Growing Carrots

dennish@ext.usu.edu (Dennis Hinkamp) — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:00:00 MST

Growing Tomatoes

dennish@ext.usu.edu (Dennis Hinkamp) — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:00:00 MST

Open publication - Free publishing - More gardening

Time to Check Your Home Irrigation System

dennish@ext.usu.edu (Dennis Hinkamp) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 MST

Contact:	Utah State University Extension
	Julene Reese
	Utah State University
	Phone: 435-797-0810
	E-Mail: julene.reese@.usu.edu

How to Make Your Sprinkler System Efficient

LOGAN, UT –

Answer by: Taun Beddes, Utah State University Extension horticulturist

Automated sprinkling systems are very convenient, but they can also be big water wasters. Consider these tips to reduce summer water consumption by up to 50 percent.

• Check the entire sprinkling system thoroughly before activating. Check all exposed pipes, hose bibs and sprinkler heads for damage and repair as necessary. Pressurize the system and observe the main line from the shut-off point near the street to the valve box to ensure there are no leaks. Wait a few hours while the main line is pressurized to allow time for leaks to appear. Then turn on valves one at a time, and observe individual sprinklers. They will often have clogs or need readjustment. After running a valve for a few minutes, walk its length to ensure there are no underground leaks.

• Once the sprinkling system functions properly, perform a water efficiency check. Place several containers (soup cans work well) in a line on a particular valve and run the sprinklers for 10 to 15 minutes. After this period, shut off the sprinklers and measure the amount of water in each container, then, multiply the measurement to determine how many inches per hour are emitted per spot. Average these numbers to see how many inches per hour are emitted per zone. Correct the differences that occur from container to container and from valve to valve. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/watercheck. USU Extension county offices often have free water cups for checkout. Contact your local Extension office for more information.

• Consider not using the timer. Using a timer indiscriminately is akin to forcing ourselves to drink a large amount of water every two hours, whether we need it or not. We drink water on an as-needed basis. Irrigate the lawn in the same fashion. Several signs will determine when to water the lawn, including visible footprints when the lawn is walked on, brown patches that appear and a screwdriver that cannot be easily inserted into the soil in multiple areas. Another reason not to use a timer is that different areas of the yard require different amounts of water. Areas in full sun require more frequent irrigation than shaded areas.

• Do not irrigate on a daily basis. During the hottest time of the year, lawns in Northern Utah require 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches of water weekly. Apply this in greater amounts less often to condition the lawn to become more drought tolerant and less attractive to common lawn pest. In the past when flood irrigation was more common in residential areas, lawns were only watered once a week and they thrived. It seems now, with modern sprinkling systems, more problems occur than before. Try spacing irrigation at least two to three days apart and apply at least 1/2 inch of water each time.

Direct column topics to: Julene Reese, Utah State University Extension writer, 435-797-0810 or julene.reese@.usu.edu.

Cooperative Extension - News

Growing Carrots

Growing Tomatoes

Time to Check Your Home Irrigation System

How to Make Your Sprinkler System Efficient

Further Reading