A handful of different sprinkler types are available on the market, each with different uses, strengths, and weaknesses. Below is an overview and brief explanation of how each type of sprinkler works and what it is suitable for.

Based on the basic functionality of the sprinkler, sprinklers can be divided into the following groups:

• Gear-driven sprinklers
• Sprayers
• Rotating sprayers (Rotators)
• Oscillating sprinklers
• Impact sprinklers

Description of the different sprinkler types

Gear-driven sprinklers

Water pressure drives a gear inside the sprinkler, causing it to rotate in a circular motion. The sprinkler rotates to a certain stop point and then returns to its starting point. The water is released in a relatively concentrated stream.

Gear-driven sprinklers have a comparatively long throw and are suitable for irrigating medium to large areas.

Sprayers

Sprayers do not rotate; they are fixed. Water pressure causes water to spray through an opening in the nozzle in a fan-shaped pattern. The nozzle opening can be enlarged or reduced on most models, allowing the section of the circle to be irrigated to be adjusted. The water is released relatively gently.

Spray sprinklers have a short throw and are used for targeted irrigation of smaller areas, areas with complex contours, or for irrigating more sensitive areas such as flowerbeds.

Rotating Sprayers (Rotators)

Rotators are a hybrid of a gear-driven sprinkler and a sprayer. Like a sprayer, the sprinkler itself does not move; only the small nozzle on the sprinkler head rotates, ensuring that the water is divided into numerous small jets.

Rotators allow for greater throws than sprayers, but smaller ones than gear-driven sprinklers. They are very versatile and can be used to irrigate small to large areas.

Oscillating Sprinklers

Water pressure moves a pivoting arm with nozzles mounted on it in one direction and then back in the opposite direction. Water sprays from the nozzles in fine jets. The water is thus distributed approximately in a rectangular shape, which is why oscillating sprinklers are often referred to as rectangular sprinklers.

Oscillating sprinklers allow for long throw distances, comparable to those of gear-driven sprinklers. They are usually used as simple, non-submersible irrigation solutions installed on the surface, but Gardena also offers a submersible model, the OS-140*. Oscillating sprinklers are relatively susceptible to wind due to their high throw.

Impact Sprinkler

Also called impulse sprinkler, the impact sprinkler is the classic sprinkler type that was used everywhere in the past.. It is now rarely used in gardens but is still very common in agriculture.

Water pressure causes water to shoot through the sprinkler nozzle, deflecting the jet separator located in the stream. This spring then swings back, rotating the sprinkler slightly further, causing the sprinkler to rotate in a circular motion. The deflection of the jet by the jet separator also ensures a wide distribution of the water and creates a rather loud noise. This is one of the main reasons why this type of sprinkler is rarely used in private gardens today.

This type of sprinkler achieves the greatest throw distances. It is usually mounted above ground on a tripod, but Rain Bird also offers the retractable version shown here (Rain Bird Maxi-Paw*).

In addition to their functionality, there are other criteria by which sprinklers can be differentiated. These are often mistakenly confused with the basic sprinkler types listed above, but they are not separate types. Rather, they describe certain characteristics of the sprinklers that apply not only to one sprinkler type, but often to several sprinkler types.

Spray Pattern Shape

According to the shape of the area irrigated by the sprinkler, sprinklers can be divided as follows:

Circular Sprinklers

This is the most common type today. This group includes gear-driven sprinklers, sprayers, rotators, and impulse sprinklers. Depending on the model chosen, they can be used to irrigate a full circle, a semicircle, or another predefined circular sector. Some models have a fixed circular sector, while others allow it to be flexibly adjusted as needed.

Rectangular Sprinklers

This group includes oscillating sprinklers, which always irrigate a rectangular area due to their technical functionality. Rotators and sprayers are also available with special nozzles that create a rectangular spray pattern. These nozzles are used to irrigate narrow strips of lawn, which is why they are also called strip sprinklers. None of the rectangular sprinklers is capable of irrigating a perfectly rectangular area; the irrigated area is always only approximately rectangular.

Sprinkler Visibility

Sprinklers can be visible either all the time or only during irrigation.

Pop-Up Sprinklers

They are installed underground, making them virtually invisible in the garden outside of watering times. When irrigation begins, the water pressure causes the sprinkler head to rise, usually 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) above ground level, depending on the sprinkler model. When irrigation ends, the sprinkler head retracts back into the housing, and the sprinkler cap sits flush, slightly above ground level.

Non-retractable Sprinklers

Non-retractable sprinklers remain permanently on the surface. Typically, these are not connected to the irrigation system via an underground pipeline like retractable sprinklers, but are connected above ground via a hose. These sprinklers are an alternative if you want to set up irrigation with very little installation effort. The exception to this is special professional standpipe sprinklers (shrub sprinklers), which are connected to an underground pipeline but are deliberately used to achieve irrigation from a greater height.

Type of Installation

In-ground or on-ground

In most applications, sprinklers are positioned vertically on the ground or extend out of the ground and project or spray the water in an arc.

Upside down Installation

However, there are also applications where the sprinklers are positioned upside down and rain downwards. These include, for example, irrigation solutions for greenhouses or agricultural watering carts that are pulled across the field and irrigate in strips with the nozzles attached to them. The spray mist solutions used for cooling in cafes or on private terraces also usually spray from top to bottom.

In this article, I’ll show you how to adjust the sector to be watered and the throw distance for Gardena sprinklers from the T-series, SD-series, MD-series, and OS-140 rectangular sprinkler.

These series currently include the following models:

• T Series: T-100, T-200, T-380
• SD Series: SD30, SD80
• MD Series: MD40, MD80, MD180
• OS-140: Available in only one model version

I also provide information on the best settings to make on the sprinkler before use, to avoid any wet surprises when adjusting the settings, for example, to prevent accidentally watering sensitive areas in the garden or giving your neighbor a cold shower. This allows even inexperienced users to adjust the settings without hassle or stress.

Gardena T-Sprinkler

The settings for the three T-sprinklers differ for the T-100 and the T-200/T-380 models.

Gardena T-100

Preparation (before turning on the water supply)

The T-100 sprinklers are factory-set for 360-degree full-circle irrigation. This can be recognized by the black adjustment arrow on the orange rotating sleeve pointing to the full-circle symbol below. Turning the orange sleeve counterclockwise reduces the area of the circle to be watered. To set the maximum possible reduction, turn the sleeve to the white line. The area to be watered is now only 70 degrees, i.e., smaller than a quarter of a circle.

