DRIP IRRIGATION OR DRIP IRRITATION?

A Word or Two about Drip Irrigation
Excerpted by Permission from High Desert Yards and Gardens by Lynn Ellen Doxon

The most efficient way to irrigate landscapes, flower beds and gardens is with a drip system. Drip emitters come in one, two and five gallon per hour (gph) sizes. The amount of water a plant needs depends on a number of factors. Use the following table to determine how many emitters to use.

Drip Targets	What kind of emitter	How Many?	Where?
Low shrubs 2’ to 3’ tall	1 gph	One or two emitters	emitters placed 6” to 12” from base of plant
Shrubs, trees to 5’ tall	1 gph	Two or three	emitters placed 1’ away from base of plant
Shrubs, trees 5’ to 10’ tall	1 gph	Three or four	emitters equally spaced around the plant, 1 ½’ to 2’ from the trunk
	2 gph	One or two
Trees up to 20’ tall	1 gph	Four to six	equally spaced around the drip line
	2 gph	Two or three
Trees over 20’ tall	1 gph	Six to twelve	equally spaced around the drip line
	2 gph	Three to six