Do you feel it? The crispness in the air? Or maybe your experiencing the bountiful vegetable harvest and the start of sweater weather! We’re entering the fall season and pretty soon you’ll start seeing the pumpkin decorations everywhere. It a sign to book your sprinkler blowout and winterization.
With our cold Minnesota winters, irrigation winterization is a vital maintenance task. It helps prevent frozen lines or water expansion damage. You made an investment by installing an irrigation system; keeping it properly maintained will protect that investment.
If you have any questions about winterizing your sprinkler system and yard, our team can simplify your fall yard cleanup and maintenance. Contact us about our fall service packages.
When Should You Stop Watering Your Lawn or Gardens?
With the cooler temperatures in the fall, your lawn needs less water, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop completely. This is particularly true since the autumn weather is perfect for:
- lawn fertilization, aerating, and overseeding
- planting a new tree
- and adding a layer of mulch to your garden beds.
These winter maintenance tasks will help your lawn and gardens thrive the following spring.
Since your established plants will need less to drink during autumn, it’s also important to watch for signs of overwatering. Overwatering leads to fungal growth and lawn damage. Make sure to water in the morning so that your soil has time to absorb the water before the evening temperature drop. Conversely, regular watering after overseeding helps your seed establish strong roots and promotes growth, so be sure to keep up the schedule.
Overall, the fall is the time to lessen your watering amount and conveniently save on your watering bill. Reduce watering until the average nighttime temperatures are in the high 30s, then stop. Generally, this means to stop before the ground is frozen. If you’ve scheduled your sprinkler winterization in October, depending on the weather, you may need to hand water afterwards.
What is Sprinkler Winterization?
If you leave water in your irrigation system, it will freeze over the winter. And as any young budding scientist will tell you, water expands when frozen. This expansion cannot only burst an irrigation line, but it can also damage sprinkler heads or other system components. Therefore, it is important to get all the water your lines.
The water is blown out of the lines with an air compressor. The air pushes all of the standing water from your lines zone-by-zone and ultimately helps prevent extensive — and potentially expensive — component replacement in the spring.
When Should You Schedule Your Sprinkler Blowout?
Right now (mid-September) until before the first extended overnight freezing temperatures (usually the first part of November) is the ideal time to schedule your Minnesota sprinkler system blowout. Once your irrigation system has been winterized, do not turn the water on until the following Spring.
When do I start my sprinklers back up in the spring?
Spring sprinkler system start-up seems like it should be the turn of a dial, but a small investment in having a professional start it up will help identify any repair needs and prevent a much larger investment later on.
A Rock Solid technician will inspect your lawn irrigation system for any sprinkler heads that need replacing or if a line was damaged in the winter. They will also make sure each zone is functioning effectively for your grass and garden plants’ watering needs. By optimizing your sprinkler system, you’re saving money and making sure your yard is healthy.
For the majority of our clients, minor adjustments can fix most problems with your sprinkler system. Plus, the consistent service and maintenance extends the life of your irrigation system.
The best time to book your sprinkler start-up is after any threat of frost. You don’t want to kickstart your plant growth, only to have it die due to freezing. Historically, this is late April into May.
Contact us today to learn more about keeping your sprinkler system running effectively all year long.
