A residential irrigation system can keep your lawn, garden, and landscaping features well watered and in good condition, without you having to stand over them with a garden hose and sprayer. An irrigation system can also mean keeping your property watered when you're on vacation or away for the weekend, so you don't come home to a wilted lawn or shrubbery. When you're ready to choose a residential irrigation system and its accessories, note a few tips to keep in mind so you know you opt for the right variety.

Underground soaker hoses

Soaker hoses are hoses that have holes along the body, so that they provide water along their length and not just with a sprinkler attached to one end. An underground soaker hose is just as it sounds; it's buried underground and may wind around your vegetable garden or landscaping features in your lawn. An underground soaker hose is good for when you need deep watering at the roots, as the water is not going to evaporate on the surface of the ground. This is often the best choice for larger vegetation and shrubbery, or for gardens when the soil is dry and doesn't hydrate the roots properly.

Buried sprinkler heads

Buried sprinkler heads are usually connected to a long hose and they pop up when they turn on, and then fold back down so they're underground when not in use. This protects them from being damaged when you mow the lawn and reduces tripping hazards for children and pets. Choose sprinkler heads when you want a light but uniform coverage for your property's lawn; many will rotate a full 360 degrees to cover an entire patch of grass, or they can be programmed to turn just a certain amount so you can concentrate the water on a landscaping feature alone.

Directional nozzle

A directional nozzle attaches to the end of a hose and provides a concentration of water at one point. These are good when you have a landscaping feature or other item that needs more water than usual; for example, you might want to fill a trough for livestock at the same time as you water your garden. Many directional nozzles will offer a low pressure watering system so you can use them for particular plants that need a lot of watering without getting damaged by a strong stream of water, such as tomatoes and peppers or for rosebushes.

For more information about irrigation supplies, contact a plumber in your area.