For those with an irrigation system, there are several things you should evaluate to make sure your system is performing optimally. This fall you should consider the following:
Is your irrigation system distributing water uniformly across your lawn?
This question relates to both an individual head as well as between heads. How can you check this? Place cups around your lawn and see if they collect an equal amount. If you do not get an equal amount, consider replacing the nozzles or adding additional irrigation heads to improve the uniformity. As a general rule of thumb, if your irrigation heads are more than 10 years old, you might want to have them replaced.
What type of irrigation controller do you have?
An irrigation controller controls when and how much water goes out on your lawn. In recent years, there are new controller technologies that can optimize watering.
Controller upgrades to consider:
- Adding a rain sensor. A rain sensor turns off the irrigation after rainfall. This saves water when the grass has plenty of water. Most new systems have a rain sensor.
- Linking the controller to a weather program. These controllers factor in weather forecast and adjust the irrigation accordingly. This can save water but can also create problems if the forecast calls for rain and it does not rain.
- Adding an inground soil moisture sensor. These sensors trigger your irrigation system to run when moisture drops too low for the grass. This is the best add-on to improve grass quality while minimizing water use. We highly recommend this feature!
Check with your city as many local cities offer deals on controller upgrades.