Give your sprinkler system the once-over to ensure you’re getting the best coverage and operation out of your watering schedule
Sprinkler systems need an annual check-up as much as your bicycle tires and ski bindings do as each different season approaches. Repairs made early when the system is first turned on will help to spare you costly water bills and loss of landscaping because it’s not watered properly, according to Tony and Marjorie Nickerson owners of A Better Landscape and Sprinkler Company, in the business of installing and repairing sprinkler systems plus landscape design, replacement, installation and maintenance for residential, multi-unit and commercial properties. A Better Landscape and Sprinkler Company serves Littleton, Denver, Englewood, Centennial, Denver Central and Jeffco.
Nickerson cautions that sprinkler systems should not be turned on until mid-April at the very earliest because in Colorado it is always possible to have a late spring freeze. This year’s chilly weather well into the end of May is a prime example.
As soon as the chance of a hard freeze has passed, it’s time to give your sprinkler system the once over, or have that service professionally performed.
Systems can deteriorate over the winter and breaks in the line or broken heads are diagnosed during a spring review. Frankly, says Nickerson, when people don’t take the time to review their system, it’s possible they can miss damage that will cause the system to operate ineffectively or waste water all season long.
Plus, as watering schedules change from year to year, it’s essential to change up the timer and clock on your system if it’s automatic.
Largely two kinds of sprinkler heads are used in systems today, according to the Denver Water Board specialists. The pop-up spray puts down 1.5 to 2 inches of water per hour in a fan shaped pattern and the rotor sprays deliver .5 inches per hour in a rotating jet. Since most soils in the Denver metro area can only absorb .5 inches per hour, rotors work optimally. Pop-ups may also be set to a rotating schedule to deliver .5 inches, then shut down, and then come back on after the first distribution of water is absorbed. Spray systems are the most efficient way to water grass, however trees, shrubs and flowers may do better with an underground or drip irrigation system as those systems don’t buffet the leaves and flowers as harshly.
If you change the type of plants in your flower beds year to year, it’s likely that different levels of water are recommended for the different plants, another reason the system needs to be checked. If you’re intent on going green, chose plants that thrive on less water. And consider having a rain sensor retrofitted onto your system to further enhance watering efficiency.
Installing an automatic sprinkler system in your yard is somewhat like getting a second bathroom in your home. Once you have it, you’ll never know how you lived without it. Besides convenience, the addition of a sprinkler system to an overall landscaping plan can ultimately save a homeowner or commercial property owner significant sums when it comes to their water bill. “Over-watering using manual sprinklers and hoses is money literally down the drain,” adds Nickerson.
At the end of each watering season, usually sometime in early November, Nickerson and his team perform seasonal maintenance of sprinkler systems, blowing out the residual water in the system and lines in order to prevent freezing and broken pipes. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to water in the Colorado climate.
During winter, trees—especially younger trees—require deep root watering to keep healthy. For that, Nickerson sources water from a hose with the deep root watering tool attached to the end. Plants in planters can be watered by hand using a watering can every 10 days or so throughout the winter. Trees require water (even when it rains) and snowfall equates to only a fractional amount of water.
Nickerson can be reached at A Better Landscape and Sprinkler Company at 720-314-5990 or info@abetterlandscapedenver.com
