Keeping your landscape healthy requires an ongoing commitment, which is the reason many homeowners opt for professional irrigation systems. The point of professional irrigation systems is to save water, time, and money. Here’s a quick guide on the when and how of irrigation in Westchester County, NY.
Every property is different. Different property sizes, plant types, sun exposures, soils, slopes, and drainage factors mean that a “turn the sprinklers on 2 or 3 times a week” approach to irrigation will result in a landscape that gets watered suboptimally. The initial investment in a professional irrigation system will more than pay off in long-term savings as your water bill goes down and as your landscape requires less costly maintenance.
1. Watering Zones
For best results, group plants by watering needs rather than just sun and shade needs. This will help you avoid the frustration of drowning some plants while giving their neighbors adequate water.
Setting up watering zones also means irrigation that distributes water in the right direction - away from the home and hardscapes - to minimize water waste and prevent water from running off or pooling in low-lying areas. In-ground sprinklers are at an advantage over traditional sprinklers because it’s possible to direct water to a specific area, and the low arc also helps more water reach the ground instead of evaporating.
2. Deep Root Watering
Deep watering is essential for robust root growth to a depth that minimizes plant stress due to drought or heat. This means relatively infrequent but deep early-morning watering. Avoid mid-day watering, which results in a great deal of evaporation; and avoid evening watering, which can lead to mold growth. Deep watering typically means about 30 minutes, which will give plants about 1-½” of water per watering. This will need to be adjusted based on temperature and precipitation. This amount of water is needed to encourage deep and healthy root systems, not only for the lawn but for the trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. A healthy root system means a hardier landscape that’s less susceptible to damage from pests and weather fluctuations. It becomes less vulnerable to weeds.
3. Weather-Responsive Watering
Just setting a sprinkler to turn on automatically can result in too much or too little water as environmental conditions fluctuate. If you’ve ever seen sprinklers going full-blast during a rainy day and sitting unused during the blazing hot days of August, you realize how absurd this approach is. Professional irrigation systems have built-in sensors that monitor not only rainfall but soil temperature. Then the systems automatically adjust the volume and frequency of water to avoid over- and underwatering.
A properly designed irrigation system prevents plants from becoming stressed due to too much or too little water. Professional irrigation systems simplify landscape maintenance, save money, and reduce the need for toxic herbicides and pesticides.
4. Curb appeal and property value
A healthy landscape instantly improves people’s perception of your home. It’s also nice for passers-by not to have to time a mad sprint past your home when the sprinklers are on (since irrigation systems direct water only where it’s supposed to go, not on the sidewalk).
At Manzers Landscaping, we are your irrigation professionals. We understand irrigation and what it takes to design and install a custom irrigation system that is tailored specifically to your unique site requirements and save you time, effort, water, and money. We want you to enjoy a vibrant and healthy landscape instead of keeping up with your landscape’s varying watering needs!
Related: THE VALUE OF IRRIGATION FOR YOUR CROTON, NY, LANDSCAPE