Drip Irrigation Systems are exempt from the Hosepipe Ban!

What a lovely spring it has been with so much dry, sunny weather! And yet, as we know from experience, dry springs lead to droughts and droughts lead to hosepipe bans. As always the press are quick to sensationalise the situation, so much so that if you lived in the South of England you might think it pointless to plant petunias, let alone trees. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Planting trees and protecting existing landscaping are important practices for long term drought protection. Fortunately, water authorities are recognising this and this year all 7 water authorities with hose pipe bans have agreed that they will allow the installation and use of drip irrigation systems during the ban. It makes sense really – what a great incentive to encourage the public to invest in these water-conserving systems and move away from old-fashioned and wasteful hosepipe watering altogether.

To confirm, these water authorities are:

Sutton & East, Veolia Central and Veolia South East, Thames, South East, Anglian and Southern Water companies.

We have been installing surface mounted drip irrigation systems for years and the cost is very reasonable – from just upwards of £60 for a basic installation for a newly planted tree. They are designed to last 2-3 years while your trees become established, though the timer, which is the main expense, will last considerably longer. Read below for a bit more information on how they work. Our Horticultural advice team can tell you more, and give you an idea how much a system to meet your requirements might cost.

Automatic Irrigation

Water Timer

If hand watering is not practical, if you have too many trees to effectively manage by hand watering, or you simply want the peace of mind to being able to go away during the summer for a weekend or holiday without worrying about your trees, an automatic irrigation system may be the best solution. Our surface mounted system is inexpensive compared to a below ground system and is designed to last 2-3 years while your tree becomes established.

Soaker Hose

All we need is a tap that can be hooked up to the system not too far away from the area to be irrigated. A timer device is fitted at the tap, which connects to a hose, which connects to a soaker hose placed around your tree(s). Flower beds can be included in the system if desired. Our horticultural advisors can assist you on configuration and costs if you are interested.