Vegetable Garden Design Plans That Use Rainwater: Install a Pop-Up Emitter | Gaithersburg, MD

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Installing a vegetable garden is a wonderful means of growing your own food and utilizing your yard for something other than purely ornamental flora. Yet some garden hobbyists are worried about allowing rainwater to drain into their flowerbeds. This practice does have the potential of flooding basements or crawl spaces. Vegetable garden design plans must therefore include the use of a pop-up emitter.

What is a Pop-up Emitter?

A pop-up emitter is the actual point of discharge for an expertly installed drainage system. Relying on this type of device ensures that water is led away from your structural foundations, thereby diminishing the potential for damage caused by flooding or excessive rain. What makes these drainage systems and their emitters work so well that even officials have taken notice?

Advantages of This Technology are Plentiful

• No accidental back-flooding. Pop-up emitters only open when there is water in the drainage system. Since this precludes accidental openings at other times, there is very little danger that flood waters can enter the drainage system and cause damage at the beginning of the line. This is accomplished through hydrostatic pressure, which builds up as the system fills.
• No insect infestation or detritus buildup. Following the same principle, these emitters seal effectively during dry weather. There is little danger of small animals taking up residence in the drainage system or leaves and grass clippings clogging the lines. This protects fragile vegetable plants from being eaten up early on by garden pests.
• Multiple sourcing points. Whether you want to catch and reroute rainwater that comes from a drain pipe, the main gutters or a storm water system, the emitter efficiently sets to work when the system is full.
• Landscape-saving device. More than just a means to route rainwater away from your home’s foundation, the emitters also act as a way to protect your beautifully landscaped yard from suffering extensive water damage. Since they let water escape from the drainage system at a constant speed, you have the option of protecting erosion-prone spots in the garden and allowing new vegetable plants to take root without the danger of losing the new growth.

Are There Expert Opinions?

A low-rise design adds safety to functionality. Pop-up emitters are designed with landscapers, gardeners and hobbyists in mind. Unless your gardener routinely scalps the lawn, there should be no interference with a standard or even riding lawn mower. All the way on the other coast, City of Lake Forest officials cited the California Stormwater Quality Association, which highlights this advantage as one of the benefits of installing this drainage system. In addition, the officials also note that in the case of roof runoff, a pop-up emitter system negates the need for the setup of a water containment structure. When you are ready to add this technology to your vegetable garden design plans, contact us.