My lawn is thick and green. I like it that way, but the truth is, I do not like to spend very much of my time maintaining my yard. Many people enjoy spending hours primping their landscaping but not me! I follow a few simple guidelines, and it keeps my yard healthy without too much effort on my part.

1. Fertilizer, weed killer, and bug prevention. - Twice a year I go to the hardware store and buy the fertilizer that is on display. The store displays the appropriate fertilizer type for my area at the right time; that's what they do. I use a broadcast spreader, and around September/October, I place a "winterizer" type fertilizer. In February/March, I put down a fertilizer/weed killer combo to prepare for spring, and in March/April, I will spread some combo insect killer to prevent ants, grubs, and other lawn pests. These treatments are generally all I do unless there is an insect problem that I am trying to control.

2. Cut at second highest mower setting. - I raise my mower all the way. Then I lower it one setting and leave it there for the entire summer. I read a description once that said, "Cutting the grass high is like giving the grass a haircut and chopping off the heads of the weeds." Essentially, the important part of the weeds is at the top, and on grass it is lower. By mowing each week at the same level, I only cut off the tips of the lawn each week, allowing the grass to flourish and the weeds to fail. I mow my lawn once a week and edge once every 2-3 weeks.

3. Use a mulching mower. - I always set my mower to mulch the clippings and return them to the lawn. It is food for the grass, and best of all, I do not have to bag all of the clippings. It takes me 25 minutes to mow my front lawn, but when I bag the clippings, it takes almost an hour and a half. I do not want to spend all day mowing my lawn.

4. Water about 1" each week. - I want to give my lawn 2 or 3 waterings each week, putting down about 1/2" of water each time, but I also try to save money by not watering my lawn too often. If I skip a watering, I keep a close watch on the lawn, and if it looks dry or if my tracks stay on the grass when I walk across it, I water right away. I do not have an automatic underground sprinkler system. If it rains enough, I do not water, but if it is dry, I use my sprinklers. I placed a flat bottom, straight-sided pan on my lawn while I watered one day and found that in 1 hour, my sprinklers put 1/2" of water into that pan. Now I know if I water for 1 hour, I get 1/2" of water. I do that twice-a-week to keep my lawn watered.

5. Make it easy. - I have looked at what tasks take the most time to take care of my lawn and found ways to simplify them.

I found that I was spending 5-10 minutes aiming the lawn sprinkler every time I watered. One day I looked around after getting sprayed while running from the sprinkler that I had thrown into my lawn, and a neighbor was watching me and laughing. Why didn't my house come with some sensible method to water my lawn? I now use a sprinkler that stays aimed in-between waterings. The Watering Made Easy Sprinkler Stations (http://www.wateringmadeeasy.com/) are available for about $30.

I put 3 of these in my front lawn, and they are great. I have not messed with a surface sprinkler since I got them. These sprinklers are very cool. They hide underground while they are not in use. When I am ready to water, I plug my garden hose into the sprinkler and it pops up and waters. It is like the underground sprinklers, but I did not have to bury long pipes. It was very easy to put in my lawn and use; I am about to put in 2 more for my back yard.

It seemed like too much trouble to hang my hose, so I often left it out on my lawn, or piled it up behind my fence. Now I use hose reels to store my hoses, and it is much easier and quicker to roll them up than it was to hang the hose. I plan to get the new hose reels that use water pressure to automatically roll in the hose, but I have not gotten one yet. Maybe I'll get one for Father's Day!

I put a shut off timer on my spigot and then a 4-hose adapter. Now I can run 3 hoses to 3 sprinklers and still have one extra spigot to use without unscrewing a hose. I set the timer for 1 hour, and I plug in the sprinklers. It automatically shuts off in an hour, and I roll up the hoses when it is convenient. I usually start the sprinklers when I leave for work and roll up the hoses when I get home. I have heard it is best to water in the morning.

I use a micro-sprinkler system in my front flowerbed. It is basically tubing that I ran under the mulch, and it has spikes that stick up and spray water. I got this kit at Lowe's too. It connects to the spigot on the other side of my house, and I have a timer that shuts it off.

That is all I do, but it keeps my lawn looking great. Easy!

Author: Jason Cecil

Did you know that studies have shown that homeowners can expect a 7-18% increase in property value with the addition of a sprinkler system? Experts agree that the increase in property value is not a direct result of the sprinkler system but the curb appeal that the sprinkler system creates. Green grass sells homes for more money.





If you are thinking of installing a sprinkler system for your home or business, you may hesitate if you have seen how many offers and products are on the market now. How are you going to choose the right irrigation sprinkler system for your needs?





In this article I will try to answer at some questions which arise when you are thinking to install an irrigation system.





Aren’t all sprinkler systems the same?





