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What you need to know about your sprinklers
09/06/10
Only a fraction of homes in the US have good working sprinkler systems. That
includes the mansions and other expensive homes. Most homes have sprinklers
with clogged heads, leaky or broken pipes, too much or too little water
Virtually every irrigation system installed was designed solely for grass.
Grass needs 100% coverage and is an ultra heavy water feeder. New systems are
designed to "rain" in a low pattern that overlaps itself
* There is no assumption in the design for trees or shrubs in the landscape
* There is no assumption in the design for plants that want/need more or less
water than grass
For a healthy landscape, these designs are problems. Worse, there is no design
for ground covers, shrubs or trees that will be planted and then interfere with
the sprinkler system's "all grass" plan. As plants are added, thus
your sprinkler system becomes progressively less effective
Sprinkler control systems usually assume watering 15-20 minutes per day, 3-4
days per week
* There is no mechanism to shut off the system when natural rains provide
free water
* There is no mechanism to provide more water to plants that need more water
* There is no way to limit water to plants that want/need less water than sprinklers
provide
All of these circumstances are problems that contribute to less than ideal
landscapes
TIPS:
(1)
Learn how to control your sprinklers. Your control box, usually outside your
home, is normally in the AUTOmatic position. Learn how to shut off your system
when ongoing rains provide water
(2)
Change your settings (or call a professional sprinkler man) to provide water
20 minutes per day but only 2X per week. More water than this is not needed
(3)
Shut off sprinkler heads that provide water to mature plantings. Hardly any
tree or palm in the ground over three years needs any sprinkler water
More mature shrubs in shady areas or East side exposures need not any sprinkler
water. Tough ground covers like liriope need no added water, Ficus hedges need
no water. In fact, with 50-60 inches of water per year, mature South Florida
landscapes most often can be left in the SPRINKLERS OFF position
(4)
In times of ongoing lack of rain, you may have to hand water some plants affected
by long periods (over two weeks) with zero water. Learn to observe your plants
often and provide hand watering when needed. You save money, save water and
have much healthier plants
(5)
Adjust your sprinklers (or call a professional sprinkler man) with higher risers
in beds where plantings block water disbursement. Adjust the water flow from
each head (more or less water) to accommodate the plants each head waters. For
example, use maximum water in hot areas (usually South or West) and cut down
water flow in shady areas (usually East and North)
(6)
Never assume your sprinklers are still working. You should periodically view
your sprinklers in action to make sure each head is properly operational
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