Time to turn on the sprinkler system

With the warming days, the long weekend is a great time to check out the sprinkler system and make repairs and adjustments.

Where to start.  Check out the backflow prevention device--the above-ground device usually found along the foundation.  If this part had winter freeze damage, water will spray out when it's turned on.  If so, turn off the water.  This is one repair that you will most likely need a pro to fix. 

Next, turn on the water and look at the sprinkler heads. There are usually 2 to 3 levels of work involved. 

• Make adjustments.  When sprinklers are spraying the street instead of the grass, they need to be adjusted.  
• Look for geysers or malfunctioning heads.  The easiest repair is unclogging heads.  For geysers or other problems, the whole sprinkler head may need to be replaced--or in some cases, just the nozzles that direct the water.   

Incorporate new technology when making replacements.  This saves wear and tear in the long run.  Replacing the immovable pipe under sprinkler heads with bendable swing pipe, for example, will make your sprinkler system more durable.  This pipe flexes under heavy weight and is less likely to break in situations such as when a tire drives over the sprinkler. 

Many repair-related upgrades can make your sprinkler system longer-lasting and help you save water.

Check out the timer.   

• Make sure the clock is plugged back in after the winter.  
• Put in a new battery.  The battery is your back-up to save the watering program--and you the grief of re-entering your program all over again--if the power goes off.
• Time to replace the timer?  Upgrade to a model that knows when to water and when not to.  There are lots of affordable options, plus many municipalities and water providers offer rebates for water-saving upgrades.

Schedule watering times based on the sprinkler heads.  How long you water each time you water should relate directly to the type of sprinkler heads you have.

• Rotor heads--the ones that shoot water a long distance and move side-to-side--need to water longer periods, but never more than about 20 minutes at one time. 
• Spray heads should never run more than 8 to 10 minutes at a time. 
• Cycle and soak.  If you run the sprinklers longer than these recommended times, most or all of the water will run off the grass and be wasted.  When the grass may need more than these amounts, operate the sprinklers the 10-20 minute maximum and schedule another cycle later. 

Watering more on one day with many days in between watering will build healthier, deeper roots and make the grass much more drought tolerant than frequent, light watering.