There is nothing sadder than seeing crops dying because of a lack of water. All plants need water to survive, and relying on rainwater alone is often impractical in many parts of the country. If you want your crops to thrive, you must use irrigation supplies to ensure that they receive the water they need to grow and remain strong and healthy. You can readily buy irrigation supplies, but you must ensure that what you buy will be effective. The irrigation supplies you must buy will depend on the answers to two questions:

• What type of plants do you want to water?
• What type of area do you want to water?

What type of plants do you have?  

What is involves in watering plants? You might think that all plants take in water the same way, but they don't. Some plants absorb the water in the soil through their roots, and others get water through their leaves. The irrigation supplies for each type of plant will be different. Leafy plants enjoy having water reaching them from above; for these, a sprinkler system will be the perfect option. For plants that use their roots to draw in water, a drip-feeding solution would work better. By choosing the most appropriate irrigation supplies, you can ensure that precisely the right amount of water will reach each plant and that each plant has the maximum opportunity to thrive.

What type of area do you want to water?

Choose either a drip-feeding system or a sprinkler system, then you can start planning the physical layout of the watering system. Perhaps, the most fundamental question you must address is "where will your water originate?" Irrigation requires water, so you must have a constant water supply ready to use. You could take water from the mains supply, although that could be awkward if you are in a rural location. You might consider fitting rainwater tanks and storing the rainwater until you are ready to use it. Your choice of irrigation supplies will depend on your water source and how that water will be used. You may want a pump to take water from a tank and deliver it to your sprinkler system at a suitable pressure. You will need hoses or piping to transfer the water between watering points. To decide what irrigation supplies you will need, you must plan your layout carefully. It can be helpful to speak with the company selling irrigation supplies and find out how much ground is covered by each sprinkler head so you can see how many watering points you will need and where they should be placed.

Reach out to a professional for more information about the irrigation supplies your crops will need.