Our advice is free and readily given please do not hesitate to call us on 01473 400101 if you cannot find the answer to your questions. Normally the lines are open 8 to 5 Mon to Friday. In busy times we are often open longer. We are not a call centre or general garden marketing organization we are a specialist irrigation company, hopefully you will come through to a real person who can answer your questions!
It all looks too complicated!!
We are aware that it can at first seem daunting but either give us a call or look at our which system is best for me.
Our watering systems are very simple and easy to put together and you need no specialist tools. We have 20 years of providing irrigation systems for gardeners and our advice and help are always available to find you the most suitable system as well as help during installation. Garden Answers magazine gave our kit the highest marks in its test and we were best in all sections.
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What happens if I have ordered the wrong parts or quantities?
No problem we are more than flexible and will always exchange fittings and parts (that have been purchased from us) free of charge.
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How far do the drip pipes have to be apart?
The amount that the water will spread will depend on your soil type, the more clay in the soil the further the water will spread. It is entirely the soils ability to move water that makes drip watering successful and the product you choose does not make any difference. There are several different theories and recommendations, some we think only to increase the amount of pipe sold!! 
We recommend that you place the pipes at a spacing of between 75cm and 1metre for most soils except on very sandy soils where 50cm to 75cm is recommended. It is very important at these wider spacing that the system is operated correctly i.e. start early in the year to avoid the moisture deficit getting too large and water regularly and long enough to allow for good penetration. Remember the pipes are flexible so can easily be bent around plants straight lines are not mandatory.
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How long should I leave the system on for?
Drip pipes and pop ups. Start early in the year to avoid a large moisture deficit occurring that will be difficult to make up.
Drip pipes Depends on output but Leaky pipe every 2-3 days for 2 to 3 hours. Other drip pipes 1 to 2 hours.
Hedge and orchard watering every 5-7 days for 6 hours to encourage deep rooting.
Mini sprinklers every 3-4 days for 1 to 2 hours.
Lawns with pop ups. For general lawns every 2-3 days for 20 to 30 mins. Remember you want to water deeply to avoid surface rooting and a continual wet surface that leads to capping, compaction, poor drainage, moss and fungal problems. But when watering turf you are only interested in watering the top 12" anything else is a waste of water as the grass will not get the water.
Hanging baskets. Regular watering is the most important factor. 10 mins in the morning and in hot weather 10 mins in the evening as well. If the containers continue to dry out it is best to increase the frequency of watering rather than the length of time the system is on for.
When checking for moisture levels it is vital you look 6"down. Look for a darker soil that is cool to the touch and when you place it in your fist it gently holds together in a sausage. You should not be able to squeeze any water out.
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If burying it how deep should it be?
The Leaky Pipe can be buried up to 12" but we usually recommend that it is just covered with soil in beds and borders. In lawns 4" is preferred. When we install we use a hoe to take out a "drill"then drop the pipe in and cover with soil.
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Do I have to bury it?
Leaky Pipe needs to be covered by soil or mulch to work at is most efficent. Other drip pipes stay on the surface but all can be covered with mulch.
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Do I need a pressure regulator?
We recommend that all drip watering systems have a pressure regulator, especially if they are to be automated, as all are designed to operate at low pressure about 18 PSI. High pressure can be a real nuisance and leads to uneven watering, the fittings coming apart and can lead to the pipes splitting.
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Will the pipes/drippers block?
Especially in hard water areas naturally occurring minerals in the water can be a problem over a long period of time. It is the evaporation off the pipe that causes the problem. With Leaky Pipe it is important it is buried or covered with mulch and running all systems at night can help. We have found no advantage to any of the "magic" devices on pipes. Best if softened water is not used on the garden as you could work your softener harder than it could be designed to be used at.
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Can I use it off a water butt?
Water butts generate a very low pressure and we have two products that will work at these low pressures. Hanging garden water supply drippers and our water butt pipe. We also have a timer that will work at these low pressures the Gardena card timer.
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Do I need a pump and tank?
Most small systems do not require a pump and tank but pop ups systems often benefit as the sprinklers will work to specification as you then have a known amount of water at a known pressure so the sprinklers will provide the best coverage .
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Is sprinklers or drip better?
Drip uses water far more efficiently and when installed has less to go wrong. Sprinklers are quicker and cheaper to install. Why drip
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What can I run from my tap?
All houses have a limited water source and to work out how much you can run at one time we give each product an F factor. This number represent how many litres it uses per meter in an hour using our simple calculation it indicates how much you can run at the same time. You may need to split your garden into zones to water all you require. As an indication either 350 metres of Leaky Pipe or 200 metres of surface drip line or 20 sprinkler kit or 4 pop ups or 200 drippers can be run at the same time.
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My pressure is very low what can I do?
Drip and mini sprinklers require low pressure and we have yet to find somebody's house that it will not work at. The amount you can run at one time may be limited so you may need to have more zones. You will have to check out the F factors. For lawn sprinklers a tank and pump may be needed.
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I have a well/ river can I use the water?
Yes, you can you can draw up to 20 cubic metres per day without a license. Call us for further advice on pumps, controllers and the practicality of the scheme. We are experts in the use of well, borehole and other "natural" sources. Wells and boreholes
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I am off on holiday how can I keep things watered?
We do a large range of timers for all sorts of situations we are certain we will have one to suit you. See timers and controllers. We also have system to water house plants either with or without a tank.
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I also wish to carry on using my tap for other purposes can I do this?
Easily, with our range of tap splitters and manifolds. All are designed to screw easily onto your tap to make installation simple.
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How often do I have to change the batteries in my timer?
The batteries should last for one season.
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What do I have to do in winter?
The vast majority of our systems are designed to be left in situ all year and come to no harm in frosty weather. It is VITAL all the timers and control equipment is bought in as these are very susceptible to frost.
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I cannot find what I am looking for on your site but I saw it in Spain...........
Give us a call 01473 400101, hopefully we will know exactly what you a referring to!
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When laying out the drip pipe is it best to zigzag it?
We always try to lay the pipes out in as straight lines as possible rather than zigzagging it about. The pipes are flexible enough to go around plants. If you know a particular specimen prefers more water we often loop a coil around the plant to give it extra water.
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Can I mix and match the different systems?
Yes our systems can easily be mixed and matched as you think suitable. The only restriction is really the running times of the different areas. We recommend that beds and borders are run separately from containers and mini sprinklers are run separately from drip. See also how long should I run my system for?
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Do your fittings match Hozelock?
All our click fittings are interchangeable with all other brands click fittings . Many of our products are similar to well known brands but at a much better price. Hozelock equivalent
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Can I feed as I water?
Oh yes drip watering is the ideal way to get feed to your plants.
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