By Rusty,

"I was looking at ways to reduce my GRU bill and noticed a heavy portion of it was our irrigation water usage...I also noticed manually having to adjust the timer based on weather was not realistic. This came to the fore this past summer as we seemed to experience a constant spell of rainy days which meant frequent manual shut downs as well as having to remember to reactivate the system once the storms had passed."

This is just one of many reasons people upgrade their Gainesville Irrigation systems to smart controllers - specifically Hunter's Hydrawise system. 

Rain sensors, an Alachua Country code-requirement on sprinkler systems, work decently enough for shutting down sprinklers when there's been excessive rain. However, weather sensors don't have the ability to:

  • Shut the irrigation system down when there's a freeze warning to avoid plant damage and water waste.
  • Adjust the water settings up and down based on heat or cool temperatures
  • Meter the water and alert you if there's a pipe break or busted head causing a high amount of water flow.
  • Turn the irrigation off the morning of a day where there's a 90% chance of rain.
  • Allow you to remotely adjust your sprinkler settings based on recommendations from your lawn spraying company.

“Set up was also a breeze; a connection to our WiFi and downloading an app on my phone and we were about done!"

Clients have been impressed with the system capability and especially the savings on their water bill.

“As for how much I saved? I cut my water use on our irrigation meter by $73!”– Jeff

Inspired by Jeff’s story and wanting to conserve water? Call us today for more info on getting started with a Gainesville Smart Irrigation Controller!

Tags
By Rusty,

October is always that in-between month that feels like one foot is still in summer while the other foot steps toward fall. It’s a great month to add new landscaping such as sod, trees, and shrubs and to start planning for your fall / winter annuals.

It’s finally officially fall, and there are several things you want to be aware of in this transitional season as the owner of a Gainesville landscape. 

Lawns
While we’re still getting some leftover summer afternoon rains, it is typical that we experience a little dry spell between now and winter. It can be a tricky time of year irrigation-wise. If you don't have a smart controller that knows to increase the settings to account for dry weather patterns, watch your turf closely. When you see grass blades folded in half and the overall turf color turning bluish-gray, run the sprinklers and add some extra time to the run-cycle for the next couple weeks to get us through to winter. It's also a season we commonly notice shortcomings in our irrigation systems (adjustments off or lacks of coverage) as the supplemental rains aren't there to cover up the incosistencies. 

Your turf will still be growing in October, but in general shouldn't grow as rapidly as August and September due to the shortening days and lowering soil temperatures. It’s an ideal time to add new turf or replace problem areas that may have struggled due to lawn pest activity, too much shade, weeds, or lack of water.

If you want your grass to be dense and thick, I highly recommend a good dose of lawn fertilizer to help promote root growth and dense growth. Iron will add some deep green color back into your lawn as well, if it's yellowing. Certainly, fall weed control in the lawn is important as dove weed, basketgrass, crabgrass, and Chamberbitter lawn weeds are fighting to take over Gainesville lawns. There is still some lawn pest activitity in October for Gainesville lawns as well, so watch for chewed and browning grass. 

Flowers
Most warm-season annuals are starting to struggle in North Florida with the shorter days and cooling soil temps. In fact, it’s the month to be thinking about transitioning to cool-season annuals and starting to get beds ready for them toward the end of the month. November and December will be the time to plant cool-season annuals. Popular annuals to plant for high-visibility beds and planters are pansies, violas, flowering kale, dianthus, snapdragons, and petunias.

Keep an eye on your perennials to make sure they’re getting enough water. Refresh mulch layers to a depth of 2-4 inches in the fall to insulate soil and weed pressure. Don’t allow mulch to closely surround the base of the plant as that can lead to root rot. Apply a final ornamental fertilizer treatment for the year.

Citrus
A number of citrus varieties will have ripe fruit that’s ready to harvest, including Satsuma, Ambersweet, navels, Hamlin, Fallglo, Robinson, and Osceola. Some fruit is ripe even though it’s green. Don’t wait for it to turn orange. Taste a sample fruit to determine if the crop is ripe and ready to eat.

