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).

#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. 

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.

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.

A poorly maintained sprinkler system prevents water from reaching its designed area of your yard, and instead causes wasted water to go onto your driveway, curb, or even cause water damage to your home. A Gainesville irrigation system service plan is one of the most effective ways to reduce your GRU water bill, reduce pollution from run-off, and improve plant health by applying the correct amount of water where it can be utilized by the landscape.

Minimally, irrigation systems should be checked on a bi-annual basis.  Once at the beginning of the season when the system is first turned up to it's regular watering schedule and again in winter when you set the timer back to once per week. However, we recommend that commercial irrigation systems be looked at quarterly or even monthly due to size and complexity.  

THE BASIC STEPS OF SEASONAL IRRIGATION MAINTENANCE ARE:

1. Inspect the controller and make sure it’s set correctly on the date and time

2. Change the schedule to reflect the Gainesville’s Irrigation watering schedule for allowed watering days and times.

3. Test the weather sensor (or if you have a smart wifi controller test the weather pattern area.)

4. Replace the back-up battery once annually (Typically a 9V battery)

5. Turn on each zone and look for system damage such as: Leaking valves or pipes, broken or missing heads, clogged nozzles, seal leaks, sunken heads and tilted heads.

6. Test each head for accurate and adequate coverage. Risers may need to be brought up higher to spray over growing shrubbery

For questions or additional information, please contact our office for Sprinkler System Maintenance at (352) 378-5296 or email us at info@themasterslawncare.com

There is a Freeze Warning coming up in Northern Florida for this weekend. The current forecast is predicting overnight freezing temperatures for both Saturday and Sunday nights, which could result damage or Gainesville sprinkler systems and tender landscape plants. Here are some tips that will help minimize the harmful effects of low temperatures:

• Cover your sprinkler system's backflow preventer with protective covering and change settings like this. Upgrading your weather sensor to a rain/freeze sensor also protects your irrigation from running and leaving moisture to cause freeze damage on plants. 
• Cover your cold-sensitive plants (see list below) with sheets or blankets, but not plastic.
• Don't mow or use heavy equipment on your lawn if it is frozen or if there is frost present the following morning.

Most Common Cold-sensitive Gainesville landscaping plants*:

• Gold Mound Duranta
• Some Palms
• Philodendron
• Bird of Paradise
• Variegated Schefflera
• Some varieties of Ginger
• Hibiscus
• Firespike
• Plumbago
• Bougainvillea
• Lantana
• Croton
• Heather
• Hydrangea
• Oleander
• Butterfly bush
• Impatiens / Sunpatiens
• Warm Season Annuals

*This is just a list of the most common plants. If you have plants not on this list that are fruit bearing or of a tropical nature, it is recommended you protect them as well.

Being prepared and vigilant can help you protect and preserve the investment you’ve made in your Gainesville lawn and landscaping. A little work now will pay big dividends when you have a healthy lawn this coming Spring. 

The Master's Lawn Care is a Certified Gainesville Lawn & Ornamental Pest Control Business, and we want to help you get the best out of your lawn. Call us at 378-LAWN if we can be of any help.

