The lawn of your home is one of the first things people will see when they visit or pass by. That is why you need to take proper care of it so that it looks good. Besides killing weeds and trimming the grass, one of the important parts of lawn care is to keep it properly watered.
Lawns need much water to thrive and it can be difficult to meet those demands with a manual garden hose. That is why you will need a proper irrigation system. Here are some tips on how you can set one up properly:
Find the Right Pump
It starts with finding the right pump for your system. This is because many of the pumps advertised as irrigation pumps are just for single hose use. You want something more robust like the many branded pumps out there designed for this exact purpose. For example, look into high-quality pumps for sale from brands such as Davey.
Besides looking for specific pumps, you should also look into their specifications. Aim for pumps that have high water pressure to ensure that the water flowing through your system will reach every part of your lawn.
Get the Right Sprinklers
The other half of the irrigation equation are the sprinklers that you will use. Don’t think that misting sprinklers are the best choice. In some situations, they may work. But most of the time, they just end up spraying all the water into the air. This wastes water and does not irrigate your lawn. Pick out rotary or impact sprinklers that will keep the water close to the ground. This ensures that your lawn gets the water it needs as efficiently as possible.
Check the Soil
Different soils react to water in different ways. If you want your lawn to enjoy proper irrigation, you need to check the soil while watering. This should be easy enough. You only need a small shovel or trowel. Water your lawn for 30 minutes and then stop. Dig a little to see how far the water reaches. You don’t even need to make a big dent – you will immediately see how far the water reaches with a simple turn.
The goal is for your irrigation system to spread water down to three or four inches into the soil. If this is not done yet, then water again for 15 minutes and check again. Repeat this process until water penetration is ideal and remember how long it took to do so for your timer.
Use a Programmable Timer
Watering your lawn is best in the morning when it is still cool, but you do not need to wake up early just to turn the irrigation system on. Buy a programmable timer and integrate it into your sprinkler system.
Your lawn needs to look great if you want it to impress the people passing by. The right irrigation system will eliminate one of the issues that make your lawn look bad. With the tips above, you can have an efficient system that will reduce the work you need to do. Set it up correctly and even on the hottest days, your grass will be as green as ever.