.
Watering large lawns with handheld and moveable sprinklers can take a lot of time, so a permanent option is likely the best solution.
My Favorite Type of Lawn Sprinkler
If I had to pick a favorite type of watering system to use on my lawn, I would have to say that it’s actually a combination of all three. My main setup is the in-ground irrigation, which takes all the guesswork out of watering and gives even coverage.
For those troublesome areas that need my extra attention during hot summer days, I turn to a moveable ground sprinkler. These types of sprinklers are very flexible and can be used whenever I want.
The handheld sprinkler is always connected to my hose. If I have an area that needs a quick soaking, this is my go-to.
How to Choose the Right Sprinkler Type for Your Lawn
Now that we’ve gone over which watering systems I use for my lawn, let’s take a look at which is the best fit for your lawn.
| Lawn Size | Small | Medium | Large | $ Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handheld Sprinkler | x | $ | ||
| Moveable Sprinkler | x | x | $$ | |
| In-Ground Sprinkler | x | x | x | $$$ |
Extra Consideration When Choosing a Sprinkler Type
Once you have looked through the types of sprinkler systems for your lawn and made a selection, I recommend that you double-check a couple of points. Here are a few extra items that could help you make the right choice.
Water Source
Water used to water your lawn can come from a number of different sources. City drinking water, city irrigation reclaim water, and well water.
The cost of water depends on where you get your water. So, if you only have drinking water available, you will pay a higher cost, so extra control is important. In-ground irrigation systems can and do malfunction without you knowing and can run for hours. You will not face these types of problems when using a handheld or portable sprinkler system.
Reclaim water is usually charged as a fixed monthly charge. So, if there is a problem and it doesn’t switch off, you will not get a scary bill. If you have a well, you won’t be billed for the water, which protects you against malfunctioning irrigation.
City Regulations
Watering your lawn is controlled by a series of regulations set by city ordinances. This includes what day you can water and for how long. In addition, the laws control the type of watering you can do at particular times.
As an example, automated systems usually can only be used during your allotted day and hours. These periods are nearly always between midnight to the early morning hours. So, if you want to run your automated irrigation system during the day, be prepared for a citation.
The exception to this rule is using a non-automated system like a moveable sprinkler or a handheld. I recommend that you check your city’s ordinance and see what the regulations specify.
This is one of the reasons I use a combination of different sprinkler types. As an example, when you want to fertilize the lawn, you’re going to need to water straight away, so a non-automated option is very handy.
Water Usage & Water Pressure
Whichever solution you choose, it’s good to consider how much water each of them uses. Also, it’s important to know how much water pressure they need to work correctly. Some of the bigger systems have a high rate of water usage that is identified by the GPM (gallons per minute).
In addition, sprinklers require a minimum water pressure to operate. For example, if you have a sprinkler that needs high pressure but you only have low pressure, then the sprinkler won’t work correctly. That’s right, not having enough water pressure for sprinklers is a very real problem.
These are two items I would definitely check first if you are looking at the bigger watering systems.
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