By turning the gray piston, the entire sprinkler can be rotated; the sprinkler makes a rattling noise. If you turn it so far that the semicircle symbol points toward you, the sprinkler will spray away from you.

Activate the water supply

Now turn on the water supply; the spray pattern should now look something like this.

Adjust the sector to be watered

The left starting point of the sprinkler, i.e., the point up to which the sprinkler waters on the left side, is determined by grasping the entire sprinkler by the gray piston and twisting it, as described above.

If the left starting point is correct, you can adjust how far to the right the watering should extend by turning the orange sleeve clockwise, thus determining the size of the circular section to be watered. The further you turn clockwise, the larger the circular section is. If you turn it to the maximum possible point, the sprinkler will water a full circle.

Note: Turning the gray cap at the very top of the nozzle has no effect on the irrigated sector. Even if the cap is turned, the previously set area will continue to be watered.

Adjusting the Throw

By turning the orange screw located in the riser, you can reduce the water flow and thus shorten the sprinkler’s throw. It is best to use a screwdriver for this.

Gardena T-200/T-380

These two sprinklers are adjusted in the same way; I’ll demonstrate this using the T-200 as an example.

Preparation (before turning on the water supply)

Since this type of sprinkler delivers a very concentrated water supply, it is sufficient to prepare by turning the sprinkler nozzle away from you and toward the sector to be watered. This is done by turning the thin plate at the very top of the sprinkler head so that the small white arrow points in the direction of the sector. The sprinkler will begin watering at the position of the arrow.

Activating the water supply

Now you can activate the water supply without getting wet. If you have sensitive terrain around the sprinkler that should not be sprayed with water, it is better to read the next section beforehand so that you can quickly adjust the sector setting.

Setting the sector to be watered

The section of the circle that the sprinkler should water is defined by turning the two orange rings located in the riser. The left sector limit is set with the upper ring, and the right sector limit with the lower ring. The line marking on the ring defines the point to which the sprinkler rotates left or right.

Note: If the sprinkler head is accidentally rotated in everyday use, this will not affect the sector setting; the sprinkler automatically returns to the correct sector setting. Gardena calls this the “memory function.”

Nozzle Selection

There are four nozzles to choose from, each providing a different water flow. Nozzle 1 provides the smallest amount of water, and Nozzle 4 the largest.

The purpose of this nozzle selection is to enable coordination of the water flow rate (MPR) when operating the sprinkler simultaneously with other sprinklers that water different sector sizes in a single irrigation cycle. For example, if the first T-200 irrigates a full circle, the second only a semicircle, and the third only a quarter circle.

Since completing a full circle takes four times as long as completing a quarter circle, the irrigated area of the quarter-circle sprinkler would receive four times as much water in the same time as that of the full-circle sprinkler, resulting in completely uneven irrigation.

This can be compensated for by using different nozzle sizes. These should be used as follows:

• Nozzle No. 1 – Quarter Circle
• Nozzle No. 2 – Semicircle
• Nozzle No. 3 – Three-Quarter Circle
• Nozzle No. 4 – Full Circle

The nozzle is selected using a screwdriver by moving the arrow imprinted on the orange screw to the desired nozzle number.

Adjusting the throw distance

The throw distance can be reduced to 5 meters. This is done with the adjustment screw located above the nozzle. Turning it toward the minus symbol decreases the throw distance. Turning it back toward the plus symbol increases it again.

Gardena SD Sprinkler

The two SD models, SD30 and SD80, use the same adjustment method.

Gardena SD30/SD80

Preparation (before turning on the water supply)

By turning the turquoise adjusting ring on the black nozzle counterclockwise as far as possible, you reduce the area of the circle being watered to the smallest possible size of just 5 degrees. The adjusting ring can be turned about 1 1/2 turns until it stops.

Then, turn the sprinkler on the black riser so that the arrow on the adjusting ring points away from you in the direction you want to water.

Activate the water supply

When you activate the water supply, the sprinkler will spray in the direction of the arrow. Since the irrigation sector has been reduced to the minimum, only a single jet will initially emerge from the sprinkler.

Setting the sector to be watered

To do this, first turn the sprinkler on the riser as far to the left as you want the sprinkler to spray to the left. Then turn the turquoise adjusting ring clockwise as far as you want the sprinkler to spray to the right.

Adjusting the throw distance

The throw distance is adjusted by turning the screw in the adjusting ring. Turning it counterclockwise decreases the throw distance. With SD sprinklers, the throw distance can be adjusted significantly. If you turn it far enough to the left, you can even turn off the irrigation completely.

Warning: Do not loosen the control screw too much, otherwise the sprinkler head will come off!

Gardena MD Sprinklers

The MD sprinklers are currently the most modern Gardena sprinklers and, along with the OS-140, the only ones that can be adjusted completely without tools. The adjustment process is the same for all three available models MD40, MD80, and MD180.

Gardena MD40/MD80/MD180

Preparation (before turning on the water supply)

The area to be watered is reduced by turning the adjusting ring on the nozzle counterclockwise. After approximately 3/4 of a turn, the adjusting ring is in place and the circular section is reduced to a minimum of 80 degrees.

Now, turn the sprinkler head on the black riser until the small black arrow on it points away from you in the direction to be watered.

Activate the water supply

After watering has started, the spray pattern will look like this.

Adjust the sector to be watered

You can determine how far to the left the sprinkler should water by turning the riser to the left. You can determine the right point by turning the adjusting ring to the right. If you turn it as far to the right as possible, a full circle will be watered.

Adjust the throw

On MD sprinklers, this can be set without tools using the turquoise ring located in the riser. This can be turned up to a quarter turn. To the left, it decreases the throw, to the right, it increases it.

Note: Especially with the MD40, you’ll barely notice any difference at first glance; only a very slight adjustment of the throw distance is possible. The effect is more noticeable with the MD80 and MD180.

Gardena OS140

Preparation (before turning on the water supply)

With this sprinkler, this first step of preparing the sprinkler is particularly important, as it has a fairly large operating radius when fully turned on, posing a significant risk of inadvertently splashing water-sensitive items, yourself, or other people. Without first restraining the sprinkler, it is virtually impossible to adjust it without getting a shower.

To adjust the sprinkler, first unlock the two latches on the cover and remove it. The cover should only be replaced at the very end, as otherwise it would be difficult to reach the necessary adjustment points.