With any product or service there are always different brands of quality. Be careful, there are a lot of consumer grade products on the market. Thinking that you would like to not repair your irrigation system very often you should think at high quality products, as Hunter for example. Hunter Industries is the world’s leading manufacturer of residential and commercial irrigation equipment, their products being known worldwide for their exceptional features and performance. Rainbird, Nelson, Toro, Weathermatic are other brands well known for their quality too. All these products are latest technology, and this is what you are looking for. But keep in mind that no matter how awesome the technology is, it should be used as part of a complete solution in order to be effective. Be sure that you know the right installation procedures proven to ensure reliable and efficient performance.





Shall I install an irrigation sprinkler by myself?





Yes and … no. If you do it yourself you will enjoy it (100% sure), you will understand the system very well and it will be cheaper BUT it will take longer time than if a contractor will do it for you, it will require hard work and most probably you will not design and set up the system as well as a long time experience contractor.





How long will it take to install a sprinkler system?





Depending on the system size and type, soil condition, time of the year, the area type (hills area or with a lot of trees) it can take few hours up 2 days. A residential area usually takes 1 day.





Should I think at the maintenance from the beginning?





Annually you will need to winterize your system against freezing. Look for a company which provides this kind of services, which includes blowing out the lines in the fall and then restarting the system in the spring and any other necessary adjustments.





Will the installing procedures damage my lawn? How long it will take for it to recover?





Depending on the technology you use to install the sprinkler, your lawn can be less or more damage. You will not need to worry about the mess and the inconvenience caused by PVC pipe placement if you choose to have a sprinkler system installed through trenchless technology.





How much a sprinkler system costs?





The irrigation sprinkler system’s cost depends on few factors:





- The size of the yard - if you have a larger garden or a grass lawn, you'll definitely need a good quality spray nozzle or sprinkler. For small areas, the most efficient is rotary sprinkler that waters the lawn from the tips of few spray arms that spin.





- The source of the water – wells or water city, local ponds or rivers, all of them could be used as water source for an irrigation system. You need to know the water pressure and flow rate; these are measured in a different way for different water source.





- The concept of the system – depending on the zones of the sprinkler, your system can be les or more expensive. For some yards it is impossible to water all the area with the same sprinkler. The entire area should be divided in zones in this case, and a pipe network should be used.





- The type of the sprinkler system needed – it can be a low cost sprinkler system (as little as $20) or a high price one. Of course you get what you pay for. A low cost sprinkler usually wastes a lot of water; require turning the water on/off manually and moving the sprinkler around the yard to guarantee that entire area is properly watered. On the other side, an automatic underground lawn sprinkler system costs more, but it is completely programmable; what you have to do is to set up the timings and the system will turn on/off the system at certain times.





There are a lot of companies ready to customize the irrigation system for your needs. If you do not have a lot of experience in this field, it’s wise to request a quote from a sprinkler company.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-choose-an-irrigation-sprinkler-system-260638.html

About the Author:

In 1990 Jason Cecil founded Southern Sprinkler, a landscaping care company which offers residential and commercial irrigation, irrigation sprinkler systems installation, maintenance and repair.

Author: Robert


When you want a lawn for beautification, the responsibility that comes with it is not just monetary expenditure but time consumption. If you have a lawn sprinkler in mind then consider the following sprinkler system DIY installation guide. The easy do-it-yourself sprinkler system eliminates the issue of additional expenses. If you can find time to spare in the installation of the sprinkler system then brace yourself as we journey to the step-by-step guide installation process.



Steps on Sprinkler System Installation



1.Build the manifold. The manifold is the set of control valves which you attach to the PVC lengths. When the water comes to the manifold it reroutes the water accordingly. Manifolds can either be designed above ground level or buried underneath for cleaner lawn areas.



2.Excavate the V-shape channels where you can position the sprinkler system DIY. Dig an 8-inch deep channel for the pipe at a straight and practical level.



3.Connect the tees' to complete the water line pipes. There are 3 main locations which you need tees' attached to be able to connect the pipes to the waterline. One is after the water meter basement. Second is right before the outside hose bibb and the third is right along the supply line before the house pipes. It is vital that you put a shutoff valve for the following purposes: cleaning and emergency cases. If you need sprinkler system troubleshooting then the shutoff valve will also serve that purpose.



4.Mount the drain valves. It is important that you mount drain valves or what we call the anti-siphon valves to prevent contaminated water from entering the whole system causing polluted water to run through the household pipe.



5.Position the valves and pipes in the channels made. Start placing the pipes in its corresponding positions, but don’t forget to measure and test the riser before fully screwing the tees. This is to make sure that the risers are positioned at a 90-degree angle from the ground.



6.Install the risers. When you are done with the final pipe connections and curing of the joints, attach the risers at its exact height and then the sprinkler head. Now your sprinkler system DIY is ready for use.



7.Finally, find the exact spot where you want the controller mounted. Commonly, the control is placed in safer areas. Just run the wires to the control valves and check individually for wiring safety. Then cover the channels with soaked water to make it more compact.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/installing-lawn-sprinkler-the-easy-way-551670.html

About the Author:

The author recommends IrrigationTV for all sprinkler system troubleshooting tips. You can also find useful information on sprinkler system DIY in this content rich site.