Although the word 'pest' is typically used to describe an insect such as chinch bugs or webworms, the term is actually used to describe anything that is unwanted. (Perhaps you remember what you may have called your little sibling growing up?) In this case, a lawn certainly is not improved by being pestered with a lack of one of it's three basic needs)   When and where is drought stress the most prevalent? Imagine filling a gallon bucket with water and setting it out in your yard. When you check your bucket a week later, you’re going to find it still has water, but you’ve lost an inch or so from evaporation.  That’s what happens to your lawn and landscape plants if the evaporation isn’t replaced by rain and/or irrigation. If you had the bucket of water in full sun, it would experience more evaporation than one in the shade. Also, a bucket put out in summer would lose more to evaporation than one in winter.  All of that is to explain that drought stress is most prevalent in the sunny areas of your lawn and in the driest times of the year.     How can I identify this as the problem in my lawn or landscape? St. Augustine and Zoysia lawns are the easiest to diagnose drought stress in. Both leaves have a midvein that acts as a “spine” for each individual blade, allowing it to open and close as needed.  Healthy, well-watered grass blades will appear almost completely flat and totally open. When grass begins to dry out, the blade will close in half upon itself, to reduce its surface area to the sun and thus conserve water. This will also give the grass a “hazy” look, as the backs of the blades are not as deep a green as the enclosed fronts.   How does it occur and how can I prevent it? As mentioned above, drought stress is simply a lack of water, which is one of a lawn's 3 most basic needs.   What can I do to resolve the issue? Turn up your irrigation settings (link is a tutorial on Gainesville Irrigation settings). When I advise this, the typical response is, “But there’s an irrigation rule that says I can only water 2 days per week.” That’s completely correct. However, the frequency of the irrigation running typically isn’t the problem. Most of the time, I find irrigation timers set to run anywhere from 15-20 minutes per zone - and we recommend anywhere from 30 to 75 minutes per zone.
Related Reading: 5 Tips to Avoid Drought Stress How to Change Your Irrigation Timer Settings Tips for Watering Your Gainesville Lawn  

We have had some dry months here in Gainesville and it’s definitely showing in yards across town. Grass requires a regular supply of water to keep it growing healthy and green, but long periods without rain can mean a brown, struggling lawn. Here are 5 tips to help your lawn stay healthy and become more drought tolerant.

• Water less often, for longer times – Watering deeply and less often encourages your lawn to develop a deep and healthy root system because it has to work to find water rather than relying on what is easy accessible at the surface. This will give you a lawn that is more naturally drought resistant. We recommend watering twice per week and 45 minutes per zone. 

• Water early in the morning– We recommend setting your irrigation timer so that watering is done in the early morning when temperatures are lowest to reduce the amount of water lost through evaporation. This will also be when the wind speeds are lowest. This will cut down on wasted water that winds up on driveways, sidewalks, and curbs instead of on your lawn and landscape. We recommend setting your timer so that irrigation is complete before 6am.

• Raise your mowing height– To encourage root growth raise the height of you mower. Again, the deeper and healthier your lawns root system is the more it will be able to withstand drought stress and stay greener longer. This is especially true for St. Augustine grass which is most prevalent in our area and should be mowed to a height of 4" or greater. 

• Feed your lawn – Spring is one of the most important times of the year to feed your lawn. When you wake up in the morning, your body is in need of nourishment. The same is true of your Gainesville lawn as it comes out of winter dormancy. The fertilizer will encourage new growth and deeper rooting. Your lawn will benefit from a well-balanced lawn program designed to provide the nutrients needed at the right time.
   
• Follow local guidelines – Make sure you are following Alachua County guidelines for watering days, times and amount of water. Guidelines can be found here. Remember, if you have new sod, landscaping, or if you’ve just completed a lawn care treatment, there are exceptions to the restrictions.

If you need assistance with your lawn’s irrigation and fertilization needs, The Master’s Lawn Care can help. Please contact us today for a free lawn consultation to help develop a plan custom tailored to the specific needs of your lawn.

Related Reading:

Video Blog: Side by side lawn comparison 

TMLC Lawn Care Program: Six Visits explained 

The essential 7.5 elements that every irrigation system should have to reduce costs of
ownership, improve plant health and appearance, and apply water efficiently.
By Kurt K. Thompson

Property ownership is a complicated act of balancing a desired appearance or function with
financial considerations. This balancing act is no more prevalent that in the landscape. It is
made more confusing because of the misinformation or the lack of information available on
which a proper decision can be based.

When asked about the costs associated with the ownership of an irrigation system, most
property owners think only about the costs of repairing broken components of the system. They
never really consider the costs caused by an incomplete design or installation, nor the proactive
maintenance and adjustments to the irrigation system. Both affect the amount of water that is
used, the health of the plants, and the appearance of the landscape.