If you now pull the sprinkler out of the housing, you will see the orange adjustment mechanisms for the sector to be watered, the throw distance, and the throw width:

The most important preliminary step is to reduce the water supply to the minimum using the orange dial. This allows the sprinkler to start with the shortest possible throw distance, allowing you to then work your way up to the appropriate throw distance. To do this, turn the adjustment wheel approximately 1/4 turn to the right until it stops.

I also recommend setting the throw width to the minimum initially. This is done for both sides using the orange sliders on the left and right.

Finally, grasp the sprinkler head and rotate it in the desired direction. The area to be watered is limited by turning the wheel on the side closest to you as far up as possible. Turn it so that the bar-shaped mark on the wheel is almost at the top.

Activate the water supply

After watering starts, the water will initially trickle weakly from the sprinkler, and due to the lack of water pressure, it probably won’t move yet.

Setting the irrigated sector, throw distance, and throw width

Now, slowly increase the water pressure on the orange wheel so that the sprinkler head begins to move. First, for the side facing away from you, turn the adjustment wheel and further increase the water pressure to determine the point to which the sprinkler head will swivel and how far in that direction the sprinkler will irrigate. At the same time, use the two slide controls to set the desired throw width.

It’s important to work your way up gradually until you find the best setting, as both the throw distance and the throw width respond to the set water pressure.

Then, in the same way, set the turning point for the side closest to you using the second adjustment wheel. During this step, you may need to step back a bit to avoid getting wet, as the sprinkler may now be watering overhead.

Once all settings are correct, you can finally replace the cover.

The Smart Water Control is the current top model from the European irrigation company Gardena. In the following practical test I describe what functions it includes, how to install it, how well it all works in everyday life and how it compares to the competition.

The Gardena Smart Water Control belongs to the category of irrigation computers that have the solenoid valve built into the computer and through which the water flows directly. In contrast to the second type of irrigation computer, which does not come into contact with water and only sends switching pulses to the connected solenoid valves via a cable connection. The Gardena Smart Water Control is also one of those irrigation computers that allows the use of the automatic water distributor.

The Gardena Smart Water Control is available in different versions:

• Just the watering computer
• Set consisting of watering computer and necessary gateway (“Gardena Smart Water Control Set”)
• Set consisting of watering computer, gateway and smart sensor
• Set consisting of watering computer, gateway, smart sensor and smart robotic lawnmower (“Gardena Smart System Start Set”)

In any case, you also need the gateway for operation; this is the basis for being able to operate one of the Gardena Smart products. Only if you already have this at home, e.g. because you already own the Smart Sileno robotic lawnmower from Gardena, can you forgo the purchase and purchase the irrigation computer alone. At the time of my research, the Gardena Gateway is not available to purchase individually. If you need it, you have to buy it in one of the sets listed above. The set consisting of an irrigation computer and gateway costs around 240 USD; you can get the irrigation computer alone for around 130 USD. Multiple irrigation computers can be operated at the same time with one gateway.

Gardena Smart Water Control offers on Amazon:

The counterparts of the Gardena Smart Water Control in the field of web-controlled irrigation computers are the Eve Aqua, the LinkTap G2 and, above all, the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer, which I put to a practical test too. You can find a key data comparison of the web-controlled computers in the sprinkler timer comparison post.

Scope of delivery

I ordered the Water Control Set, consisting of an irrigation computer and gateway, for 220 USD:

Below are the parts included in the set. Everything makes a valuable impression. At first glance, the irrigation computer appears robust and well made. The enclosed descriptions are very brief, as the installation is explained in the app to be downloaded.

The scope of delivery includes:

• The irrigation computer
• The gateway
• A power cable for the gateway
• A network cable to connect the gateway to the LAN network
• Reducer to 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch for connection to the tap
• Information sheet on compatibility with the Apple Homekit
• 2 instructions for installing the gateway and smart devices

Functions

Below is an overview of the functions included in the Smart Water Control:

Program watering plan

The app allows for very flexible irrigation planning: According to the Gardena homepage, 6 irrigation runs per day are possible with the Smart Water Control. This limit set in the software seems to have now been lifted; in the test I was also able to complete more than 6 runs in one day. I stopped my attempt on the 11th run. I then found further information on the web, according to which 36 runs per day are possible. Nevertheless, the limit of a maximum of 6 zones that can be controlled with the computer remains, as the automatic water distributor required for this only goes up to a maximum of 6 zones.

An irrigation plan is created by creating individual irrigation runs. Each watering run has a specific start time and a specific end time. In addition, it must be defined on which day of the week (Monday to Sunday) this should take place. Alternatively, you can run a run on several days a week.

Each additional desired irrigation run is stored in the same way. In this case, I leave a 5-minute break on Monday after the end of the first run because I use an automatic water distributor and it needs the break to continue switching.

Automatically created watering schedule

The app guides you through an automatically created watering schedule using an assistant in “Gardena Support Mode”. Questions about the garden and the plants it contains can be answered in 7 steps. Don’t be surprised if in the automatically created irrigation plan each sector always has two irrigation runs that start in quick succession: this corresponds to the current state of knowledge, which sees an advantage in slightly moistening the soil a few minutes before the actual irrigation. This is intended to ensure that it can absorb moisture better during the actual irrigation run. Gardena also sets the irrigation runs in the morning hours by default. The proposed schedule can then optionally be further refined manually.

Automatic adjustment to sunrise and sunset

This option is only available if the watering schedule was created in Gardena supported mode, not if it was freely set. If it is activated, Gardena automatically adjusts the start times of the irrigation runs to the changing sunrise times throughout the year, so that watering is always carried out with as little evaporation as possible. The duration of the runs remains the same.

Take rain forecast into account

Since the June 2020 update, the app includes local weather data. To do this, the location of the irrigation must be stored once in the app. This weather data can be used to skip an irrigation run if there is an 85% probability of heavy rain. In principle, this is a very useful function that was already known from LinkTap and other systems. Unfortunately, the implementation is currently much worse than with LinkTap: currently only the next 6 hours are taken into account for the function; rainfall that occurred before irrigation is not taken into account at all. And you can’t adjust the behavior and the parameters to be taken into account as needed. There is still a lot of room for improvement in future updates!

Take data from the Smart Sensor into account

This option is available if you have also integrated a Gardena Smart Sensor into the network. This is not included with the irrigation computer but can be purchased separately.

The Gardena Smart Sensor is first of all a classic soil moisture sensor that is inserted into the soil in a representative location for the garden and then periodically reports back how moist the soil is. Based on this information, Smart Water Control can cancel scheduled watering runs if the moisture level exceeds a certain percentage.

