Water is the key to any beautiful garden, but it’s not as simple as that. Too much water, improper drainage, too little water, and uneven watering are all reasons gardens fail to live up to their potential. A residential lawn irrigation company that can install irrigation and drainage systems including sprinklers that automatically direct the correct amount of water to each part of your yard.
Types of Garden Irrigation Systems
- Drip Irrigation
This type is the most water-efficient and very popular among residential lawn irrigation companies. It is often used in an area without turf. Each drop soaks into the ground before the next one comes. Drip irrigation uses a small fraction of the water spray irrigation uses, and the drip hoses can be easily moved to different zones. - Soak Hoses
This type is a bit faster than drip as the water oozes through a porous membrane that runs the length of the hose. They can be buried in the ground to reach roots and not surface plants. Soak hoses have timers, so the watering can be regulated. Regular hoses can be attached to soak hoses so the soak hoses only receive water when it is needed. - Rotor Systems
As with spray systems, these systems lose a lot of water to evaporation. They are great for large areas and provide more uniform coverage. Because of the rotor, the water is moved from place to place often enough to give the water time to soak into the ground. - Spray Systems
This is the most common type of sprinkler. It can be raised in a bed of shrubs or installed at ground level near a lawn or ground cover. They have full-circle sprays, half-circle sprays and even quarter-circle sprays, so they can be directed to a specific area. Spray systems waste the most water of all the irrigation systems, and they lend themselves to overwatering since they are commonly forgotten and left to overrun. They dump water faster than the ground can absorb it, so they need careful monitoring. With a programmable irrigation system, this is not a problem as they can be set to run for a specific time.
The Benefits of a Residential Lawn Irrigation Company
A residential lawn irrigation company provides lawn care in St. Louis that includes underground irrigation, sprinklers and drainage systems. Here are four ways a residential lawn irrigation company can increase the life and beauty of your yard:
- Promotes Evenly Applied Water
Uneven watering without drainage systems means some plants get more water than they need to grow properly and some don’t get enough. Watering by hand may be a relaxing occupation for some or an unwelcome, time-consuming job for others. Either way, to give the right amount of water to different areas of your garden takes an understanding of the types of plants, type of soil and the seasons. You can only guess at the amount of water your lawn, flowers, shrubs and trees need. A programmable irrigation system takes the guesswork out of watering. Each area of your garden receives the right amount of water at the right time of day. - Reduces Disease and Weeds
Irrigation systems work in different ways, from in-ground direct to roots systems to sprinkler systems that reduce droplets of water on leaves. Lawn irrigation may consist of the drip system that allows the water to go straight to the roots and not stay on the surface to feed weeds. This type of lawn care in St. Louis is also suitable for other flowers and shrubs. Weeds don’t get watered along with the garden plants.Without functioning drainage systems, standing water, as well as water caught on leaves are places mold and fungi can develop. A residential lawn irrigation company can install sprinklers that do not leave water on the leaves. Standing water can also be a breeding ground for insects. Drip irrigation does not allow water to remain on the surface. - Preserving Soil Nutrients
Plants need nutrients just like people do, and plants get nutrients from the soil. Watering by hand or leaving the sprinklers on too long can create a flushing system that removes the nutrients from the soil. Too much water at one time creates runoff that travels quickly through the soil carrying away nutrients. This leaves the soil useless for the plants as there is virtually, nothing to eat.Another problem with overwatering is suffocating the roots. When the runoff leaves the plant it deposits compacted soil around the root. This can crush the roots, or become a breeding ground for disease. Lawn care in St. Louis consists of carefully placed irrigation to provide the right amount of water at any given time to maintain the soil ecosystem.The opposite is also true. When you manually water, you may not have time to give enough water or you may go away on a trip and leave the watering in the hands of a neighbor who doesn’t do enough to keep your garden healthy. Dry soil may turn to dust and blow away carrying off the nutrients. This is a different type of erosion from overwatering. Not to mention without water, plants will wilt and die. - At Home or Not at Home
Whether you are at home or away, your garden needs the same amount of care. Lawn care in St. Louis mainly means watering in the morning before the sun rises and evaporates the water. The lawn and foliage have the maximum amount of time to absorb the water they need. Watering in the morning means using less water than watering during the day because there is very little evaporation. Most people don’t want to get up before sunrise to water their lawn. A programmable irrigation system solves that problem.It is also not recommended to water your lawn in the evening. It may be tempting to water by hand when the sun is low in the sky, but it means your plants are wet all through the cooler night creating a good environment for the development of fungi and rot. To increase the life of your yard, programmable sprinklers or drip irrigation at the right time of day is your best option.When you are not at home whether it is for a weekend or a month, your yard needs the same amount of care as it does when you are home enjoying it. A programmable watering system is a solution to this problem. You don’t have to wonder if you will come home to a dead lawn and drooping flowers.