As an example, most residential property owners would not think that they could be using
between 2,000 to 5,000 gallons in one irrigation cycle. If system is watering 2 times per week,
that means it is applying 4,000 to 10,000 gallons of water. If an average swimming pool holds
18,000 gallons, then the irrigation system applies enough water to fill a swimming pool every
two to three weeks!

What if there it were known that 30% to 50% of that water was not helping the plants? Or
worse, what if this 30% to 50% is not only was wasted, but the poor application of the water
increased the potential for harmful growing conditions for the plants such as disease, pests, and
weeds? In fact, these are both true for most residential irrigation systems. It is the unfamiliarity
with the irrigation piece of the landscape that leads to both of these conditions.
So what contributes to so much non-beneficial and poorly applied irrigation water? The
answers are found in all three of the stages of an irrigation system:

1. Design and Installation – Sprinklers in the right place, at the right pressure, with the right nozzles
2. Maintenance – Repairing, raising, straightening, realigning, cleaning, etc. AND adjusting to the growing plants and ever-changing conditions in the landscape.
3. Management – Creating and adjusting an accurate and specific irrigation schedule for each zone, for each month or season. This includes the time each zone should operate, the number of times per day or week the zones should operate, the time of day the system should operate, etc.

The challenge for a property owner is to distill all of the available information into the very
essential activities that could serve as the foundation for practical landscape irrigation
installation and maintenance. The following are the seven simple elements of a complete
landscape irrigation system that lead to conserving water in the landscape while creating
healthy growing conditions for the plants and soil. There is one small additional element to help
the property owner tie all of the elements together.

The Essential 7.5 Elements

1. Sprinklers watering landscape beds and turf are on separate zones (valves).
2. Rotating sprinklers and spray sprinklers are on separate zones (valves).
3. Operating pressures of the sprinklers are as close to the manufacturer’s recommendations as practical.
4. Sprinklers are installed in corners and spaced to overlap each other.
5. Irrigation systems do not run when it is raining or has rained.
6. Irrigation schedules are changed to match the water needs of the season ormonth.
7. Components of the irrigation system are observed operating at least every season to ensure proper operation.

                7.5 Utilize licensed and certified professional sprinkler service technicians.

Ignoring these essential seven elements of a complete irrigation system often leads to
unhealthy plants and soils. The increase in landscape maintenance to fight the conditions
created or made worse by poor irrigation practices requires a considerable increase of inputs
such as water, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, manpower, equipment, etc. All of the inputs
have a direct and sometimes significant dollar cost. An evaluation and correction to the
irrigation system today can result in savings that can offset the cost of the adjustments and
continue to pay dividends into the future.

1. Sprinklers watering landscape beds and turf are on separate zones (valves).
The frequency and the amount of irrigation required for healthy plants and soils in turf areas
can be very different from what is required for landscape beds (trees, shrubs, and ground
cover). Irrigation that is applied when not needed is the very definition of wasted water.
Therefore it is imperative to control the timing of water application to the turf separately from
the landscape beds.
The timing of water application is defined in two ways: How long to water (runtime) and how
often to water (frequency). Both are guided by the amount of water that exists in the soil
after the water has been removed by the plants and evaporation.
As a general rule, landscape plants (shrubs and trees) use the water at a different rate and
quantity than turf. This is the result of several factors: the natural water use needs of the
plants, the amount of leaf surface, and the cultivation practices. Therefore, the sprinklers
watering the turf will need to have different runtimes than those watering the landscaped
plants.
An additional difference is that landscape plants have larger root zones than turf. An
individual turfgrass plant's roots are measured in inches of width and depth. But landscape
plants have root zones that are measured in feet. It is not uncommon to have the roots of
established shrubs or trees extend 1.5 to 3.0 times the plant's canopy. This equates to the
landscape plants having more and significantly longer "straws" to access more water than a
small turfgrass plant. Having more and longer roots typically means the landscape plants
should get watered less frequently than the turf AND for different lengths of time.
When landscape beds are watered for the same time and frequency as the turf areas, the
landscape beds can get more water than they need and/or the turf gets too little. In the first
case, the result is wasted water. In either case, the resulting excessively wet or dry soils
lead to unhealthy soils and plants which can lead to conditions that can promote weeds and
diseases.
This all points to the first element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote
healthy plants and soils: Separate the landscape beds from the turf by putting their
respective sprinklers on separate valves (zones). This way they can have different runtime
AND frequencies to meet their different plant water needs.