In addition to the soil moisture, the Smart Sensor also measures the temperature. The temperature measurement is currently only used for an automatic frost warning, apart from that it can only be displayed in the app for information purposes.

Activate hibernation function

This option pauses all programmed watering runs until further notice. However, they remain stored and can be reactivated again by ending hibernation.

Start and end the irrigation run manually on the computer

By pressing the push button on the computer twice, a watering run can be started immediately without using the app. Pressing it again will end it again. The watering duration of the run cannot be entered on the computer; instead, the length of the last manual watering run carried out is automatically used. If you want a different length, you have to change it via the app. This also works for an irrigation run that has already started. This function is possible regardless of a functioning connection to the gateway.

Miscellaneous

• Battery life according to Gardena: 1 gardening season
• 25 smart devices can be connected per gateway, meaning several irrigation computers can be operated per gateway
• Up to 36 watering cycles per day possible (Note: There are different information from Gardena about this, see above in the article)
• Maximum watering time: 600 minutes
• Shortest possible watering time: 1 minute
• Operating pressure: 7 to 174 psi
• Two-year manufacturer’s warranty (excluding damage caused by improper use)
• Integration into Apple Homekit and voice control via Siri possible
• Voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assissant is also possible via the web service IFTTT.com (If this than that)

Alerts

The Gardena Smart System offers push notifications about device errors, warnings, information about updates and the connection status of the product. You can specify which alerts you would like to receive in the push notifications menu.

Smart Home Integrations

In addition to the Gardena Smart System, the Smart Water Control can also be integrated (at least rudimentarily) into other smart systems, although often only the absolute basic functions can be used:

The Gardena computer has significantly fewer watering modes compared to the LinkTap G2: one compared to six. However, with the one mode you can basically set everything you need or that can occur in practice, so in my view this is not really a disadvantage.

I do find it a little disappointing that there is no separate mode for the in-house automatic water distributor. You can of course program this – as with other providers – by correctly arranging the start times and leaving the necessary pause in between, but this could be offered in a more convenient way, especially because both come from the same company. Such a mode was already available in previous Gardena watering computers.

It is pleasing that local weather data is now finally available for watering at Gardena. Only the implementation of the function is still rather disappointing in the first step, there is still a lot of potential for improvement. The main problem is that only future rainfall is taken into account. But if, for example, it has already rained properly on the day of watering, then watering will still take place. This definitely needs to be expanded. And the gallon values ​​at which watering is no longer necessary and the period to be considered must be able to be set by the user as required, as is usual with LinkTap. In this respect, LinkTap is still the clear winner, even if Gardena has now managed to catch up a bit. And Orbit B-hyve also offers extensive weather control options and even the possibility to connect your own weather station.

The possibility of control with the Smart Sensor is basically a big plus point. Control via soil moisture is a very intelligent thing and works well. But here too, Gardena can still do much better in terms of the app and also make good use of the other functions of the Smart Sensor (measuring temperature, the measuring of light intensity has been discontinued in the new model).

I personally am not very enthusiastic about the sunrise function, the benefit is too small for me. Nice gimmick, but in my opinion not really necessary.

The winter break, on the other hand, is very useful so that you can interrupt the program without any problems without having to delete it.

What I also noticed in principle is the fact that Gardena sets very strict limits for users in some areas where it actually does not seem necessary in terms of software. Be it manual watering, which can last a maximum of 60 minutes, or the watering plan created with Gardena’s help, where you can exclude a maximum of one day from watering. I find it difficult to understand the reasons for this. Although this is not a major problem, it may offend one or two users with their individual usage scenarios. LinkTap and to a some extent Orbit us an opposite strategy here and allow the software to do what the technology allows. I think this is the better strategy.

A big plus point compared to the LinkTap G2 and to the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering timer is the much larger possible water flow of the Gardena computer. In my test with the LinkTap, the limit was around 350 gallons/hour and a zone that requires a lot of water could no longer be watered correctly. With the Gardena computer, the same zone works without any problems. Gardena uses the same inlet and outlet sizes here as with the previous models.

Conclusion and recommendation

So what is my conclusion about the Gardena Smart Water Control? First of all, I have to say that a lot has improved since the product was introduced in 2016. In my opinion, the product didn’t initially deserve the “Smart” designation, as the functions that could be carried out via the web were too few, so that the computer was more or less a classic watering computer that could be operated via a mobile phone.

Since then, software updates have been released every few months and new functions have been added one after the other. The app downloads these updates automatically, so that you as a user benefit from every new feature.

The Gardena Smart Water Control now has a range of functions that justifies the high price. In my test, the whole thing worked as user-friendly as you would imagine.

But there is still a lot of room for improvement. Some functions that are already offered for computers from other manufacturers are still missing or are not yet available in the desired quality. The fact that there are almost no push notifications is also a deficit that should actually be quite easy to fix.

Nevertheless, in my opinion, the Gardena Smart Water Control is a recommended purchase in the area of ​​web-enabled irrigation computers! This is because the hardware works well: Gardena has years of experience in this area and builds computers that correctly take into account the important basics such as the necessary flow rate. The fact that you can still operate the device directly (start and stop) is also something that makes sense in my opinion. This way, you are not completely at the mercy of the web and can also intervene manually if necessary. The closest competitor, the LinkTap G2, is on par with Gardena in terms of software and in some areas even a bit more ambitious, but has a significant hardware deficit in the important area of ​​flow rate. Another strong competitor is the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer, which cannot keep up in terms of hardware either, but is superior in terms of software and is also much cheaper than the Smart Water Control.

If you can believe the advertising, then everyone, without exception. But is that really the case? What does smart irrigation actually do and who can safely do without it? Below is an overview of what is available on the market, what it costs and what it can do better than a conventional irrigation computer.

What is a smart irrigation controller anyway?

A smart device is a networked device, i.e. usually a device that is connected to the web or at least to a local network. The original meaning also implied that it was an “intelligent” product that made one’s daily life easier. The extent to which this still applies to the large number of smart products on offer can be questioned, the term “smart” is nowadays used more simply as a synonym for “web-enabled”.

Which products are offered on the market?

Even with the smart watering computers, a distinction must be made between water tap controllers with integrated valve and irrigation computers for external valve control that do not come into contact with water. Depending on the type of control you want to implement, you need one type or the other. Irrigation producers active in the professional sector such as Hunter, Rain Bird and Toro only offer computers for external valve control, while water tap controllers are offered by a large number of producers.

