Do you have a field or pasture ground that needs to be watered, but don't want to go to the expense of an underground irrigation system?
Do you need a watering system that can be moved quickly and easily? A system that can be left unattended and will turn off automatically? A system that costs a fraction of installed underground irrigation? Then you need to consider water reel irrigation.
Water reels are basically giant traveling sprinklers.
Remember the little tractor that Grandpa used to water the lawn? It would travel around the yard, flinging water while straddling the garden hose. When it got to the end of the hose, it would turn itself off. The reel irrigation system does the same thing.
The reel is mounted on a large tricycle assembly. The wheels are fat, like a quad or four-wheeler. This makes the reel easy to move, but it is a fairly heavy piece of equipment so it does require the use of a small tractor or gator-type quad for positioning.
The reel attaches to your tractor so that it can be pulled to the irrigation hydrant or other water source. The tractor is unhitched from the tongue of the reel and then re-attached on the other side of the reel to the hose, which is wound on a large spool. The tractor pulls the hose from the reel to the end of the area you want to irrigate. The sprinkler end is then left there.
The sprinkler end of the water reel is mounted on a separate set of wheels. This allows the sprinkler to follow the hose back to the reel, where there is an automatic shut-off. The reel can thus be left unattended and once it reaches the shut-off, the water is turned off.
A benefit of reel-type irrigation is that the water delivery can be regulated, allowing for more or less water as needed. Your water source does not have to be a hydrant only, but can also be a creek, water tank, well, pond or ditch. Terrain does not have to be a flat pasture, but can be a rocky or wooded area or other location with obstacles. You only need enough room for the reel to sit.
So what type of irrigation problems are solved by a water reel system?
The reel system is entirely portable, making it easy to "spot water" problem areas.
Common uses include irrigation of sports field facilities, corrals and arenas between show events to keep dust under control, simple irrigation of agricultural crops, truck farms, hobby farms, cemeteries, hydroseed application, golf courses, parks and recreation areas, and much more. The water reel irrigation system makes it easy to water particularly hard-to-reach areas, and it's perfect for areas that do not require water year 'round.
Reel-type irrigation is beneficial for the same reasons as any other type of irrigation.
Plants benefit from a stable and consistent watering regimen, which allows the uniform absorption of nutrients and fertilizers. The grass and crops exude good health with a steady supply of water. Turf conditions are also improved with a continual irrigation routine.
Basically anywhere you need water, a reel irrigation system can be beneficial.