2. Rotating sprinklers and spray sprinklers are on separate zones (valves).
The two basic types of sprinklers used in landscape irrigation are rotating sprinklers (rotors
or rotators) and spray sprinklers. Visually, the rotors and rotators have streams of water that
move (rotate) and sprays have a fan-like spray that does not move. The principle difference
between the two that can affect wasted water is the rate at which each applies water to the
plants. The scientific term for this is called the precipitation rate.
On average, rotating sprinklers apply water at rates approximately 0.30 to 0.80 inches per
hour. Compare that to the rate for spray sprinklers of approximately 1.2 to over 2.00 inches
per hour. Both are good products, but when using them, it is important to know that sprays
apply water 3 to 5 times FASTER than rotors or rotators.
In terms of controlling wasted water, when sprays and rotating sprinklers are on the same
valve, the areas covered by the sprays will be 3 to 5 times WETTER! (Author's Note: There
is one type of spray that is an exception.) This, too, creates either overly wet or dry areas
and therefore unhealthy plants and soils.
This leads to the second element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote
healthy plants and soils: Put rotors or rotators on separate valves (zones) from spray
sprinklers. This again allows the sprinkler types to be timed to match the different outputs of
water.

3. Operating pressures of the sprinklers are as close to the manufacturer’s recommendations as practical.
Manufacturers design and make nozzles for sprinklers to operate within a specific range of
pressures (psi). Trained irrigation professionals use the nozzle performance charts from the
manufacturers to give them the minimum and maximum pressures for a specific type of
sprinkler with a specific nozzle.
The difference is when the sprinklers are operating in the middle of the
range (the recommended range) they are closer to optimum performance. When operating
them towards either end of the range, the performance can be just adequate. The closer to
optimum performance, the better the chances are to avoid poor coverage (wet or dry areas).
When dry areas are noticed, the common remedy is to increase the runtimes to get the dry
areas more water. This makes the sufficiently covered areas wet and the wet areas wetter.
Addressing the cause of the pressure problems is the recommended action.
This is the basis for the third element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote
healthy plants and soils: Design the water source and the piping system, along with
sprinkler and nozzle selection, to ensure the sprinklers are operating as close to optimum
pressures as practical (as defined by the manufacturers). This will help to avoid overly wet
or overly dry areas.
4. Sprinklers are installed in corners and spaced to overlap each other
All sprinkler nozzles are designed by all manufacturers to provide the most uniform
coverage when overlapping each other. This requires that sprinklers be placed in all
corners AND each sprinkler throws water all the way to the sprinklers next to them and
across from them.
This does not have to be perfect as can be seen in the illustration above. Without sprinklers
in the corners, the areas in the corners will not receive the same amount of water as the rest
of the irrigated area. This will result in having to run the sprinklers longer to compensate,
and then the middle areas will get too wet. Then the run times will have to be reduced, and
the corners will be too dry. This constantly fluctuation between overly wet and overly dry
wastes water and makes for stressed plants and poor growing conditions.
So the fourth element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote healthy plants
and soils: Sprinklers are installed in corners and spaced to overlap each other.
As a side note, all of the sprinklers need to have the correct nozzle installed. They almost
NEVER all have the same nozzle in them, even if they come from the factory that way.
Scientifically speaking, the gallons per minute of the nozzles need to be proportionate to the
degree of arc they cover. The sprinklers also need be adjusted (and kept in adjustment) so
that they do not water walkways, driveways, or other areas not intended to receive water
from the sprinklers.

