In addition to providing a personal sense of accomplishment, growing your own vegetables is an economical way to have healthy food on hand all the time for nutritious meals. As long as you live in a climate that is warm during the late spring, summer, and early fall, you should be able to grow vegetables successfully in your yard. However, if you want to increase the chances of having a good harvest, do not rely on hand watering your plants with a garden hose.

You should invest in an irrigation system that can feed your plants water in an efficient manner. The system can range from a small-scale sprinkler system to a drip irrigation setup that can water your entire lawn and garden.

Pre-planning

Before you begin planting your vegetable garden, you should make a list of the plants you want to grow and research how much water they will need to flourish. You can plan the layout of your garden based on water needs. Once you have the layout planned, consult an irrigation system installer to help you choose the right type of system for your garden.

The size of your garden and the likelihood of drought-like conditions will affect what type of irrigation system would be ideal for your yard. A sprinkler system is great for uneven land and helping seedlings emerge. A drip system is ideal for gardens in dry climates because it requires less water than other irrigation systems and can help you stay within municipal watering limits during times of drought.

Preparing the Soil Before Installation

One of the tasks you want to complete before installing an irrigation system and planting seedlings is to improve your soil. If you have well-drained soil on level land, you are in luck and you will not have to do much work. However, chances are you will have to contend with soil that contains a lot of sand or clay and does not drain well.

Leaving the soil as is will not allow the water from the sprinkler system to flow into the earth, depriving plants roots of essential water. In addition, waterlogged soil will make your plants more susceptible to root rot and other conditions that will kill your vegetables. It is relatively easy to improve the soil with compost that you can purchase from garden stores or that you have cultivated yourself with non-meat food scraps and leaves.

Maintenance

Irrigation Systems are low-maintenance and do not require much work to keep in good condition. However, you should inspect your system at least once a week to look for broken sprinkler heads and signs of leaks. If you notice pools of water in an area of your garden, check to see if there is a clogged nozzle or a leak in a sprinkler line. You can fix these issues on your own with spare parts you purchase from a irrigation system supplier, such as Hydrotech Irrigation Co.