Once upon a time, residential irrigation systems seemed like no-brainers. Today, they’re the smartest tool in your landscape.
For many homeowners, traditional sprinklers, nozzles and hoses are no longer cutting it, leaving many people wondering what happened to their lawn, and the plants and trees that suffered from either too much of a good thing, or too little.
Over and underwatering ends up costing more than you need to invest to keep your landscape healthy and performing the way nature intended. New irrigation systems with cloud-based technology can be digitally controlled, automated, and customized to conserve water by directing moisture to plants exactly as they need it, while working in harmony with the weather and your pocketbook.
Spring startup is both an assessment and tune-up. But it can also be an ‘out with the old in with the new’ reboot, replacing old parts and bringing in upgrades so that each part of the irrigation network is operating in the most efficient way possible. Improving the delivery of water not only makes the landscape healthier, it also saves money and reduces waste.
Here’s what our irrigation pros recommend:
- Conduct a thorough site audit to identify points of concern in plant health, and visually inspect the system and its parts.
- Charge the mainline, slowly introducing water zone by zone.
- Visually inspect and test sprinkler heads, valves, and components for breaks and leaks; adjust any sprinkler heads that need straightening and replace or upgrade parts that are broken or ineffective.
- Test, run and recheck system for necessary adjustments.
- Conduct thorough assessment of drip system, ensuring any cut tubing is repaired and emitters are functioning properly and on their targets.
- Look for ways to continuously improve the performance of both the system and the needs of the landscape.
With 50% of residential water used going to outdoor watering, spring startup could be a fresh start to new water saving approaches, using drought-tolerant native plants and clover lawns, rethinking the sustainability of your yard, and converting your old irrigation system to one that drastically reduces water needs.
To learn more, go to https://desantislandscapes.com/services/water-management/
DeSantis Landscapes is a member of the Irrigation Association and a Weathermatic Premier Partner.