5. Irrigation systems do not run when it is raining or has rained.
At the very core of being responsible to avoid wasting water in the landscape is to ensure
the irrigation system should only apply water when it is needed by the plants and NOT just
when the controller is scheduled to operate. This means that when Mother Nature supplies
adequate water to the plants in the form of rainfall, the irrigation system should not operate.
The scientific reasons for this can be understood by thinking about the needs of the plants
for air and water in the soil containing their roots. Too much water means not enough air.
So if tiny spaces within the soil have been filled with rainwater, applying irrigation during or
too soon after the rainfall event can make the soils lack the right balance of air and water.
Not enough air in the soil leads to any number of bad situations for the health of the plants.
To prevent the controller from operating as scheduled when there has been adequate
rainfall, all controllers should have a rain shut-off device. The least costly type of rain shutoff
device is a rain switch (also called a rain sensor). It can be attached to the controller
using a hard-wired or wireless connection. It works by setting a series of rain-absorbing
discs to block the controller’s signal to the valves when adequate rainfall has occurred.
A second common type of rain shut-off device is a soil moisture sensor. A high-tech sensor
is placed into the soil and it transmits (hard-wired or wirelessly) the level of moisture in the
soil to a receiver that is wired to the controller. The receiver is set up to block the signal to
the valves just like the rain sensor. A soil moisture sensor is complicated enough that a
professional irrigation contractor should complete the installation and setup.
So the fifth element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote healthy plants and
soils is: Every controller should have a rain shut-off device in order to prevent the irrigation
system form applying water during or after it rains. This helps keep the right balance of
water and air in the soil.
Unknown to many end users, a rain shut-off device is required by law in many states and
localities. At the very least, it is part of the Irrigation Association’s best management
practices, the EPA Water Sense program, and most all other minimum irrigation standards.

6. Irrigation schedules are changed to match the water needs of the season or month.
If the plant types and sprinkler types are controlled separately by being placed on different
valves (zones), and there is a rain shut-off device installed on the controller, then the timing
of the water application can effectively be regulated by the irrigation controller. This is
typically accomplished by adjusting the amount and frequency of the irrigation based on the
changing needs of the plants within each irrigation zone commonly referred to as the
irrigation schedule.
The changes in water needs of the plants are driven by a number of ever-fluctuating
conditions of the landscape within each zone:

• The size of the plants as they grow
• The time of the year (plant growth cycle – blooming, fruiting, etc.)
• The number of plants (adding or changing plants)
• The changes in the weather

At the basic level, the irrigation schedule should be adjusted seasonally. Unfortunately, it is
typical that a schedule is entered into the controller at the beginning of the year intending to
satisfy the highest water needs of the year. Then the schedule is never changed during the
year. This causes too much water to be applied in the spring and fall (and winter if there is a
12 month irrigation year).
As the plants move through their annual growth cycle and the weather
changes, so does the water need – more during the summer months and less in the spring
and fall. Any water above that line does not benefit the plant and has the potential to
contribute to the conditions for poor plant health caused by overly wet soils.
The dark-shaded area represents the amount of water wasted by setting the controller to
satisfy the peak water needs of the plants at the beginning of the year and not adjusting it
until the system is turned off for the winter. This demonstrates the common claim that when
the first four rules of preventing wasted water are combined with adjusting the controller
monthly, it typically reduces the irrigation water use by 20% to 50%.
Each lightly shaded area represents a monthly adjustment made to more closely meet the
needs of the plants. While it would increase the amount of wasted water compared to
monthly adjustments, these can be simplified into four seasonal adjustments: On (or
adjusted) for the spring; Adjusted for the summer; Adjusted for the fall; Off (or adjusted) for
the winter.
Therefore, the fifth element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote healthy
plants and soils is: Adjust the irrigation schedule to meet the changing plant water needs at
least seasonally, or better yet, monthly.
This can be accomplished automatically by features found in some more advanced (but still
very affordable) controllers or the even more advanced “Smart” controllers. For Smart
controllers to be effective, the first three rules MUST be in place and a trained professional
is needed to set up the controller with specific information about the sprinklers, the plants,
the soils, and other conditions in the landscape, and only trained professionals are allowed
to make adjustments.

