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4 things to do to get your sprinklers ready to irrigate

4 things to do to get your sprinklers ready to irrigate

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1. Check your sprinklers

It’s astounding how many people turn their water on each spring and let it run without making sure that it’s functioning properly. The team of water auditors at Weber Basin Water Conservancy District have found that the causes of many homeowner’s dry spots include broken, turned, misaligned, blocked or tilted sprinkler heads. These are easy fixes and there are many videos and resources online to learn how to make these simple repairs.

Check your sprinkler system at least monthly or if a dry spot appears. Don’t increase the run time or frequency of your system when you see a dry spot; check the adjacent heads first to make sure they are covering the area adequately.

2. Make sure your filter is clean

If you have a filter at the beginning of your system, check to make sure it’s clean. People often wonder why their pressure is low and think it’s an engineering or water supply issue when in reality, water can’t pass through their filter because it’s clogged with dirt and debris.

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Shutterstock

3. Consider upgrading your timer to a more efficient model

We’ve all seen it: someone’s sprinklers going full speed even though it’s pouring rain. Many of us are culprits! It can be hard to remember to turn off your system or readjust the sprinkling schedule every time it rains and then to turn it back on when the weather dries up. Many sprinkler timer companies have developed “smart” controllers to help combat this issue. They connect to real time weather and evapotranspiration rate (how fast water is lost from turf depending upon certain weather factors) to turn off your sprinklers when it rains and readjust your schedule without you having to worry about anything.

4. Don’t water until your lawn absolutely needs it!

If you are already watering, you’re wasting water! There is absolutely no need to water until mid-May in the Utah climate. Your grass will not green up any faster. Many years, if we have a wetter spring, we can get away with not watering until June. Right now the soil is saturated with moisture and any additional you apply is either running through the soil and out of reach of the roots or it’s running off into the gutter. Waiting to water will encourage your turf to develop deep roots which will help it be much more drought tolerant when the weather gets hot.

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Brandview
Weber Basin Water Conservancy District

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