Some smart watering computers, such as those from Gardena or the LinkTap computer, require an additional gateway to function. This additional device is connected to the web and in turn communicates with the irrigation computer. This interposition of a gateway has the advantage that a wireless system that is more powerful than W-LAN, such as Zigbee, can be used from the gateway to the irrigation computer, so that longer ranges and an even more reliable connection are possible. Such a gateway must be purchased in addition to the irrigation computer, at Gardena about 100 USD are due for it. Other irrigation systems such as Hunter Hydrawise, the web system from Rain Bird or Eve-Aqua connect directly to the W-LAN without an intermediate gateway. Orbit has both irrigation controllers with and without a gateway in its range, the Orbit gateway is relatively inexpensive at around USD 40. Hunter specifies the typical range of a WiFi network as approx. 150 to 200 feet and recommends staying within this range with the Hunter Hydrawise controller in any case.

Below is an overview of the most popular smart irrigation controllers available on the market.

Advantages of web-enabled irrigation computers

Below is an overview of the potential benefits of smart irrigation computers.

Remote control of the computer

With the associated app, irrigation computers connected with the web can be controlled and programmed with a mobil phone. Programming is usually easier this way, since it is easier and quicker to carry out via the app than if you have to navigate through the submenus of the irrigation computer using a button navigation. Even a repeated adjustment and refinement of the irrigation programming after the initial setup, which is usually necessary, is more fun and less effort.

The use of the mobile phone as a remote control allows you to start watering from the living room, which saves you having to go to the computer. Programmed watering cycles can be paused, postponed, lengthened or shortened at any time with just one click on the mobile phone.

Operation on the go/during vacation

The computer can be operated from anywhere in the world, regardless of location. It is therefore also possible to start a necessary watering from your workplace or holiday location or to skip it if it has rained enough. You can also allow other people to access the computer via app or web browser.

Water saving by including online weather data

From my point of view, this is the most important reason to buy a smart irrigation controller: Almost all smart irrigation computers now offer the option of obtaining weather data such as rainfall, temperature, wind speed and humidity online and using it to control your own watering. In the good systems, this can be done both on the basis of the weather data of the past few days and based on the weather to be expected in the next few days. Local weather data is used, which reflects the situation at the site of irrigation as accurately as possible.

The overriding goal is always to irrigate sufficiently using as little water as possible, i.e. to only give the plants water when they need it and then only in the amount that they need or can absorb. This saves water and protects both the environment and your wallet.

Some suppliers like Hunter (Hydrawise software), Orbit B-hyve, Rachio, OpenSprinkler and also LinkTap are already very far and offer systems that work well in practice and with which considerable water savings are possible. Rain Bird and Gardena are not quite there yet, but have taken the first successful steps in this direction. Retrieving the online weather data is basically free in all systems, there are no running costs for it, but sometimes optional paid updates are offered, with which you can have even more precise data or retrieve the data even more up-to-date or even use your own weather station.

Saves the purchase of sensors

This argument is the logical consequence of the argument before: If you get the weather data online, then you don’t need any additional sensors to measure these values yourself. The extent to which a complete replacement is possible depends primarily on how good the software of the smart irrigation controller is. The best systems such as Hydrawise not only call up the weather values, but also calculate further information from them. For example, the soil moisture value prevailing in the soil is extrapolated from rainfall, temperature, wind speed and humidity, thus replacing the measurements of a soil moisture sensor. What is currently not (yet) possible is reacting immediately to the onset of rainfall, since the weather data is not called up non-stop, but only from time to time. This is currently only possible with an additional rain sensor, which stops irrigation that is already running as soon as it registers rain.

Warns of malfunctions/technical defects

This advantage is often overlooked, but from my point of view it is one of the most important arguments for a smart water computer: The smart system warns you if a planned watering cannot take place for any technical reasons, if the voltage at the outputs to the solenoid valves is not suitable or if the water consumption is unusually high or low or if water consumption occurs even though no watering is taking place (leak). This is done via e-mails, SMS or push messages in the app. This active notification is a great advantage compared to a conventional irrigation computer, where in the worst case you only notice such problems after weeks and months and after major damage has already occurred. These warnings are either activated by default or can be specifically created and modified by the user. The computer must be equipped with a flow sensor to warn of a leak.

Operation/maintenance by professionals possible

Some of the smart systems allow setting up and maintenance to be delegated to professionals. They then access the system as admins, the homeowner himself only has limited, read-only access in which settings cannot be changed. Similar to some alarm systems, where the homeowner only takes care of the daily operation, but the programming is done by a professional. The professionals can also access the watering schedules they have worked out and use them for all their clients at the touch of a button.

Enthusiasm for technology/status symbol

Some people just enjoy being on the cutting edge and dabbling in the latest technology.
And not rational, but probably a not-so-rare reason to buy it: For some, owning a smart-looking, expensive gadget is simply a status symbol, and the word “smart” sounds modern and good. Just like the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy mobil phone, which hardly anyone needs due to its range of functions, but which people like to own for reasons of prestige.

Integration in smart home environment

The last point is the possibility of integrating a smart irrigation system into an existing smart home environment. I rate this potential advantage as very low, firstly because the options for integration are currently very limited and secondly because they hardly make any sense. An irrigation system is basically a self-contained system in which there are hardly any meaningful combinations with other systems. The only application scenario that is sometimes mentioned and that makes at least some sense is the combination with an alarm system in order to get intruders properly wet when a motion sensor mounted in the garden is struck. In some cases, the combination with a smart lawn mower is also mentioned so that the devices can coordinate, i.e. it does not mow when the lawn is being irrigated. However, this smart interaction makes little sense, since it can be done much more easily by creating a coordinated program.

A possible voice control via Alexa or Google Home does not have too much additional value, since once an irrigation system has been set up, hardly any action is required, so there is hardly any need to control it by voice command.

Conversely, with OpenSprinkler there is an irrigation computer that includes additional smart home functionalities by not only enabling the control of irrigation, but also of various sensors.

Conclusion and recommendation

The use of a smart irrigation controller has understandable advantages: you can use weather data available online for watering and thus save unnecessary watering, and automatically sent warning messages are an additional safety net if something does not work correctly with the watering. In this way, the problem is discovered quickly, even before major damage can occur. The fact that you can start the irrigation from the comfort of your couch without going to the computer and that you can control it with your mobil phone even on vacation are real advantages that make it more convenient to use. Access to the online weather data fulfills the tasks of an additional sensor and thus saves you having to purchase it separately. The price surcharge compared to a conventional irrigation computer is put into perspective a little with this argument.