7. Components of the irrigation system are observed operating at least two times per irrigation year to ensure proper operation.
Most landscape irrigation systems are scheduled to operate during times of the day when
they will not interfere with the use of the landscape. This typically means they operate in the
wee hours of the morning. The result: No one sees them and therefore does not know if
they are operating correctly. The effect of things that might be out of adjustment or broken
can often be invisible until the physical damage they cause becomes extreme or plants are
dead. The sooner the problem is identified, the more the negative effects can be minimized.
The simplest of things can create significant amounts of wasted water or unhealthy
conditions for the plants. Examples of sprinkler problems that regularly require adjustment
regardless of the quality of installation are:

•  Crooked or Tilted
•  Misaligned – Water is not going where it is intended
•  Sunken – Sprinkler does not pop up high enough
•  Broken – Mower, vehicle, or vandalism damage
•  Clogged – Debris in the system clogs the sprinkler filter or nozzle
•  Overspray - Sprinkler throws onto the fence, building, roads, driveways, or sidewalks
•  Blocked – Plants normal growth obstructs the water from getting to the intended areas
•  Leaks – Aging seals in sprinklers, sprinkler connections to pipes, or the pipes themselves
• Changes in Pressure – As the development or community is built out, the demand for water increases and everyone is irrigating during the same hours causing the pressure to decrease

Thus the seventh element of the seven to minimize wasted water and promote healthy
plants and soils is: At least two times during the irrigation year, all sprinklers, valves, rain or
soil moisture sensors, and other critical components should be observed in operations and
maintained. This may not be frequent enough for components like filters, lake screens, foot
valves, or others.
An irrigation system is much like the braking and suspension systems in an automobile:
they both are essential support systems which require regular preventative maintenance.
Preventative maintenance beyond just regular observations may prevent catastrophic
failures and lower the operational costs of the irrigation system. The items that are
preplaced BEFORE they fail as part of a yearly preventative maintenance program should
include items such as: valve solenoids or diaphragms, rain sensor discs, waterproof wire
connectors at the valves, riser seals in sprinklers, and worn sprinkler nozzles. The
frequency of these preventative maintenance actions ranges from between 3 and 5 years,
depending on how often the system is used during the year.

7.5 Look for Licensed and Certified Professional Irrigation Contractors
The average person owner does not perform anything more than the most simple of
maintenance activities on their automobile because of complexity, time, or a lack of
understanding of how working on one component will affect the operation of other. An
irrigation system is no different. But finding a professional who does understand these
things about an irrigation system can be intimidating. This is where national trade
associations can help. Look for landscape and irrigation professionals with irrigation
licenses (where required) and/or national certifications.
The Irrigation Association (IA) is the national certifying body for
the irrigation industry that offers the following certifications that
would benefit both residential and commercial property
owners.

• Certified Irrigation Contractor: Experienced business owners who execute irrigation projects to install, maintain and repair irrigation systems.
• Certified Irrigation Designer – Residential, Commercial, or Golf: Establish specifications and design drawings for irrigation projects.
• Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor – Landscape or Golf: Evaluate the irrigation system conditions and water-use data, as well as test and measure the components.
• Certified Landscape Water Manager: Evaluate, operate, manage and improve landscape irrigation systems to achieve the highest level of water conservation possible.
• Certified Irrigation Technician: Technicians that install, maintain, and repair irrigation systems.

