• ASK ANDY
• WEATHER GUIDE
• REFERENCE MATERIALS

• • LAWN & TURF
  • TREE & SHRUB
  • IRRIGATION
  • SPECIAL TOPICS

• HOME IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
• AVOID DROUGHT STRESS
• IRRIGATION – GOOD DESIGN
• PUMP SELECTION
• SPRINKLERS
• IRRIGATION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
• IRRIGATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT
• TESTING WATER SUPPLY
• CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT OF A WELL
• IRRIGATION TIPS
• IRRIGATION WATER SOURCES
• PREVENTING RUNOFF
• SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL STATUS
• WATER CONSERVATION
• WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
• WATERFRONT YARDS

IRRIGATION: SPRINKLERS

A sprinkler is an assembly attached to the pipe system and used to disperse water over a lawn, flower bed or garden area. They range from quite simple to relatively complex devices. Precipitation rate, operating pressure, and diameter of coverage are very important in the design and selection process.

Sprinklers can generally be classified as:

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Spray Heads have a fixed nozzle with an orifice that results in water distribution in the form of a fine spray. Bed and shrub spray heads are usually stationary, where lawn sprays can be either stationary or pop-up types. Other nozzles include shrub sprays which are usually specially made nozzles mounted directly on permanent risers above the foliage of the shrub. Generally, they are smaller in size than the nozzle produced for pop-up lawn sprinklers. These nozzles are used to apply water to all planted areas where the height of the riser will depend on the application and characteristics of the sprayer nozzle.

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Rotary Sprinklers are designed to disperse water in an arching stream-type spray pattern. Due to the rotation of the sprinkler, a circular area is irrigated. Small rotary sprinklers usually use one nozzle, while large sprinklers frequently use two nozzles to accomplish uniform distribution.

The nozzle is that part of a sprinkler which actually distributes the water. It is the discharge opening or orifice used on a sprinkler to control the volume of discharge, distribution pattern, diameter and droplet size.

For more information and charts go to: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WI003

Irrigation of Lawns and Gardens. Dorota Z. Haman, Gary A. Clark, Allen G. Smajstrla. Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: May 1989.