Nevertheless, the costs for a smart watering computer are still a bit higher in the end. For a conventional irrigation computer that can be used to irrigate several sectors, you can calculate around 80 to 120 USD, an additional soil moisture sensor costs around 60 to 70 USD. Smart irrigation controllers cost around 180 to 300 USD. So you should think carefully about whether the advantages mentioned are worth the extra charge. Much of this can also be achieved in other ways: The weather-dependent irrigation can be carried out via soil moisture or evapotranspiration sensors, instead of remotely controlling the irrigation from vacation, it can also be programmed in advance and the risk of defects can be reduced with regular on-site checks. It’s all a little less comfortable and little high-end, but it works the same way in the end.

If you opt for a smart watering controller, then you should compare exactly which of the systems on offer can actually be used to achieve the desired goals. Some of the systems are now very mature and tried and tested in practice, while others still have a lot of room for improvement in terms of software and still have a lot of development work to do in order to catch up with the best. I have tested some of the systems available here on the website.

The Gardena connecting point offers a stable, flexible and visually appealing way of directing water from a tap or other above-ground water source into the underground irrigation pipeline. This blog post explains the advantages of using such a box, for which application scenarios it is conceivable and what alternative options there are.

So straight to the essential question: Do you really need such a box? Why not just connect the pipeline directly? Answer: You can do that very well, it just doesn’t look as nice and is more difficult to handle on a daily basis. If that’s not a problem, then you can get by without a water connector box. These are the alternatives:

Direct connection of the pipeline pipe

The simplest and cheapest way of connection is to connect the pipeline pipe directly to the water supply using a suitable connector and let it run from there into the ground:

Disadvantages: The pipeline pipe can only be bent to a limited extent and so a relatively large bend is required to guide the pipe into the ground. This doesn’t necessarily look good when the pipeline pipe runs several feet through the garden. The pipe can also only be separated from the tap with a little more effort by opening the connector and carefully pulling the stretched pipe out of the connector – without kinking it. When reinserting the pipe, you have to be careful not to accidentally kink the pipe. You can’t temporarily remove the pipe completely.

Connection via a 3/4 inch hose

It is a step more elegant to run the visible part from the water tap down to the ground with a flexible 3/4 inch hose and only connect the hose to the pipeline pipe just a little above the ground. This allows the hose to be routed directly below the connection to earth and it can also be easily disconnected from the tap with one click or from the tap and pipeline pipe with two clicks.

What remains as a small disadvantage here is that when you uncouple the hose, a small piece of the pipe with the connector sticks out of the ground. Which brings us to the connection box that can be used to avoid this disadvantage.

Connection via a 3/4 inch hose and a connection box

The box is permanently installed in the ground and connected to the pipeline pipe there. The box has a fixed 3/4 inch tap fitting at the top. The hose is then connected to this and connected to the water tap.

In practice, in addition to connecting directly to the water tap or the pump, there are a number of other configurations in which the junction box can be used:

Connection to an irrigation computer

Here the water tap is connected to an irrigation computer. The outlet of the irrigation computer is connected to the connection box in exactly the same way as described above. The pipeline pipe then starts at the connection box. Irrigation computers with 2 outputs are to be connected to 2 junction boxes.

Connection to a valve box

A connection box can also be used when connecting to a valve box for control with solenoid valves. The water tap is connected to the connection box, and a pipeline pipe is routed from the connection box to the valve box.

Connection to an automatic water distributor

In this szenario, the water tap is connected to an irrigation computer. A hose connection goes from the irrigation computer to the Gardena automatic water distributor (Amazon Link).

Since the connection box is open at the top and the surrounding water can penetrate, it must be bedded down with gravel. In this way, penetrating water can drain off quickly.

The connection box is installed at ground level, or to be precise, about 0.5 inches above ground level. In this way, it protrudes slightly above ground level, so that no dirt is washed onto the box. And nevertheless it is installed deep enough that there are no problems with the lawnmower.

The Gardena connecting point is available in hardware stores, irrigation online shops and from Amazon:

In addition to the connecting point with the water socket and the regulation and shut-off box, Gardena offers two other box types that look almost identical but have a completely different purpose. You can learn more about these boxes in two separate blog posts:

Blog post about the Gardena water socket
Blog post about the Gardena regulation and shut-off box

The Gardena regulation and shut-off box is a practical and, above all, elegant tool. They are used to be able to separate a section of the pipeline from the pipeline or include it back into the pipeline if necessary. This can be an advantage, for example, if you want to temporarily exclude sections of the pipeline from irrigation, e.g. because this section only has to be watered later in the year, or because irrigation can be stopped earlier in the year. Another option is to use such shut-off boxes to manually control an irrigation system by manually opening and closing the individual sectors.

The box can stop the flow of water completely or only to a certain extent, the rotary control can be adjusted continuously. It can therefore also be used to specifically throttle the water flow.

Basically, the regulation and shut-off box is a simple valve, basically nothing more than a ball valve that you can open and close. The value of the box only unfolds due to its stable and stylish-looking casing, which makes it possible to install the valve in the ground and connect it directly to the irrigation pipeline. The valve controller remains accessible from above at all times, so the valve can be conveniently adjusted. To prevent dirt from falling into the box, it is equipped with a sealing flap. A dirt sieve is also installed, which catches dirt that falls in.

If you look into the threaded connections of the box, you will see that the water runs through the box from one connection to the other. If you turn the controller a bit, this passage opening is reduced or completely closed.

In addition to the regulation and shut-off box discussed here, Gardena also offers two other boxes with a very similar design in its range:

• The Gardena connecting point -> For connecting the water tap to the underground pipeline
• The Gardena water socket -> To create a water extraction point in the pipeline

The connection box has an orange cap, the water socket has a gray cap, i.e. the same color as the regulation and shut-off box described here.

The regulation and shut-off box has a threaded connection with a 3/4 inch external thread on both sides. Two connectors with a 3/4 inch internal thread are therefore required for the connection. Before connecting the box to the connectors, wrap the threads of the box with Teflon tape. Since the box is open at the top and rainwater can get into the box, it is installed on gravel. In this way, the incoming water can seep away quickly. The direction in which the water flows through the box does not matter during installation, since the box works the same way in both directions. If you want, you can make sure that the Gardena logo looks legibly in the preferred direction. But you don’t have to.

