What Are the Best Sprinkler Heads for Landscape Beds?

When it comes to keeping lawns and landscaping lush and healthy, there is no denying the power of automated irrigation. With proper installation and the right combination of components, underground irrigation systems can handle all the watering needs of a property with ease and efficiency.

Sprinkler heads can make or break an irrigation system. They must be matched to each zone of the system based on the environmental conditions of that zone and the plants being watered. Inexperienced sprinkler installers or DIYers often make the mistake of using turf-specific sprinkler heads in landscaped areas. Sometimes, they simply extend the radius of lawn sprayers to provide coverage to landscaped areas – an inefficient approach that causes plant stress and wastes a significant amount of water.

Sprinkler head selection is crucial for:

Efficient, long-lasting system performance
Sustainable water usage and lower monthly utility bills
Healthier plants and stronger root development
Reduced risk of over- or underwatering
Less erosion or mulch displacement
Lower maintenance and fewer landscape repairs

For best results, landscaped property areas need sprinkler heads that deliver water at varying heights to avoid damaging plants or creating excess runoff.

Why are turf sprinkler heads bad for landscape beds?

Turf sprinkler heads are not designed to deliver water in small spaces, landscape beds, or gardens with varying plant heights.

Instead, turf sprinkler heads are made to provide even coverage to large, relatively flat expanses of grass. They have higher flow rates that deliver more water in a shorter period of time, which is not efficient for watering shrubs or trees. These larger plantings benefit from sprinkler heads that deliver water slowly, allowing the soil to fully absorb the water and letting it reach root systems. Watering trees and shrubs too quickly causes runoff, soil erosion, and, ultimately, underwatering and excessive water usage.

Varying plant heights also make turf sprinkler heads ineffective in landscape beds. The varying heights of landscape plantings obstruct the spray of turf sprinkler heads, leading to uneven coverage. Turf sprinkler heads’ higher water pressure makes them great at covering wide zones of a lawn, but they’re too strong for landscaped areas, causing plant damage or overspray into other zones.

What are the best sprinkler heads for landscape beds and gardens?

Irrigation manufacturers have a variety of specialized sprayers and heads designed for precise coverage to accommodate the unique watering needs of landscape beds and gardens.

Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is used most often for landscaping or gardens, mainly because they are relatively easy for homeowners to set up themselves. A surface-level hose or tubing is laid around the base of the plantings, and water is released through evenly spaced holes (emitters). Water is distributed very slowly through these holes, so as not to swamp the beds or create excessive runoff.

While drip irrigation can be effective, it does come with some challenges, namely visibility. It can be difficult to tell if plantings are actually receiving the right amount of hydration and, since the tubing lies directly on the ground, it is prone to clogs and mineral buildup, eventually leading to blockages. Drip irrigation tubing is also quite appealing to small pests, and they often chew holes through it to reach the water, so it needs to be checked frequently for leaks or damage.

Because drip irrigation lines lie on the surface, they are much more prone to damage than underground lines.

Micro Sprayers and Micro Rotors

Micro sprayers and micro rotors are small-scale sprinkler heads engineered to deliver low-volume overhead watering. Their fine, mist-like spray is distributed in circular or fan-shaped patterns that can be adjusted to ensure uniform coverage. The low-precipitation flow of these sprinkler heads is gentle enough to be used around even the most delicate of plantings. These should be grouped together in their own irrigation zone so that watering schedules can be fine-tuned to match the plantings and the season.

Best for:

Annuals
Flowers
Groundcovers
Young plantings

Hunter Industries Micro Sprayer

Bubblers

Bubblers are sprinkler heads that are best suited for watering larger plantings that need deep, infrequent watering sessions. Instead of a mist or a spray, bubblers release a stream of water at low pressure at the very base of the plant. This delivers water directly to the roots without the risk of soil erosion. Shrubs and trees especially rely on this type of deep watering for healthy root growth.

Hunter Industries Bubbler Nozzle

Should landscape beds have their own irrigation zones?

Yes, landscape beds and gardens should have their own separate irrigation zone designations because they have different watering needs than grass zones.

Turf areas, for example, typically need more frequent watering sessions for shorter periods than landscaped areas. Within a landscaped area, multiple watering zones may be needed to cater to plantings with different watering needs. Running sprinklers for the same amount of time for turf, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and other landscape plantings will deliver too much water to some and not enough for others. The ability to fine-tune zones to ensure that each receives the exact amount of water needed boosts system efficiency and helps lower the monthly water bill, all while maintaining peak plant health.

Professional Irrigation System Design

Any landscape can benefit from automated irrigation, but achieving robust plant and lawn health requires more than just installing a few sprinkler heads. Heinen’s team of irrigation specialists brings over 40 years of experience to designing sprinkler systems for efficient watering tailored to each property’s unique watering needs. Whether you’re looking to install a brand-new, high-efficiency system or upgrade an existing one, talk to the irrigation pros at Heinen first.