OK. I may want to research some type of drip irrigation system. It won’t be an “all the time” thing...it rains here, oftentimes sufficiently, sometimes in excess, but really I want something as a stop-gap for the frequent 2-3 week dry spells we often get, or the occasional drought. I don’t know where to begin.

I have a 50-foot “soaker hose” I’ve used, but I’m not sure moving that thing ALL AROUND THE YARD is my best option. I’ve watered with an oscillating sprinkler, which isn’t the most efficient method, and I’ve found, if I’m trying to run it long enough to put 1” of water on a 1600 square foot area, I can draw down my well after a few hours and have to wait several minutes to get water back.

I don’t need anything permanent. First off, I rotate crops. Secondly, I will primarily use it in my veggie garden, but I want something flexible enough that, if needed, I could use elsewhere for landscaping beds, trees, shrubs, whatever.

Questions:

How do I know how much is “enough?” My soil drains fairly well, (more or less a straight loam, even a bit to the sandy side, in the areas it will be needed) which, in my mind, means I can apply water faster, but must put the drippers closer together to get proper penetration of water.

One reason an oscillating or rotating sprinkler is inefficient, is large areas of my garden are open space, which by summer’s end, will be covered in squash, melon, and sweet potato vines, but right now are fallow. If I do go the drip route, how far do the root systems of those plants actually spread, and, how do I efficiently drip irrigate when the area is covered in vines?

What are my options?