Floods the ground rather than spraying plants. Comes as jet system, bed sprayer, or bubbler. Some plants - ground covers, fruit trees, and roses, for example - are prone to mold and disease from overwatering, which can result from other systems. Ideal for adobe or clay soil.
Spray head that rotates in a circle. Can cover as many as 100 feet (30.5 m) from sprayer, which is ideal for turf or landscape. Needs higher water pressure to function best. Rotating head may stick; requires checking as part of regular maintenance.
Traditional sprinkler head is most common form. Pop-up heads come up only when in use, which helps to prevent accidents. Adjustable, covering from one to 15 feet (4.6 m). Works best in smaller areas that are regularly shaped. Performs well even with low pressure.
How much water does it take to grow an attractive and healthy landscape? It all depends on factors such as local climate, the type of plants in the landscape, soil conditions, shading, and maintenance practices. Certainly some healthy landscapes require no supplemental irrigation beyond what falls from the sky, yet others must rely on substantial amounts of applied water. In a perfect world, everyone would put exactly the right amount of water on their landscape to keep it healthy and attractive without any excess runoff or water waste. That ideal is what water utility landscape efficiency programs strive to achieve.