There are a lot of things on your mind this time of year, of course, the holidays, the last month of the NFL season, new year’s resolutions; but how about your irrigation system? If you want a lush landscape in the spring, you should spend a least a little bit of time thinking about what waters your lawn.

Winter is a quiet season for your yard. Most things are dormant, but that doesn’t mean your grass and plants don’t need water. A healthy lawn needs about an inch of water a week, and in the winter, Mother Nature isn’t providing much rain, so it’s up to your irrigation system, and that means making some adjustments.

Watering worries
When it comes to setting up your system for the season, listen to your lawn, it will tell you what it needs. If blades are folding in half and the grass takes on a greenish-blue color it needs water. Then take a walk on it, if you can see your steps 30-minutes later, the lawn is telling you to turn those sprinklers on.

There are also signs that your irrigation system is on too much too. If you see winter weeds like, Chickweed, Shepherd’s Purse or Speedwell, it’s time to dial down your watering times. During these months, it’s probably safe to only water once a week.

Overwatering now can also lead to significant problems in the spring. Too much water forces oxygen out of the soil, which can damage and even kill your lawn’s root system.

Scrutinize sprinklers
Don’t forget your sprinklers. Make sure they all work properly and are spraying where they should. Take a walk around your yard while they are popping up to see where they point and look out for any obstructions that may have grown near the heads since your last check.

We know that your irrigation timer can be an intimidating piece of equipment, all those switches, and that display-yikes! But’s it’s a system that you have to master in this year-long job of keeping a healthy lawn. 

Irrigation is a big part of what we do at Esterline Landscape. Our pros install and maintain hundreds of irrigation systems every year, and are the experts on all the grasses and soil that cover Central Florida.

We would love to make sure that your irrigation system is working this winter so that you won’t have to replace your plants and have to install new turf in the spring.