If you have a big lawn and garden, or even a greenhouse, you probably want to maintain the grass and other plants so they can be green and lush. That’s why having an irrigation system can be important, especially if your garden is large and watering it manually would take a lot of time. Having this in mind, it’s really important to know how to adjust sprinkler heads.
According to the type of the sprinkler heads you have, the surface you have to water, and the plants you need to keep hydrated to grow properly, there are some tricks that make the adjustment of the sprinkler heads easy and simple. While every brand has instructions on the box or their site, everything is more or less similar.
Firstly, let’s see which types of sprinkler heads exist, so you can choose the one that will be the best for your gardening needs. I have installed different types in my garden since every part of the lawn requires a different amount of water and spray pattern because of the plants and the soil.
Of course, if it is easier for you, you can always use self-watering spikes. I love them beyond anything!
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Types Of Sprinkler Heads
Other than having an irrigation system, it’s also really important to know how to adjust it according to your lawn and plant’s characteristics. If the sprinkler heads aren’t chosen and adjusted well, they could damage your garden with over or under watering it.
While for every sprinkler head it’s important to be simple to install and adjust, there are a few different types of sprinkler heads on the market. When choosing the right one, you should keep in mind which plants you are going to water, for how long and in which diameter.
Let’s mention the most popular and used sprinkler heads:
1. Spray Heads
If you need to cover a smaller garden that requires a lot of water, spray heads will make this possible. These sprinklers should be installed close to each other for better coverage of the lawn. They are very fast since they have fast water flow. Perfect for soils that absorb water quickly and plants that require a lot of watering.
Spray sprinkle heads can be pop-up or stationary. Pop-up means that they are hidden in the ground when you don’t need to use them, which is great because they will be protected and difficult to damage. Once you turn them on, they will raise a few centimetres above the soil and start watering the lawn.
The stationary spray head is always above the ground and can’t be retracted into the soil even if you don’t use it. Other than the variety of spray patterns and radius, a lot of manufacturers offer models that have the option of setting the water to run non-continuously, if you have to use them on soils that don’t absorb water quickly.
2. Rotary Sprinklers
If your lawn is bigger and the soil requires a slower water flow because it needs more time to absorb it, rotary sprinkler heads are perfect in situations like these. It will produce a uniformed stream of water or a multi-stream while it rotates slowly above the ground.
The water pressure on these sprinklers is stronger than on the spray sprinklers because the water doesn’t come out as a fine mist but in a single stream or a multi-stream if you use rotary nozzle sprinklers. If the area that you live in is windy, a rotary sprinkler is a much better choice since the wind can blow away the misty spray of the previously mentioned type.
The thing I like the most about this type of sprinkler head is the fact that there isn’t wasted water since the rotation is slow, so the soil has enough time to absorb the water before being watered again. Great for the environment but also your pocket!
3. Impact Sprinklers
Since these sprinklers aren’t pop-up and they are always above the ground level, they’re usually made of very durable, sturdy material that can last for years. They function as the rotor sprinklers, but the only difference is the pop-up feature. They can cover a big diameter and can rotate a full circle, or partially.
4. Drip Systems
These systems are perfect for watering a precise part of the lawn for the plants and flowers that require a specific amount of water. With this system, you don’t have to unnecessarily water the whole lawn when you only need to water a few sections of them.
I like using drip systems when I have a plant that needs a much different amount of water comparing to the rest of my garden. In this way, it gets a more accurate amount that I can also control and adjust during the year. Another great system for saving water, as well as your money.
How To Adjust Sprinkler Heads
Now that I’ve mentioned the most important types of sprinkler heads, I’m going to explain how to adjust them. The reason why I described the types is because it is important to know which sprinkler you have or want to buy in order to adjust it correctly and quickly.
Since all of the mentioned types of sprinklers are different, I will have to describe the adjustments for each of them.
Adjusting Spray Sprinkle Heads
Although this kind of sprinkler can sometimes be programmed to a precise pattern that can’t be adjusted, the majority of them are adjustable. You can easily change the degree of the arc and modify it according to the surface you want to cover. If it’s adjustable, you will find a screw on the head of the sprinkler.
Almost every manufacturer includes the key for the modification of the screw. Firstly, you need to turn the sleeve of the sprinkler and hold it still while. Start rotating the screw – if you need to reduce the covered surface and the arc, turn the screw counterclockwise. If, however, you want a wider arc, turn it clockwise. The width of the arc is usually from 90 degrees to 360 degrees.
You can easily do it while the sprinkler is on, it’s actually better adjusting it like this. If you want it to be off, you should get the sprinkler out of the ground with a screwdriver. Hold it during the adjustment until you’re happy with the result and turn it back in its place.
Radius Adjustment on The Rotary Sprinkler
When you buy a rotary sprinkler, you’ll notice that it comes with two screws that are there for the alteration – one of them is for adjusting the spray area and the other one for the width of the arc. Before the adjustment, you should read the information booklet or the website, so you know exactly the function of the screws.
If you want to adjust the radius, you’ll need a screwdriver with a flat head. Turn it right if you want to reduce it and left if you need to widen the range. What happens is that the screw is pushed into the opening for the spray or further from it, so the water flow is either smaller or bigger, depending on your requirements.
Arc Adjustment of The Rotary Sprinkler
Firstly, you should hold the sleeve of the sprinkler with one hand and turn its head to one side and then to the other side that’s marked as the rest point with the other hand. The rest point should be set where you want the watering of the lawn to begin.
Once you’ve determined that, with the water running, you can rotate the screw for the arc adjustment right for a broader arc or left for the narrow arc.
Impact Sprinkler Adjustment
For the adjustment of these sprinklers, you’ll need stop clamps. The range on this type of sprinklers can’t be modified so you can only change its arc. You should be able to squeeze the clamps with fingers or pliers.
The first step is to make sure that the left side of the head is in the same line as the left side of your lawn. Then press one clamp and rotate it until it’s secured. Now turn the sprinkler’s head to the right, so it lines up again but with the right side of the lawn, then secure it with clams in the same way as mentioned. Turn the water on and check the result.
Related Questions
1. Can I use more than one sprinkler head for my garden?
You absolutely can! That’s exactly what I do because a lot of the plants and flowers in my garden require a different amount of water, that’s why mixing the sprinkler heads is a game changer. Determine how much watering your plants need and choose a sprinkler head according to that.
2. If you had to choose one, which sprinkler head would you recommend?
I’d say that the rotary head is always the best choice since it waters the lawn evenly and its speed allows the soil to absorb the water just in time. It’s the easiest sprinkler head to combine with previously mentioned drip systems in areas that need a more accurate amount of water.