Irrigation has always been necessary for growing fruit, vegetables, and other food plants. Most of the vegetables and fruit we eat needs regular watering and testing. More recently, installing irrigation systems to regularly water our lawns and decorative plants, bushes, and trees have become popular. As a result, home irrigation systems are becoming a part of everyday life. Which means they need maintenance, cleaning, and regular adjustment.
Seasonal Cleanings and Adjustments of your Irrigation System
We don’t think much about seasonal cleaning and adjustments in Florida. The weather is relatively uniform for several months in a row, with significant changes at the start of the winter months and again just before summer. While winter seldom brings snow to Florida, it can bring overnight freezes, frost, and sudden cold snaps.
The weather changes that cause freezing temperatures can also damage irrigation systems that have not been winterized, yes, even in Florida. Maintenance is necessary for irrigation for everyday things as well. For example, a sprinkler head can change direction if it’s moved at all or even stepped on, causing it to spray water on sidewalks or driveways instead of the lawn or garden. In addition, it can be damaged if a lawnmower, car, or bicycle hits it. Finally, freezing water during a cold snap, as seldom as it occurs, can cause cracks and breaks in the hoses and pipes or even sprinkler heads and joints that travel under your lawn or gardens.
The first step in having a healthy lawn and garden through the winter is to have a conversation with your Custom Acres team. They can recommend maintenance, adjustment, or replacement where needed. They can also winterize your system to prevent damage.
Up to 50% of a household’s water use could be irrigation, depending on the seasonal needs of your lawn and garden. Maintenance and care can help keep the cost down as much as possible. After all, you clean your house, wash dishes and pots and stuff, bathe yourself and wear fresh clothes. A thriving lawn and garden is a living entity as well and needs the same attention to maintenance.
Winterization of the sprinkler or irrigation system usually consists of several standard steps.
- Your lawn care team will check the system for apparent breaks, leaks, or zones that need adjustment of the sprinkler heads.
- The system will be emptied of all water. Water expands as it freezes, so maintenance will help keep pipes and hoses from freeze-connected breakage and cracking.
- Once the freezing weather is past, everything will be checked, and the schedule of watering will be adjusted for temperature, rain expectation, and overall weather. For instance, because cold temperatures can result in your lawn and garden entering a “sleeping” state, they will need much less watering during that time. Adjusting will save water and keep your lawns and gardens healthy.
Your irrigation system will do better year-round with regular maintenance, of course. At the same time, your Custom Acres team is probably keeping an eye on other potential trouble spots. For example, a branch that seems to be sagging might mean that the branch needs attention or removal before it causes damage. Grass that has discolored spots may need treatment or removal and replacement. More delicate bushes might need to be wrapped for the winter, no matter how short the winter lasts.
Suppose your irrigation system has any jets accidentally turned and spray your house, garage, or other outbuildings with water. In that case, you should ask your lawn and garden team at Custom Acres to check the outside of the house, especially near ground level and around windows and doors, for signs of mold or mildew due to the damaged sprinkler head. Chances are they have already made a note of any problem areas and might approach you – once the sprinkler heads have been realigned or replaced – about doing a power wash for the outside of the house.
Power Wash to Protect and Finish the Job
A power wash will accomplish several things:
- Removal of mold and mildew from the outside of the house, especially near the ground and around windows and doors.
- You can request that the power wash include the driveway and eliminate the dangers of the oils and other automobile fluids on the pavement. These can be slippery and an accident waiting to happen.
- While power washing is going on, you might ask to have your patio, outdoor barbeque, or fire pit cleaned and refreshed so your outdoor living area is ready for the first beautiful night.
New Choices!
Now that your main sprinkler or irrigation system is in good order, you can start thinking of what new plants you’d like to try once the freezing weather is over. Since this is Florida, you should be safe within a month. Or perhaps grow an herb garden. Your yard care partners at Custom Acres know what plants will do well in your area and with your soil type and irrigation options.
You might consider some different types of flowers or edible plants while you’re planning, start growing some of the products for your home table, or perhaps grow an herb garden. All of these things will probably require an adjustment in your irrigation system, especially if you decide to try raised beds for plants that need to be weeded often. These will also need irrigation, whether you choose a standard system or one that will keep a constant water supply going to some unique plants or beds.
Is Winter Gone? Already?
Florida winters are short and weird. Frost on the grass for a few days is very unexpected if you haven’t experienced Florida weather year-round before. Spring has rain scheduled every afternoon for an hour or so. Summer is hurricane season, humidity is high, but waiting for news of the next hurricane is frustrating and nerve-wracking. And you might need a new roof after hurricane season. Fall is mild and humid, with random showers and thunderstorms. And then, yes, winter again, for about two weeks or a month. It’s all manageable, and your Custom Acres lawn and garden team will help with your gardening wishes.