Do not spray citrus trees for pest control. You shouldn’t have to because by October, pest activity has lessened. Save the spraying for later, after the harvest has been picked as you don't want the treatment to affect the edible fruit.

Trees & Shrubs
October is a good time of year to add new trees and shrubs to your landscaping. The heat, being less intense, won’t stress the plants as much as summer or spring droughts do. They will need to be watered, however, until they’re established. Water daily for a couple of months, then every other day for several months.

Established trees and shrubs should have been fertilized in September. If that feeding was missed, apply the fertilizer in October. A general florida landscape fertilizer (with no weed killer in it) is fine, cast over the ground from the trunk to just past the edge of the leaves. This will help promote root growth and health for a boutiful spring. 

If we can help you with any of your Fall Gainesville Lawn tasks, don't hesitate to give us a call. We offer Gainesville Lawn Fertilization Programs, Landscaping Installations, and Irrigation as well. Our phone number is (352) 378-5296 or feel free to contact us via the form at the top of the page. 

By Rusty,

In our irrigation blogs posts, we spend quite a bit of time talking about how to water using the common spray and rotary heads, but in the past cuple years we're seeing more and more drip irrigation systems being installed. I've begun getting questions about where they should be used and how long they should be run for sufficient watering amounts.

Drip and low volume sprinkler systems put water exactly where you want it with virtually no loss to evaporation, which is why we've seen the City of Gainesville and Alachua County EPA recently begin encouraging and sometimes even required them.  

Here are a few tips and tricks regarding drip systems:

  • The best use of drip lines is in narrow bed areas that spray heads can't cover well, such as around swimming pools or groundcover beds. Because they put out water very slowly, they are also great to use on slopes.
  • Drip irrigation is designed to distribute a consistent amount of water in the soil by watering the root zone completely and regularly. Because of the low amount of water it puts out, drip lines are not as effective when they are run once or twice per week - if the soil dries out, it takes a long time for drip lines to put out enough water to catch back up.
  • Our slab foundations need a consistent amount of water at all times which makes drip lines ideal for watering the foundation.
  • During the summer, in sunny areas, drip zones should be run no less than an 3 hours per week, per zone total (approx 60 minutes per week 3x a week). Why so much more time than rotors and sprays? Drip zones put out about 15-20% the water those other heads do.
  • Drip lines are meant to be covered with mulch or buried. The weakest part of drip lines are all of the connections which are held together with barbs that will sometimes pop loose. If the drip line is left in the sun, the heat on the hose will make it soft and the connections will come apart much more often.
  • Because the lines are shallow, they tend to get damaged more often then other sprinkler lines. They are prime targets for aerators, people weeding your beds, or even squirrels that love to chew on anything- so it's a good idea to have your Gainesville sprinkler system inspected several times throughout the year, just to be sure you haven't developed a clogged line or leak in the hose.
  • During droughts, most cities exempt drip lines from their water restrictions so if your landscape beds are on drip zones, you can water those as needed without concern for citations from the city.

If you have anyGainesville lawn or landscape questions, give us a call at 352-378-5296 or email info@themasterslawncare.com. We  love to answer your questions and can often use them to help other clients in blogs like this one.

Tags
By Rusty,

Imagine being at a restaurant, enjoying a meal with a glass of water as your drink. Now imagine that your server adds water to your glass, even though your glass is already full. The water spills over onto the table and eventually puddles down on the floor. The logical thing to do is to fill the glass only when it’s needed, but instead, every few minutes more water in poured into an already full glass. Seems pretty crazy, doesn’t it?

This may seem like a far-fetched scenario, but this analogy is exactly what some homeowners are doing when they over irrigation their lawns in the rainy season. Living in a climate where drought is common, homeowners shouldn't have to rely on memory for when to use their sprinkler system. What we should be doing is irrigating when there is a need for water. It’s better for your lawn, the environment, and your wallet - and the new weather sensors allow just that!

In Gainesville, we’ve arrived at the time of year where near-daily rainfall is the norm and afternoon thundershowers can be relied on like clockwork, and in Florida it’s been a neccessity that every irrigation system have a rain sensor device installed to prevent an irrigation system from coming on when adequate rainfall has occurred.

