Are you tired of watering your lawn? Maybe you use above-ground sprinklers that connect with your outdoor faucet, but find that these tools aren’t effectively watering your lawn.
Conversely, you may have an older automatic sprinkler, and the water is running off your hilly areas. How can you reduce water waste and lower your water bills?
July is Smart Irrigation Month, a perfect time to learn better irrigation practices that save you money while conserving water.
In this blog post, you’ll learn more about
· How Much Water Does Your Lawn Need?
· Level Up Your Lawn Irrigation for Maximum Efficiency
· Upgrade Your Automatic Sprinkler System for Smart Lawn Irrigation.
Read this guide to help you use smart irrigation while maintaining a beautiful, healthy lawn.
How Much Water Does Your Lawn Need?
Smart lawn irrigation begins with understanding your turf’s watering needs. For example, your turf requires deep, infrequent watering, approximately 1-2 times a week.
However, smart watering depends on the type of grass growing in your yard as well as the current weather conditions. Different turf varieties have diverse watering needs throughout the summer.
Since every grass type has different irrigation needs, it’s best to invest in a smart water irrigation system, including weather-based controllers (WBICs) and soil moisture sensors.
While July is usually the hottest and driest month of the summer, some years experience a lot of rain, while others have hardly any. These controllers and sensors regulate the amount of irrigation your lawn requires at any given time.
Learn more: Choosing the Best Irrigation Systems for Your Lawn & Landscape
Level Up Your Lawn Irrigation for Maximum Efficiency
Your lawn requires the right amount of irrigation to encourage deep root growth, allowing roots to access moisture stored deep in the ground. A smart irrigation system will provide the right amount of water at the right time for root development.
Additionally, simple changes to irrigating your lawn can save you thousands of gallons of water every year. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says that up to half of all outdoor water use is wasted.
Here are simple habit changes that help conserve water:
· Replace the standard clock-based irrigation controller with a WaterSense-labeled weather-based controller. This will save you nearly 7,600 gallons of water yearly.
· Add rain and soil moisture sensors to your automatic sprinkler system, which can protect your lawn from overwatering during rainfall.
· Set your automatic sprinkler system to cycle-and-soak if you have clay soils. Cycle-and-soak divides a zone’s total watering time into many shorter cycles to prevent runoff, encourage deeper root growth, and boost turf health.
· Switch to modern rotary spray nozzles to reduce run-off and help the soil absorb water efficiently.
Enhance your lawn irrigation by investing in tools that promote water efficiency. You’ll notice a difference when you change your watering habits.
Learn more: Summer DIY Lawn Care
Upgrade Your Automatic Sprinkler System for Smarter Lawn Irrigation
Upgrading your irrigation controller, spray heads, and adding sensors will save you money on your bills in the long term, while also conserving water and reducing runoff.
Here are seven ways to upgrade your automatic sprinkler system for smarter lawn irrigation:
1. Switching from a clock-based controller to a WBIC to improve irrigation scheduling—a WaterSense WBIC can save you approximately 7,600 gallons of water yearly.
2. Add rain sensors to stop scheduled lawn irrigation when it rains.
3. Install microirrigation systems in your landscape and gardens.
4. Replace your current spray heads with rotary ones.
5. Install master valves and flow sensors.
6. Use soil moisture-based irrigation controllers.
7. Perform a water audit on your automatic sprinkler system to find leaks, inefficiencies, and areas where water is wasted within your irrigation zones.
Invest in Brinly Lawn Care Equipment for a Smarter Yard
Did you know that reliable lawn care equipment, including aerators, dethatchers, fertilizer spreaders, and other lawn attachments, makes irrigation more efficient and eco-friendly.
Once you’ve upgraded your lawn irrigation system, you should also invest in lawn care tools for a greener, denser yard. Brinly’s lawn care attachments complement a smart water sprinkler system by promoting healthy soil conditions, nutrient application, and lawn debris management.
Our lawn equipment includes:
· Aerators
Save 30% off select Brinly products this month when you use promo code FREEDOM30. Find your next Brinly lawn care equipment at these online retailers.
Do you have questions about your Brinly lawn care attachment? Contact our customer service, and someone will be in touch with you.
Sources:
AtYourService.Seattle.gov, FAQ: What Are Common Watering Systems and How Do I Use Them?
DenverWater.org, Be Smart with Your Sprinklers—‘Cycle and Soak.’
EPA.gov, Microirrigation.
Ibid., Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers.
YellowstoneLandscape.com, Smart Irrigation: Water Conservation and Efficiency.