Lawn and Landscape Irrigation

Lawns and landscapes can be designed and maintained to be water conserving, prevent runoff of fertilizers and pesticides and good looking. To develop a landscape that is water efficient, build the landscape with good landscape soils, create water zones within your landscape, choose well-adapted water saving ornamentals and turfgrasses, and utilize the correct irrigation equipment for your landscape. Read on for more information to help you design and manage your landscape for water efficiency.

Monday, April 3, 2023

Separate Plants by Irrigation Needs

When we plant a garden or flower bed, we think about sunlight preferences, color and bloom times most often, but there are other factors to think about including water requirements for the plants. All plants need water to survive, but they differ greatly in how much they need. Some plants are best planted along a pond edge or other very wet location because they like swampy, over irrigated locations. Where other plants require dry, well-drained soil. There are even some great plants used in rain gardens and similar areas that actually do well in both wet locations as well as dry conditions to overcome the changing environment when water collects during rain events and dries out between rains.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Beneficial Fungi and Tree Health

Tree health is often a reflection root health. Good practices to improve root health include properly applied organic mulch, good water management to avoid overwatering but providing water as needed during dry periods, and avoiding root damage from construction or changes in soil grade. The Image shows thin white fungal mycorrhizae on the roots of a slash pine by Paul A. Mistretta, USDAForest Service, Bugwood.org

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Avoid Traffic on Frozen Turf

As I walk around my yard with my dog, I wonder about the impacts it has on my turf for the spring. Walking on frozen turf can have detrimental effects. During the spring and summer, we can walk on our lawns and turf fields with no damage. During the growing season, turf plants can recover from traffic through active regrowth. However, during the winter the turf is dormant and cannot recover from the damage until the spring.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Drought and Fall Irrigation

Currently, most of the state is in at least a moderate drought, with many areas affected by severe, extreme, and even exceptional drought conditions. The Farmer’s almanac is calling for a cold, dry winter, again, so moving into that with drought conditions already could be devastating to our plants.

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Gaps and Overlaps in Lawn Irrigation

Dry spot due to lack of overlap in irrigation

All lawn sprinkler systems, whether they are in-ground or above ground, have flaws. Some of the biggest are gaps and overlaps.

Actually, a well designed irrigation system, or the use of above ground spray heads utilizes overlaps in the form of “head-to-head coverage”. This involves water from one head spraying all the way to the adjacent head and vice versa. Since twice as much water is applied near the head as is at the end of the water stream, an even amount is applied if the system has good head-to-head coverage.