Rain sensors automatically shut off your system, which saves your water as well as problems in your landscape such as fungus and disease from over-watering. The sensors also continue to suspend automatic watering until the sensor disc has dried out. The disc is set to dry out at approximately the same rate as the soil. So, depending on the amount of rain we get and the sensor setting, your system could be off from just a day to 3 days or more if it continues to rain.

The benefit of it acting like your landscape soil is that it doesn't only turn the system off when it's raining. If it rains heavy at 5pm this afternoon, but the soil is still wet in 2 days when the irrigation is scheduled to turn on, it won't let it waste the water.

You could easily save hundreds of dollars per year with a proper working rain sensor. Many city and municipal water supplies also charge by the gallon for sewer at a higher rate than the initial water usage, so this really more than doubles your water bill.

If you have a rain sensor, make sure to have it tested to make sure it’s working properly. New rain sensors are affordable and typically pay for itself within a few months of use. If you need assistance, our certified irrigation techs are here to help. Give us a call at 352-378-5296.

Related posts:

4 Common Irrigation issues to watch for

Smart Irrigation Month - 3 Tips to Increase Watering Efficiency

 

 

Tags
By Rusty,

July is the perfect time to take stock of your water use and see what changes can save resources and money. Smart Irrigation Month promotes the social, economic, and environmental benefits of efficient sprinkler techniques in your Gainesville lawn and landscape. Led by the Irrigation Association, Smart Irrigation Month gives you the opportunity to make real changes to your water use that can positively affect the environment as well as your GRU water bill.

The Master's Lawn Care can help.

Irrigation Analysis
Finding out how your sprinkler system is performing will allow you to make strategic decisions when investing in upgrades. Our irrigation professionals will review your system, explain water use vs. actual plant needs, and present options for improvement. This gives you the opportunity to weigh costs against future savings so you can make decisions that directly impact your monthly water bill.

Smart Irrigation Technology
Irrigation technology is changing at a rapid pace. Sometimes upgrades to your current system can produce real savings as well as healthier plants. Our irrigation experts are trained on water-saving technology as it is released and can make recommendations for you based on what is proven to be effective. Here a couple upgrades we have done just this month!

  • Upgrading a client in Haile from high-volume heads to MP Rotator nozzles that use 50% less water
  • Installing Weather Sensors that are linked to the client's WiFi Network reading weather patterns and adjusting your schedule to your lawn and landscape's needs.
  • Drip Irrigation tubing in landscape beds instead of spray heads causing wasted water and runoff.
  • Smart Controllers that can be controlled from your phone or tablet. 

Sustainable Enhancements
Keep your plants healthy long-term while saving water. By converting turf to Florida-friendly plants, installing drought-tolerant turf such as Zoysia, and utilizing Alachua County's Turf Swap Program, you can count on some significant savings. Our teams can design a water-wise enhancement that fits the aesthetic you are looking for, whether it's a large- or small-scale project.

Tags
By Rusty,

It’s already been a pretty unique year in our Gainesvile, Florida lawn and landscapes, and there’s still time left for more unusual activity from Mother Nature. But, homeowners and business owners across North Central Florida need to start looking ahead to the fast-approaching dawn of the summer growing season and giving some thought to how to best handle your lawn service in the coming months.

There are four major types of Gainesville grass types that most commonly are seen in our market: 

  • Zoysia
  • Centipede
  • Bermuda
  • St. Augustine (we saved the most common for last)

They’re each different, and have their own set of best practices for yearly lawn care. Here’s a brief primer for caring for each of these four grass types as we look forward to the spring thaw:

Caring for Gainesville Zoysia Lawns
Zoysia grass requires a little extra attention, but it can make for a beautiful, lush lawn if it’s properly cared for. Some points to keep in mind about this turf variety:

To give your zoysia grass lawn the best chance to thrive, follow these simple care instructions:

