Huh? Its actually a frequently asked question from people inquiring about IrriGRAY.
Imagine you are a critter - whether a bird, squirrel, gopher or other. It's the middle of summer, bone dry, and really hot. Although drip irrigation works best when a little water is applied every day, most people using drip irrigation still have the mindset of water maybe once every week or even every two weeks, because that's how they scheduled their irrigation to suit local spray water restrictions.
So, as a critter, I am parched. Even the worms and other creepy crawlies have gone down deep. But... there is some water laying inside those drip lines. Oh Yeah! If I am a bird, I will try poking through with my beak. As a squirrel, I'm happy to sharpen my teeth on that thin plastic.
It's true - we have personally seem the damage that can be done.
BUT - It doesn't happen with our clients. Why?
No matter the country, or state, it all comes down to this: If the soil is moist, it is easier for critters to satisfy their thirst by sucking moisture out of the soil, or munching on some juicy worms.
The key here is to keep the soil moist. And this just naturally happens with graywater irrigation anyway - we make it every day (or supply makeup water every day) - so we irrigate e
very day.
By the way, even though the soil is moist, it is not wet to touch - it simply feels a few degrees cooler than you experience with dry soil.
None of our clients have reported critter damage to drip lines, in-ground or laying on the soil covered with mulch or some other covering. We have seen neighboring properties where neighbors have an ongoing issue with critters damaging drip.
So the simple lesson here is: No matter your choice of water for irrigaiton via drip line, irrigate at least every second day, if not every day. Apart from being far more efficient (if you are using
a weather linked smart controller), it will keep the critters happy, and stop them gnawing on plastic.
As a last observation, many people buy the cheapest drip line they can find at the local big box store. It is false economy - pay the extra for premium drip that has heavier walls, and contains emmitters designed to avoid blockage. We only use the Netafim Bioline (sub lawn) and IrriGRAY 2.2 GPH dripline for beds. IrriGRAY dripline is manufactured for WaterRenu by Netafim.