The regulation and shut-off box is installed flush with the ground surface or, even better, minimally, approx. 1 cm, above it. So that when the ground is wet, no mud spills into the box and the box is not damaged when mowing the lawn.

The Gardena regulating and shut-off box is available in some hardware stores and from Amazon and other online shops.
The suggested retail price is approximately 35 USD.

I am not aware of a similar product to the Gardena regulation and shut-off box, i.e. a valve that is built into a housing and can be operated from above. A possible alternative would be to use a ball valve, which can be installed in the pipeline in the same way as the can with connectors.

However, this alternative has the disadvantage that the ball valve is not embedded in a housing. If you want to use the valve above ground, it doesn’t matter. When used underground, the ball valve can be installed in a valve box. This is an alternative that is particularly worth considering if you want to install shut-off valves for several pipeline strands in one place. Here you would need a separate Gardena socket for each pipeline line. In a valve box, on the other hand, a larger number of ball valves can be installed to save space.

Gardena has a strong market position in Europe and is the undisputed number 1 in the market for irrigation products in German-speaking countries. Hardly any products from other manufacturers can be found in hardware stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Gardena is also a relevant player in Australia (Neta brand) and after the takeover of Orbit, it could also become so in the US market in the future. In this article, I present the most important irrigation products from the Gardena range and give my subjective rating of which Gardena products you can use with a clear conscience and where you are better off with alternatives from other manufacturers.

Gardena’s pipeline pipes are absolutely fine and serve their purpose. It just doesn’t make any sense to prefer Gardena pipes to standard PE pipes, which are available for significantly less money. The alternatives are often even suitable for the qualitatively more demanding water pipe construction and have higher maximum pressure values. Nevertheless, they cost significantly less, sometimes only half as much as the Gardena pipe.

The Gardena fittings for connecting and redirecting the pipes and for connecting sprinklers are flawless. They work reliably and, according to Gardena’s request, also have a high maximum operating pressure of almost 90 psi. I haven’t had any bad experiences with it so far and I can recommend it with a clear conscience.

Swing joints

The Gardena Swing Joint leads an absolute shadowy commercial existence. According to my test, the Connector G2739-20 works perfectly and does what it should. Small downside: Compared to the Swing Joints of the competitors, it is a bit more expensive.

Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they want to install a drain valve in the pipeline. If you decide to do this, the Gardena valve is not a bad choice, it is very easy to install and does what it is supposed to do. It remains closed under water pressure, as soon as the pressure is released it opens and allows the water to escape from the pipeline.

From my point of view, Gardena has the greatest deficit of all product groups when it comes to sprinklers. Here it is definitely advisable to use the products of the big international competitors Hunter or Rain Bird. In my own blog post, I compared the most important sprinklers from Hunter, Rain Bird and Toro. The Gardena sprinklers perform very poorly in comparison, I rate the small Gardena T100 sprinkler on my scale of only 1 out of 5 points. The main reason is its uneven and inconstant functioning and the fact that it is almost impossible to adjust it properly. The two other Gardena turbine pop-up sprinklers T200 and T380 are a bit better, but they don’t do particularly well either (each 2.5 out of 5 points on my scale) the OS140 square sprinkler achieved 3 out of 5 points.

Therefore, it is better to use the models from Hunter or Rain Bird, which work very reliably and make many things easier for the user! My top pick is the Hunter MP Rotator, but the Rain Bird R-VAN, the Rain Bird 5000 or the Hunter PGP Ultra are also excellent sprinklers and are still available at a lower price than the Gardena products. If you are looking for a solution that is as cheap as possible but still solid, then you are well advised to go with the Rain Bird 3500 or the Hunter PGP.

Gardena has a very wide range of products for sprinkler timers which have the valve integrated in the computer and through which the water flows through. It has worked in this market for many years.

Above all, there would still be potential for improvement in terms of program functionality, but the Gardena computers are very solid in terms of construction. Although a bit more expensive than the many competing products, but the quality is okay. With the Gardena computers, you can be sure that there are no beginner’s mistakes due to years of experience in this area. I’ve tested a few competitors lately and so far, various basics such as a proper battery connection, a sufficiently high water flow, etc. have not fit with many of them.

If you are looking for a very simple computer with only one water outlet and without the option of watering several sectors, the Gardena Select is a good choice. At around USD 50, it is still in the green range in terms of price. If you want to control the watering computer using your cell phone and incorporate automations such as taking the local weather report into account, then the Gardena Smart Water Control is an interesting alternative.

Further link: Comparison of the sprinkler timers available on the market

When it comes to irrigation computers for solenoid valve control, Gardena is a very small supplier by international comparison. The large irrigation companies Rain Bird and Hunter have a very large selection of these computers in their range and are constantly developing them further, e.g. in the direction of web capability. At Gardena you notice that this segment is an absolute secondary segment compared to other areas within the company, the majority of the products on offer have remained the same for a long time (also in terms of design). Gardena offers 4 models: The 4030 irrigation control (4 sectors), the 6030 irrigation control (6 sectors) and the Gardena control unit for 9 volt solenoid valves. In addition, the newly introduced Gardena Smart Irrigation Control (6 sectors) to be controlled via WiFi.

The first three look a bit outdated, but in my opinion they are not that bad and serve their purpose. The only major downside with the 4030 and 6030 is that they are not suitable for outdoor use. If that’s not a problem and you don’t have high demands, you can certainly strike in combination with the comparatively low price.

The new Gardena smart Irrigation Control looks very appealing, but it also has a significantly higher price. Especially when you consider that the additional purchase of a Gardena Gateway is necessary. For some time now, the Gardena computers have also been supporting the automatic control of irrigation based on weather data, but apart from that, Gardena still lags behind its international competitors in terms of software.

In my opinion, the computers from Hunter and Rain Bird are at least one category higher and also offer many more possibilities in terms of sensor use. Hundreds of thousands of them are sold worldwide, they are in strong competition with each other, and you can therefore feel on the safe side in terms of quality and durability. If you want to operate more than 6 sectors, you have to use one of the competing products in any case.

Further link: I present numerous other irrigation computers for valve control, including those with WiFi option, in the associated blog post

Gardena has a rain sensor and two soil moisture sensors in its range. The rain sensor has the major shortcoming that it only detects rain optically and not, like the products of the competition, by collecting and measuring the amount of rain. From my point of view, this makes very little sense, the competition offers much more useful things here!