  1. Mow the grass short (between 2-3”)
  2. Mow at least weekly (this grass grows quickly and needs to stay short to thrive)
  3. Keep your mower blade very sharp (it gets tougher as it grows, so it’s more prone to tearing when hit with a dull blade than other varieties)
  4. Maintain about an inch of watering per week (including natural rainfall), don’t overwater.
  5. Small, frequent lawn applications of fertilizer during the growing season works best (don’t fertilize too late in the year or your lawn won’t properly go dormant)
  6. Keep an eye out for signs of pests or disease (this grass can be prone to some common Gainesville lawn pests and diseases)

Caring for Gainesville Bermuda lawns
Bermuda grass is a tough, durable, and aggressive variety that has a lot of strengths adapted to hot Florida summers. These same qualities can also present challenges if it starts taking over areas where you don’t want grass, like your ornamental hedges, flower gardens, or other turfgrass. Some general highlights of this variety include:

  • Highly weed resistant
  • Excellent drought resistance
  • Prefers direct sun, not nearly as successful in shade
  • Handles salt well
  • Great traffic tolerance for sports fields and dog parks

Here are some important tips for caring for bermuda lawns in the Gainesville area:

  1. Mow the grass very short (1” in most cases)
  2. Mow every few days (you never want to cut more than ⅓ of the length of each blade of grass)
  3. Recycle the clippings (grass clippings are the very best mulch source for bermudagrass)
  4. Maintain about 1” to 1¼” of water per week (including natural rainfall), a little more in very sandy soil.
  5. Standard fertilizing works well (just be sure to have your soil tested to verify pH balance prior to treatment)
  6. Keep an eye out for signs of pests or disease (while this grass fights off weeds very well, and doesn’t provide an optimal environment for some lawn pests, burrowing insects are still a danger such as mole crickets)
  7. Needs to be aerated early in the year

Caring for Gainesville Centipede lawns
Centipede grass is probably the best choice if you’re looking for a low-maintenance Gainesville lawn. It’s tough and durable, and does very well resisting weeds and pests without a lot of lawn applications. Its one Achilles Heel though, is that it doesn’t do well with heavy foot traffic, so it may not be the best choice for yards where kids and pets regularly romp.

This variety is known for:

  • Excellent weed and pest resistance due to its rough texture
  • Does well in shade, but can handle moderate sun too
  • Can thrive in acidic soil
  • Not very drought resistant, so watering is important

Here are some key tips for caring for a centipede grass in Gainesville, Florida lawns:

  1. Mow the grass at a moderate height (between 1½” and 2” is best)
  2. Mow less often (biweekly mowing is enough unless you have tall weeds)
  3. *Very Important* Maintain up to 1½” of water per week (including natural rainfall), and keep an eye out for signs it needs more.
  4. Recognize that centipede grass is naturally a much lighter color (yellow-green) than other varieties. (This doesn’t mean it needs more water or fertilizer — a common misconception.)
  5. A minimal fertilizing schedule is best (it easily burns from excess lawn fertilizer applications)
  6. Stay vigilant against white grubs and nematodes (these are the only pests that routinely harm centipedegrass, but a bad infestation can cause a lot of damage)

Caring for Gainesville St. Augustine grass lawns
St. Augustine grass is very popular in the North Florida area because it can thrive in sandy soil and hot temperatures. However, it tends to be higher maintenance, has a low tolerance to cold, and can be more susceptible to diseases than other varieties. Some points to keep in mind about St. Augustine turfgrass:

  • Not as hardy as other varieties
  • Does very well in sun, but can also handle shade (with certain varieties)
  • Can thrive in sandy soil, so it can thrive right on the coast
  • Not very drought resistant, so it needs to stay well-watered

Here are the best practices for caring for St. Augustine lawns in Gainesville, Florida -

  1. Mow the grass higher than other varieties (preferably between 4-5”)
  2. Adjust the mowing schedule to avoid “shocking” the grass or creating too much thatch. (1/3rd leaf rule)
  3. Water regularly, and extra when it begins to fold.
  4. Do regular lawn applications based on specific soil needs and pest prevention
  5. Stay on the lookout for any signs of chinch bugs (these lawn pests are very common in our area, and they love St. Augustine grass)

If you’d like more tips for caring for whatever grass your Gainesville lawn is made of, or if you’d like to explore outsourcing your lawn care this year to professionals, contact The Master's Lawn Care and we’d be happy to help. (352) 378-5296

By Rusty,

April slipped right past us and here we are in mid-May, knocking on summer's door. This is the time of year that we hear from a number of clients who are particularly concerned about their lawn. The typical call may sound a lot like this:

"I'm really worried about my lawn. It started to green up from winter and was looking nice right after you fertilized. Suddenly, it's getting worse. Is there a pest eating my lawn or does it need more fertilizer?"

