Drip & Micro-Irrigation in Coconut Creek, FL

Why beds and hedges do better on drip

Spray heads were made for lawns. In a planting bed they hit leaves, trunks and mulch, lose water to wind and sun, and leave the root zone dry while the walkway gets soaked. Drip and micro-irrigation put water at the base of each plant, slowly, where the roots can use it.

We install drip line, point-source emitters and micro-sprays for beds, hedges, palms and containers. We also convert old spray zones to drip and repair existing drip that's clogged, cut or leaking. Drip needs a filter and a pressure regulator to work properly, and we check both every time.

Signs your beds need drip

• Hedges dying back in the middle. Spray blocked by the plants themselves, so the interior never gets wet.
• Wet walls and walkways next to beds. Bed spray heads overshooting onto hard surfaces.
• Brown leaves on crotons or shrubs. Too little water reaching the roots, or emitters that have clogged.
• Mulch washing out of beds. Spray heads putting down water faster than the bed can take it.
• Tubing popping off its fittings. A missing or failed pressure regulator, so the line runs at full household pressure.
• Dry spots along a drip line. Clogged emitters, kinked tubing or a cut from edging or digging.

Drip in sandy soil and South Florida beds

In sandy soil, water from an emitter moves mostly straight down. That's good for deep roots, but it means emitters need to sit closer together than they would in heavier soil. Larger plants like palms need several emitters spread around the root zone, not one at the trunk. We space drip to match how water actually moves in your beds.

Well and lake water can carry sand, algae and iron that block small emitter openings. A good filter and regular flushing prevent most of that. Crotons, hibiscus and hedges also grow fast in summer, so emitters get buried or pulled loose. A quick check at each change of season keeps drip from failing without anyone noticing.

Repair the drip or convert from spray?

Existing drip is usually repairable. Cuts get couplings, clogged emitters get replaced, and a missing filter or regulator gets added. If your beds are still on spray heads, converting the zone to drip often fixes overspray, mulch washout and dry hedge interiors in one step.

A conversion can reuse the existing valve and pipe. We'll tell you whether your zone is a good candidate and what it would cost.

Keeping drip working

Drip fails quietly. Nothing sprays, so there's no geyser to tell you something broke. Every few months, run the zone and walk the beds. Look for damp mulch at each plant, listen for hissing from a split line, and check the far end of each run, since that's where pressure drops first. Pull back the mulch in a couple of spots to make sure the tubing is still where it belongs.

Clean or replace the filter screen on a schedule, and more often if you water from a well or lake. Flush the lines by opening the end caps and running the zone until the water comes out clear. When you plant something new, add an emitter for it instead of hoping a neighbor's emitter will reach. And tell your landscaper where the tubing runs before anyone edges or digs.