The professionals who have achieved these credentials must complete continuing education
to maintain them. Look for companies that are active in the state or local trade associations
and community events. They have the industry and local knowledge that provide the best
possible solutions to minimize wasted water and promote healthy plants and soils and focus
on industry best practices to ensure high value for the money invested.

If your Zoysia lawn is suffering from dead spots this summer like the photo above, you aren't alone. Although Gainesville lawns have historically been St. Augustine grass, Zoysia has began making a major push as the turf of choice for a few years. With valid and proven claims of chinch bug-resistance and drought tolerance, even strict homeowner's associations like Haile Plantation that previously only allowed St. Augustine lawns have begun to allow Zoysia sod in their neighborhood.    However, it is extremely important to realize how Zoysia grass reacts to drought and what makes it drought-tolerant. It isn't that it needs less water than St. Augustine lawns or that it stays green longer than St. Augustine, either. Actually, it's quite the opposite. Zoysia actually turns brown before St. Augustine when facing drought stress and needs the same amount of water to stay green. The difference is the fact that Zoysia actually lives through the drought whereas St. Augustine will die.    To save you time and reading, a visual presentation (YouTube video) may help make a better explanation.  

That's great information to have. However, now you have brown spots in your Zoysia lawn and you want to know how to get them green again. Here is the approach I use on our client's lawns:

 

1. INCREASE WATER: If the problem is drought stress, naturally the first step would be to increase the amount of water it's getting and how long it sits on the lawn. Many people will worry about their GRU water bill at this point, but it comes down to asking yourself, "what is more important?" A green vibrant lawn or your water bill? Only you can make that choice. There are several ways to increase the water gettting to your lawn's roots: (here is a tutorial on how to change your Gainesville irrigation timer settings)
   • Increasing the frequency (watering more often)
   • Increasing the duration (minutes that the zones run)
   • Setting back the start time (running earlier in the morning so the water saturated the lawn longer before evaporation by the sun). 
2. HYDRETAIN - If the heat and drought is affecting your lawn, but the irrigation requirements or GRU bill consideration give you pause to increase your watering, the next step is to use a produsct called Hydretain. It's a product that alows your lawn to retain 50% more water than it currently does and will help your lawn utilize each ounce of water it gets to the fullest. Here is a link to learn about how it works. Long story short, it holds more moisture in the ground when in drought situations to help the grass stay healthy, and it's relatively inexpensive, too. It's only $95-$125 and lasts for 3 months (which is all we really need to make it through summer). 
3. THATCH - After you see your moisture in your soil increase, rake out the thatch from the dead areas to promote the regeneration of your Gainesville lawn. Currently, that thatch is acting like a mulch and buffer from the heat, helping to hold moisture on the soil longer and keep the soil cooler. But once the lawn starts to regrow, that thatch will actually deter it from rejuvenation. For that reason, after a few weeks of irrigation and hydretain, rake it out.
4. PEST PREVENTION - Although Zoysia is chinch bug resistant, when it faces drought stress it can get insect damage. Similar to a human's immune system being lowered, Zoysia grass loses it's pest-resistance as it gets more stressed - and that attracts the lawn pests you don't want making your problem worse. Have your lawn sprayed by a licensed lawn pest control company.

Taking those 4 steps should have your lawn rejuvenated in a few weeks. As the green returns and the summer rains get re-started, you can back the irrigation times up and begin fertilizing for the fall. 

If you feel that your irrigation system isn't functioning properly, we would love to schedule a $95 One-Hour Irrigation Tune-up with Mike, our sprinkler technician. If you feel that chinch bugs may be contributing to your brown lawn, schedule a meeting with our lawn pest control technician, Joe. If we can be of help in any way, please call our office at (352) 378-LAWN today, or fill out our online request by clicking the above links.