After spending a few minutes on the phone with the client asking questions, we're typically able to identify one of the 3 primary spring issues.

The majority of problems in Gainesville lawns over the past couple weeks has come from 3 primary concerns:

Drought Stress - This is the most common issues, and luckily, drought stress in lawns is one of the easiest problems to identify. Take a look at areas of your lawn that get some shade throughout the day. Does this area look healthier than the areas that are in full sun all day long? If so, you most likely have irrigation issues to address.

Many clients will increase the length of time their irrigation is running, or perhaps add another day of irrigation. But the answer may not be as simple as that. I met with a client just last week that was certain her sprinkler system was running several times a week because she sees it running as she goes to work. She was correct, the system was actually set to run every other day, which is actually far too often. What the client didn't realize is that only half her system was functioning correctly. She had 1 zone not operating due to cut wires, 2 broken heads, and large shrubs blocking several of her sprinklers from covering her turf. Long story short - just because your sprinklers are running doesn't mean your lawn is getting enough water!

This is why we recommend seasonally inspecting your sprinkler system for proper coverage and operation. Here are a couple photos of shrubs blocking irrigation coverage, broken sprinkler heads, and a close up photo of drought stress (notice the folded leaf blades).

dry brown grass
broken irrigation head spray water
dry brown grass

#2 - Winter Damage- This past winter got substantially colder than we're used to experiencing in North Florida (see the link).The cold weather also dragged on for a longer time than normal, giving us a slow start to spring. (We had lows in the 50's in the first week of May!)

January's hard frosts did a lot of damage to Gainesville lawns that didn't have deep roots - especially recently sodded lawns. Many of these lawns are starting to come back, but it will take some time for them to recover from the stress. Most lawns that have been established and fertilized for a couple years didn't experience frost damage due to their roots being deep down in the insulated soil. This is another reason our fertilization program focuses heavily on soil nutrition and root development in the fall - to prepare for frosts. 

#3 - Chinch Bugs (which originate from drought stress)- 

In actuality, we haven't seen many chinch bugs this spring in comparison to prior years because of the lingering cold weather. Chinch bugs rely on two factors to thrive - heat and drought. Because the heat has just really kicked off in the past couple weeks, they have gotten a slow start but will be beginning to spread quickly over this dry and warm weather we are experiencing. Keep a lookout for signs of chinch bugs dry areas near concrete and asphalt.  (see link for YouTube video on identifying chinch bugs). Below is a photo of where chinch bug damage typically begins.

If we can help you with your Gainesville, Florida lawn's sprinkler system coverage, recovering from winter, or protecting your lawn from chinch bugs - please don't hesitate to call us at (352) 378-5296 or fill out the form at the top of the page. 

irrigation day schedule for Gainesville Florida
hero-spring-lawn-problems.jpeg
By Rusty,

Like anything else, irrigation systems wear out as they age. Sprinkler heads stop rotating, Pop-ups stay stuck up in the lawn, valves get stuck open, and timers stop functioning. Additionally, new technologies and better equipment are introduced to the market that save water and money for clients while also performing the job of irrigating better. For any of these reasons, an irrigation system will at some point need upgrading, but how do you decide when to upgrade your irrigation system?

Why upgrade?
There are many ways in which a Gainesville irrigation system can signal that it needs to be upgraded. For example, the water use may have increased or the landscape appearance may have deteriorated. Another sign is that the number of sprinkler service calls has increased or the cost to maintain the system has become too much.

