The "Low"-down on Hunter's Reduced Angle Nozzles

Have you faced a situation - perhaps there's a low-hanging tree branch that interrupts the spray from a sprinkler - where you'd like to reduce the angle at which these sprinklers are throwing water?

Well, you can. Hunter makes a rack of low angle nozzles, especially created for the PGP family and the I-20 (i.e., PGP, PGS, PGH, I-20). This rack contains seven nozzles (numbers 4-10) just like the standard nozzles that come with these products, only these nozzles are designed to shoot water at a 13-degree angle as opposed to the normal 25 degrees. (The rack also contains a plug designed to be used in place of a nozzle whenever you need to shut off an individual sprinkler for repair work.)

PGP Nozzle Rack		I-20 Nozzle Rack features both standard (blue) and low angle nozzles (gray)

Be aware, however, that these nozzles do release the same gallonage as our standard nozzles. Thus, since they throw for a shorter distance, they are going to have a higher precipitation rate (so, if you have a set schedule for your watering needs, an adjustment will be necessary).

When it comes to irrigation systems (and this may sound odd coming from someone who lives and works in Nevada) Dave Ruf, owner of Greenhouse Gardens in Carson City, doesn't like to gamble. "We have to deal with windy conditions throughout our area. I've found that using a nozzle with a lower angle of throw will provide much more efficient coverage with considerably less wind drift."

In addition to use in high wind areas and landscapes that contain low-hanging trees, Ruf noted that Hunter's low angle nozzles are the perfect solution for sloped terrain where lower trajectories are desired. Other applications include greenhouses and small zones that need a shorter radius of throw (be sure to carefully analyze each particular case).