Every beautifully landscaped garden owes its vibrant and healthy vegetation to an effective irrigation system. But from the seemingly endless options available today, which one is able to claim the title of the best? The best irrigation care and monitoring systems are not determined by the brand name alone but by the expertise and understanding of irrigation professionals who design and maintain these irrigation systems, with a deep understanding of landscapes and lawns.
The irrigation industry is largely dominated by two main irrigation categories, the “good enough” system, and the Optimized Horticultural Watering System (OHWS). Both of these serve valuable purposes, catering to different needs and preferences. We’re going to take a look at the differences between good enough and OHWS and dig into which is going to be the best for your property’s needs.
The “Good Enough” Approach
During our time servicing the property of Kansas City homes, we’ve found that roughly 95% of irrigation services operate with a “good enough” business model, primarily servicing the budget-conscious who need automated watering solutions for lawns and landscapes.
The pros of this approach include:
- Budget-friendly installation
- Contractors are plentiful and easy to find
- All basic watering needs can be met
However, the cons of this approach include:
- Prioritizing hydraulics over horticulture. Systems not designed around the horticultural needs often fall short of delivering what the landscaping needs to be truly healthy.
- Higher amounts of wasted water. These systems often suffer from consistent dry-spot/wet-spot issues and waste more water compared to other systems.
- Patchy performance. The lack of customization will often lead to a “universal coverage” model that is not tailored to the specific micro-environments or prevailing winds of your property.
- The lack of clearly defined zones based on horticulture prevents need-based care.
The Optimized Horticultural Watering Systems (OHWS) Approach
OHWS are completely tailored to the unique environmental needs and plan of the property utilizing them. While they require a more significant upfront investment, they do offer the potential for dramatic long-term savings. By merging hydraulic and horticultural expertise, they can offer unbeatable efficiency.
The pros of OHWS include:
- Customized watering plans that create lush and healthy spaces, free of disease and plant stress.
- Dramatic water savings, since water is only used where and when it’s needed.
- Uniform coverage reduces bogs and dry spots, giving truly individualized results.
- OHWS offers the ultimate in convenience, with technology that allows monitoring and adjustment from nearly anywhere.
That said, there are a few drawbacks to OHWS:
- Higher initial investment due to breaking the property up into zones based on plant needs and environment.
- OHWS contractors can be more challenging to find.
High Prairie Outdoors: Your OHWS Experts
At High Prairie Outdoors, we specialize in Optimized Horticultural Watering Systems. This helps us to create lush gardens and lawns in the exact way that our clients envision. Despite the higher initial investment, the vastly superior results and long-term savings that OHWS brings to the property make it the obvious best choice. High Prairie Outdoors understands that the best irrigation care and monitoring systems are those that are designed with both hydraulics and horticulture in mind, which is how we set ourselves apart from the rest of the competition in our field.
Despite the high demand and substantial waitlist for our specialized services, we’re committed to helping you bring your outdoor living space dreams and aspirations to life. Why settle for “good enough” when you have the absolute best? Contact High Prairie Outdoors today to get started on your OHWS.