The Practical Benefits of Lawn Care in St. Louis
Along with the convenience of automatic watering, you will also get some financial benefit. Lowering your water bill, increasing the value of your home and enhancing its curb appeal all benefit your bank balance. Here’s how it works:
- Saving Water
With a calibrated irrigation system, you only use the amount of water your garden needs. It can be set for the time of day, length of time for water dispersal and season. This means you never waste water in your yard. Your lawn gets more water during that hot St. Louis summer and less during the cooler, humid winter. You will see the amount you pay for water will be less when a residential lawn irrigation company installs your sprinkler and drainage systems. - Increase Home Value
Professional lawn care in St. Louis is an investment in the selling price of your home. When your yard has been treated to a programmable irrigation system, it is no longer a burden. Most people want an attractive garden around their home, but it is not a simple thing to achieve. If they can buy a house that has the garden covered, it takes a lot of the concern off their shoulders and makes the house more appealing. Especially in the backyard, a beautiful lawn and garden can be an extra living space and a safe place for children to play. - Increase Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the impression your house makes when someone drives by. In many places, curb appeal is important for keeping up the property values of the whole neighborhood. If your lawn is yellow and your plants are dying in the front yard, the curb appeal is low and if it is time to sell the house, the price you can ask may also be lower than you would like. Since this could affect the price of your neighbor’s house, they won’t like it either. A lush green lawn may be a good selling point for a buyer, but the system that automatically keeps it that way is the key to the value.
What to Expect from an Irrigation Professional
When you are ready to call a residential lawn irrigation company, you will need to follow certain regulations. The irrigation system may have a warranty with guidelines to follow, your neighborhood may have regulations and St. Louis may have city and state regulations. A professional company will know all these rules and regulations inside and out and install your system accordingly.
Your irrigation and drainage systems will be customized to fit your yard perfectly. If you already have the garden of your dreams but feel it’s time for an irrigation system, it will be customized to water the types of plants and lawn you have. If you are starting on a new project and want to design a garden with the proper irrigation system, professionals can help you choose the Professional lawn care in St. Louis includes a discussion of the type of lawn you want and what perennials, annuals, shrubs and trees you want. This includes an examination of your:
- Soil
- Drainage
- Landscaping
- Slopes
- Hardscapes
The Importance of Good Drainage Services
Proper drainage systems protect your home during times of heavy rain. They prevent soil erosion, basement structural damage, dying plants and soggy lawns. The extra amount of water has no place to stay. Drainage systems reach every area of your yard so the water has someplace to go. It is carried away to a safe place and your home doesn’t become flooded or you plants killed by oversaturation.
Standing water will, within 48 hours, becomes stagnant water full of pathogens and foul odor. It becomes a home for micro bacteria, mosquitos and other pests. Drainage services will start with a thorough examination of your property to determine the best place for the water to drain away. You may have a city drain, but the water on your property doesn’t reach it. Stagnant water can kill plants and lawns. With proper drainage services, your plants have a chance to prosper. The most common drainage systems are:
- A Swale in Your Lawn
A swale is a graded slope in your lawn that directs the water to the proper place. It can be very gradual and hardly noticeable. A swale can be as low as one inch every 10 feet. It may direct the water to a bog or a drain. - A Bog
This is an area of a garden that holds small amounts of water for some time. Some specific plants and trees are suited to the boggy place and help keep the water away from your lawn, flowers and house. - French Drain
A French drain is usually embedded in gravel and level with the ground. It has a perforated covering, so large debris can’t get in, but water and very small things pass through and are carried to a city drain. Some have mesh over them to keep out silt. - Dry Well
This type is considered a more environmentally-friendly system than the French drain. The reason is that it keeps the water onsite. The downspout and drains are directed to a storage system called a dry well. The water is gradually filtered back into the groundwater system. - Plastic Corrugated Tube
A residential lawn irrigation company mainly uses this type for the end of a downspout where water tends to accumulate. It may be buried under the spout or sit on top of the ground. It directs water to a drain or disburses it over a larger area.
Irrigating your yard may be more complicated than you thought. A residential lawn irrigation company will be able to help you choose the best approach to the type of garden you want. This makes lawn care in St. Louis easy.