A system may also need to be upgraded due to changes in local ordinances, codes, or regulations. In Orlando, ordinances have been passed that does not allow water to be thrown over or across a sidewalk. If an existing system within the city of Orlando does that, it has to be upgraded to eliminate wasting water on the walk. In California, you can be fined for irrigation water running off of your property. In order to prevent that from continuing, the system most likely will need to be upgraded with a new sprinkler configuration, nozzles and/or design.

There may also be a County or State government incentive, such as the Alachua County EPA's Turf Swap Program - which really has little to do with turf outside of it's name. This program offers a 50% rebate for upgrading your irrigation system to low volume heads to decrease our use of water. It also covers Gainesville landscaping upgrades, as long as they do not include adding more sod or lawn areas. Currently, this program is extended to 2018.

Lastly, time may have just passed and the system is just plain old and needs a revamp.

Upgrading options
There are many options available to upgrading a sprinkler system. Upgrading means just that: upgrading. It does not mean the whole irrigation system has to be removed and replaced. An upgrade could consist of just something as simple as changing the heads or controller. The existing sprinklers could have stopped turning, don’t pop up high enough. or distribute water poorly -  and it’s time to be more water efficient.

An upgrade could even include replacing the valves because they don't offer additional features such as flow control or pressure regulation, like new valves do. Additionally, the diaphragms could be worn, cracked or dried out or the solenoids past there life cycle. Wiring could be bad due to construction damage or years of being under water, especially if waterproof connections were not used when the system was originally installed. An upgrade could consist of just replacing the controller. This could be desirable to provide more flexibility in scheduling, to change to a smart controller to be more sustainable, by reducing overall irrigation water use or because the controller just quit working.

Irrigation system lifespan
The length of time the complete irrigation system lasts can be a short time to a very long time. Normally, the system doesn’t wear out; just the various components do. There are two things that wear on the irrigation system: location and number of cycles. The two are usually, but not always, directly related. An irrigation system in a Gainesville, FL lawn is going to operate more often than an irrigation system in Minneapolis, MN . Whereas the Gainesville system is operable and running on some type of schedule year round, the system in Minneapolis is off from November through mid-April. The system in Phoenix is operating at least twice as much as the system in Minneapolis, and because evapotranspiration (ET) rates are higher in Phoenix than in Minneapolis it is also operating longer each cycle. Therefore, a system in Phoenix would not be expected to last as long as a system installed in Minneapolis. It all comes down to cycles. The more often the system goes on and off, the more wear there will be. If you have a system that you use cycle and soak on — water a little, let it soak in and then water some more — that system will turn on and off more and the components will also wear faster.

Upgrades may also be required due to the maturing landscape. As the landscape grows it may interfere with the irrigation system sprinklers’ water distribution or require more water as trees and other landscape materials grow. This is especially true with point source systems, which need to be adjusted for the amount of water applied as the landscape grows and matures. The maturing landscape can require sprinklers to be moved or alter the type of irrigation necessary.

Technological advances = better irrigation
As time passes, equipment ages but technology continues to advance. Advances in technologies are good for irrigation. Technology provides ways to better manage an irrigation system, enhances the system’s operation and makes the system operate more efficiently. As such, technology improvements alone may be a reason to upgrade the system. This has been especially true with the introduction of smart controllers and soil moisture sensors.

Smart controllers circumvent the “set it and forget it” mentality of irrigation system operators, whether it be the landscaper, homeowner or property manager, and as such can save substantial amounts of water when properly installed, programmed and tweaked.

Smart controllers are either climate-based or soil moisture sensor-based. A smart controller is programmed with site characteristics that a conventional controller does not have, such as plant type, precipitation rate, root zone depth and soil type. These parameters are used to set up a base schedule and then the climate data, normally ET or the soil moisture sensor readings are used to adjust the base schedule to apply the amount of water needed based on the existing weather or soil moisture conditions.

The controller doesn’t just come on the same day at the same time and apply the same amount of water. Upgrading the sprinklers, if they are more than five years old, will alone improve the uniformity of the water being applied. In the last decade, manufacturers of irrigation sprinklers have greatly improved the sprinklers ability to apply water uniformly, as well as the reliability of the sprinklers. When possible, upgrading just the sprinkler nozzles will then improve water distribution. Upgrading both the sprinklers and the nozzles will improve both the uniformity and the reliability.

