5 Ways an Irrigation System Will Protect Your Landscape Investment in Westchester County, NY
Keeping your landscape looking great over time depends largely on keeping the greenery healthy. Very often, watering can be difficult because different plants have different needs. To get ahead of the problem of correct watering amounts and schedules, there are some excellent solutions with professionally installed irrigation systems. Here are five ways an irrigation system will protect your landscape investment in Westchester County, NY.
Related: 6 Immediate Benefits of an Irrigation System in Lagrangeville and Hopewell Junction, NY
Better Water Use
One common solution is to water everything - a lot. One recommendation is to water deeply to about 2”, but how do you know how long this takes with the average sprinkler? How much water is being wasted with heavy watering that doesn’t soak into dry soil immediately? A slower pace of watering is much better for soil absorption and it’s more effective for deep watering, but it’s difficult to get the amounts right, and of course it involves constant repositioning of sprinklers. An irrigation system will use a calibrated amount of water dispersed over a specific time to allow for maximum absorption at a slower and more sustainable rate.
Watering the driveway, walkway, and patio is a common flaw of traditional sprinklers that can only be partially adjusted - and this is an incredible waste of water that can result in pooling water (which can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes) or runoff that results in overwatered areas. Irrigation systems feature more sprinkler heads for targeted watering, even next to hardscape areas.
Using water wisely will benefit your landscape as well as your wallet with lower water bills in the hottest days of summer.
Better Use of Your Time
The best time for watering is the early morning. The air is much cooler at this time and far less evaporation will occur. To avoid waking up with the birds, an automated irrigation system will handle all of your plants’ watering needs at the optimal time.
The Right Amount of Water at the Right Time
It may seem that the day you finally get around to watering your landscape after many days of blazing sun, the skies open up with a deluge and then your landscape is overwatered. Smart irrigation systems will monitor not only current precipitation levels but moisture levels in the soil to avoid overwatering. If a sudden rainstorm hits while the system is on, it will automatically shut off.
Soil Nutrient Retention
When soil dries out, it takes a while before water can absorb into it. When excess water doesn’t absorb into the soil it pools or starts to run downstream. If it runs off, it will carry many precious nutrients with it, depleting the soil. The topsoil and the nutrients it holds is essential for the healthy growth of the plants in your landscape. Weeds can also propagate in areas of low nutrient retention, so there’s another reason to rely on the irrigation system to keep your soil consistently moist, which makes water absorption much easier.
Targeted Watering
Over- and under-watering specific plants is a given with traditional sprinkler systems that can’t be adjusted for flow. With irrigation systems, you can create watering zones that modulate the amount and duration of watering to keep plants happy and healthy: high volume around your veggie garden, low volume for shady areas with little vegetation, and so on. Irrigation systems are customizable to your landscape - and they take the guesswork out of watering.
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