{"id":146,"date":"2012-01-09T10:47:54","date_gmt":"2012-01-09T18:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cityraininc.wordpress.com\/?p=3"},"modified":"2022-03-02T14:55:45","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T14:55:45","slug":"to-netafim-or-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cityraininc.com\/staging\/to-netafim-or-not\/","title":{"rendered":"The Advantages of Netafim"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Netafim installed after planting and before mulch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A few years later, the plants are healthy and lush. No moving or raising blocked spray heads for coverage!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is Netafim anyway?<\/strong><\/em> Netafim is now a global company that pioneered drip irrigation back in the mid-1960s in Israel. \u00a0Netafim is a brand name, but we sprinkler guys use the word as\u00a0a common noun, like Kleenex or Q-tip.<\/p>\n

Netafim\u2122Techline\u00ae is\u00a0 tubing made of rugged polyethylene plastic. Pressure compensating emitters are welded to the inside wall in\u00a0 spacings of 6″, 12\u201d, 18\u201d, and 24\u201d apart. It comes in 12mm and 17mm diameter. We use the 12mm tubing with the closer 6″ spacing for smaller, sandier, or more densely planted\u00a0 beds. There are four choices of emitter flow rate in gallons per hour: 0.26, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.9. We choose the flow rate depending on micro-climate factor, soil texture, and slope.<\/p>\n

\"Exploded<\/a>
Exploded view of emitter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The pressure compensation ensures you\u2019re getting the same flow from each emitter from the beginning of the zone to the very end, unlike soaker hoses that start strong and peter out at the end. The Netafim zone MUST be correctly designed for best results, but you can irrigate large areas with lower pressure than needed for sprayheads.<\/p>\n

Other great features of Netafim are the self flushing dripper design and built in root barrier- I can\u2019t recall ever having to replace clogged emitter sections.<\/p>\n

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The tubing is installed on the soil surface with staples, and mulched over. If the bed is already mulched, we scratch in the tubing a few inches.In order to achieve good coverage and soil saturation, the tubing is laid out in an evenly spaced grid pattern.<\/p>\n

Depending on the soil type the row<\/em> spacing varies from 12-18\u2033.\u00a0 Netafim is a better way to water dense perennial beds where sprayheads get blocked or grown over. Water is not wasted misting in the air or saturating mulch before reaching the soil. It\u2019s also good for high traffic areas where sprayheads get kicked or damaged.<\/p>\n

Netafim is NOT a good choice for annual beds, or beds that are constantly dug up, harvested, weeded with a pitchfork (yikes!) etc. You would have to be prepared to make many of your own repairs if you plan to dig a lot in these beds.<\/p>\n

Netafim obviously doesn\u2019t work well in rockeries or uneven surfaces where it\u2019s hard to conceal. One of the most common complaints about Netafim is that if it\u2019s not properly buried or stapled, it will\u00a0 surface and be visible.<\/p>\n