Newer sprinklers are designed and manufactured to apply water more evenly when properly nozzled and spaced. However, just replacing the sprinklers on their existing spacing with more up-to-date models will provide some benefits in uniformity.

Upgrading a system to a smart controller or changing the sprinklers does not guarantee results. If the core irrigation system is poorly installed or has other issues, such as poor pressure, a smart controller or sprinkler change is not going to miraculously make the system better.

Minor upgrades or a major overhaul?
So, how do you tell the difference between when a system just needs minor upgrades versus knowing when the system needs a complete overhaul/replacement? The simplest way is to log the service calls and make sure you document what the service call was for: pipe break, bad splice, broken sprinkler, bad solenoid, etc. That way you can look at trends.

If the trending is showing frequent component failures are occurring, the easier it will be to make the decision as to whether to continue to repair the system versus replace the system. For example, how many pipe breaks have there been and were they on the mainline before the valve or on the lateral after the valve? Are the breaks always in the same place or are they spread out throughout the system?

Pipe breaks are a sign of major issues with the system, such as high pressure or excessive velocities. High pressures may not break the system like high velocities, but they will prematurely wear the components and make the system less efficient. If pipe failures cannot be determined and continue to occur, that means piping replacement or a major overhaul.

An irrigation system is a mechanical system buried in the harsh environment of the ground. Just like your car, it will not last forever, needs maintenance to keep running and does not like to sit idle. Systems that have not operated for several years will most likely need replacement sooner when compared to an operating system. Sprinklers like to pop up and down and valves to open and close. When that does not occur over several years, the system will be in very poor condition.

Making irrigation systems last
The life of an irrigation system is dependent on not only when it was installed but also how it was installed. Old systems (more than 20-plus years old) wear out as the equipment used does not have the lifespan of today’s precisely manufactured equipment. Repair parts for older equipment are also no longer made.

Installation is the key, however. Poor installation will cause a system to not last as long as it should or not operate properly from the very beginning. For example, poor solvent weld cementing or clamping, not using waterproof connections, under sizing wire or pipe and oversizing zones will cause the system to operate poorly and not last its normal life cycle.

Initial installation will also be a large factor in how long the system will last. A well-installed system will, needless to say, last longer than a poorly installed system.

When you think about it, irrigation systems gained popularity in the early 1980s, so most systems are really not that old. But just like baby boomers, as these systems age they will require more maintenance and upgrades whether it is just replacing components or the whole system. Upgrades are a business opportunity that will not go away. Remember, when upgrading a system it is important to use proper installation techniques and follow best management practices such as those published by the Irrigation Association. That way the system will not be in need of another upgrade for some time.

Tags
By Rusty,

In North Florida, where drought stress in spring and summer creates problems in almost every Gainesville lawn, applying more water can't be the only solution. Especially with the Alachua county and city regulations prohibiting any watering outside of the 2 scheduled days per week to conserve our liquid resources. More and more homeowners are looking for solutions to keep enough water in the lawn to keep it healthy and green, while at the same time not wasting our natural resources.

With the added concern of drought stress making lawns more susceptible to chinch bug damage, it becomes a major concern of your lawn's health.

Moisture Manager is a blended application with formulated specifically to reduce watering needs on golf courses, landscape plantings, lawns, and are even used in agriculture.Moisture Manager is the cornerstone of a soil moisture management program whether you are maintaining existing turf and plants or ensuring the survival of new sod, seed, sprigs, bedding plants, shrubs, or trees.

By properly managing moisture levels in the soil you are helping to break the drought cycle in plants. In doing so, you and your plants benefit in a number of ways:

• Minimize Drought Stress
• Control or Eliminate Dry Spots
• Enhance Nutrient EfficiencyApplications
• Increase Transplant Survival
• Reduce Watering Expenses

If you're interested in adding Moisture Manager into your Gainesville, Florida Lawn Application Service, please contact our office by the contact form at the top, sending our team an email or phone at (352) 378-LAWN.

LESCO Moisture Manager