A wired model and a wireless model that can be controlled via WiFi are available for the soil moisture sensors. The wired model, which is already clearly showing its age, was recently replaced by a renewed, optically much more attractive one. This is a solid, well-functioning sensor that is compatible with numerous Gardena water computers. The optically spruced up WiFi variant basically has the same functionality but transmits its information via the web and thus offers additional possibilities for automation. The functionality has been expanded over time, so that it now makes sense to use it. To use it, you need an additional Gardena Gateway and one of the two WiFi-enabled Gardena computers (Gardena smart Irrigation Control or Gardena smart Water Control).

In principle, it should be noted that there is only a very manageable range of sensors for sprinkler timers through which the water runs. When it comes to irrigation computers for solenoid valve control, on the other hand, there is a very large range of tried and tested products from the competition, including sensor types that Gardena does not have in its range.

Further link: Overview of the range of sensors for irrigation computers

In my experience, all three Gardena water distributors, i.e. the 2-way distributor, the 4-way distributor and the 2-way valve are good, long-lasting products. Here, too, Gardena is a few USD more expensive than the no-name products, but you know what you are getting.

The Gardena water distributor automatic is my absolute favorite among all Gardena irrigation products, I will also present it in a separate blog post. Many years ago, Gardena succeeded in creating a really great product. The automatic water distributor makes it possible to implement automatic irrigation with several sectors without using solenoid valves. This can be useful if the solution needs to be as simple and inexpensive as possible. Up to 6 sectors can be irrigated with the automatic water distributor. It is a purely mechanical product that requires a suitable watering computer. This can be the Gardena Master, for example. I present other possible models in my sprinkler timer blog post.

Such an automatic water distributor as an alternative to using solenoid valves is only available from Gardena, I am not aware of any competing products. These things are tough and weatherproof and, in my experience, also durable. I know examples from the previous model that are already 10 years old and more and are still in use. Top!

A very clear statement on this: Stay away from the Gardena solenoid valves and instead better reach for the products of the competition! Not only are they cheaper, they are also low-flow capable and some are equipped with flow control. And above all, they are significantly better in terms of reliability and durability. You really don’t need to think any further…

A very good and inexpensive solenoid valve is, for example, the Hunter PGV 101. But the products from Rain Bird and Toro are also good.

Further link: Solenoid valves for garden irrigation – which ones are there and how do they differ?

Additional water extraction points in the garden connected to the water pipeline are referred to as water sockets or quick couplings. The term “water socket” is a creation of the Gardena company, which stands for the fact that water extraction is as easy as connecting a power plug to the socket. It really is! The water socket is a very practical thing that is only offered by Gardena in this way. Simply connect and the water is already running. And the whole thing looks nice too. A small drop of bitterness: After a few years, the water stop function can give up the ghost, but the part in question can be changed very easily. For me an intelligent and unique product and a clear purchase recommendation!

A possible alternative, but based on a completely different principle, is a Rain Bird valve box with an integrated ball water tap. This does not work quite as conveniently and stylishly as the water socket, but it is very durable.

More about the water socket and possible alternatives in the blog post on how a water socket works.

These are two more Gardena products that cleverly satisfy a consumer need that is not covered by other manufacturers.

The Gardena connection box gives you the opportunity to lead the water connection elegantly into the ground via the box and to continue from there underground with the usual PE pipeline pipes. The Gardena regulating and shut-off box is a way of manually opening and closing the underground pipeline from the ground or alternatively regulating the water flow. To do this, the control lever is simply turned completely or only partially. From my point of view, both boxes are not rocket science, you could make something like that yourself with a little skill. But they are solid and also good-looking products that give you additional options in your planning.

When it comes to pressure reducers for micro-irrigation, it is worth relying on the two Gardena products! For the average consumer, the Master unit 1,000 or the Master unit 2,000 with 264 or 528 gallons (1,000 or 2,000 liters) maximum flow rate per hour is usually easily sufficient and as a further advantage they have the filter already integrated. They are also a fair bit cheaper than the competition’s products. The Hunter HFR-075 would be the primary alternative here. It even manages a flow rate of 900 gallons per hour, but at around 35 USD it costs significantly more than the Master unit 2,000 (20 USD) or the Master unit 1,000 (only 10 USD).

In the micro-irrigation system, a 1/2 inch pipe is used for the pipeline, and 1/4 inch hoses are used to transport the last piece to the plants. Gardena’s 1/2 inch pipeline pipe is perfectly fine. However, the following also applies in this case: the usual PE pipe that is not marketed for irrigation purposes can be bought much cheaper! There are no no-name alternatives that I know of for the 1/4 inch hose. So turning to Gardena is obvious.
The Gardena micro-irrigation connectors are plug-in connectors. This is also sufficient for use with low micro-irrigation pressure and the connectors work as they should. If you want to operate the micro-irrigation with a higher pressure, clamp connections for micro-irrigation pipes are alternatively available on the market.

Here, too, the Gardena products are okay from my point of view, but not in the top position. The micro-irrigation sprayers from Hunter and Rain Bird have two advantages: The radius can be regulated directly on the sprayer as standard and the devices for raising the sprayers are much more stable than is the case with Gardena. In return, Gardena also offers its own, innovative types of sprayers, e.g. with the 6-area spray nozzle, which the competition does not have in their range.

Gardena has pressure-compensating and non-pressure-compensating drippers in its range, most other manufacturers only have pressure-compensating ones. These have the advantage that they automatically ensure that the drippers work with the same performance over the entire length of the pipe, i.e. the dripper at the beginning of the pipe does not release significantly more water than the one at the end. Gardena’s pressure-compensating droppers are fine, I wouldn’t recommend the non-pressure-compensating ones, you should invest the few cents more. I think the products from Rain Bird and Hunter are even better here.

For drip tubes, i.e. tubes with emitters already integrated into them, what has already been said about drippers and sprayers applies. Gardena = ok, Hunter and Rain Bird = just a touch better.

The Gardena fertilizer dispenser is a thoroughly successful product. It is used to inject liquid fertilizer into the micro-irrigation circuit, is quite cheap at just under 20 USD and works simply and well. Simply fill in the liquid fertilizer at the top and use the rotary control to set the mixing ratio, i.e. which proportion of fertilizer should be mixed with the water flowing through. I am not aware of any comparable product from other irrigation companies. The only alternatives I know of are so-called Venturi injectors.