Bill Kennedy, Prestige One Landscaping Photos courtesy of Prestige One Landscaping

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Advanced technology automatically adjusts watering needs, saving both water and money for other uses.

Have you ever driven around in a rain shower and seen someone’s irrigation system running? Awhile back, I was shopping at an   extremely large shopping mall, and not only were the sprinklers running during a rain storm, several of the heads were shooting water onto a four-lane road. It is incumbent upon us to be good stewards of our natural resources, and water is one that presents us with a great opportunity. In the landscaping industry today, one of the buzzwords heard quite often is ‘green.’ This term means building our houses and landscapes to be  environmentally friendly and taking advantage of opportunities to conserve our precious natural resources. One of the many ways we can go green is to use ‘smart irrigation,’ which has been around for years but only recently become economically feasible for homeowners to implement. I’m going to outline some of your options and share three ways to lower your water bill.

Smart irrigation is accomplished by using a formula to calculate evapotrans- piration (ET) to regulate how much water your lawn and landscaping need to flourish. The large majority of irrigation systems on the market today are controlled by a timer. You set the timer to water your lawn several times a week and, during the heat of the summer, sometimes twice a day. Many times, we dump water onto our lawn when it does not need it. This is wasteful and also promotes a shallow root system.

The most accurate way to upgrade your existing system is by using a method that adapts the controller to run only when the ET formula recommends doing so. Hunter Industries has an ET system that adjusts your watering to meet the needs of your yard, achieved by installing a mini weather station that picks up the data needed to calculate the ET rate. This will save water and money by applying just the right amount of water when needed.

Another way to modify your existing system is to tie the controller to your personal computer. This gives you the ability to adjust the timer of your controller right from your PC. Irritrol  PC Control can control up to 12 zones this way. While this setup does not give you the accuracy of an ET system, it can access online forecasts and make adjustments based on the weather in your zip code. It also comes with a remote unit so you can run any zone manually from  up to 1,000 feet away — convenient when you’re troubleshooting your system or even marking the heads for some landscaping work to be done.

Recent developments in this area are taking the entire practice one step further. It is called a rainwater harvest and storage system. Kansas City has a 10,000 rain gardens initiative, which promotes capturing rain water and keeping it on your property to reduce urban flooding and pollution. Rainwater harvesting does just that and more. It is designed to tie  into your irrigation system to put that water back into your flower beds or lawn. Harvesting and storing rainwater in conjunction with an ET system, in some cases, could eliminate the need to purchase any water for irrigation. Now that shows great stewardship of our environment.

Many smart irrigation techniques will pay for themselves in the long run. In some parts of the country, payoff might be dramatic, like recovering costs within the first season of use. While many landscape projects add value to a home, upgrading   to a smart-irrigation system just makes dollars and sense.

The great thing about many of the systems coming onto the market is that they are designed to be used on existing irrigation systems. You don’t have to revamp your whole layout — it can be done simply by improving how the timer operates.

Many cities and counties are enacting legislation and codes that force homeowners to keep storm water runoff on their own properties, restrict the use of irrigation systems and require landscape architects to sign off on all new landscape installations. It is important for us to take advantage of opportunities to conserve natural resources. Smart irrigation is one way you can make a positive impact on the environment.

WEB EXCLUSIVE:

10 tips to reduce your water use

1. Put a layer of mulch around your plants. Mulching helps to retain moisture and prevents evaporation. A generous amount (3 to 5 inches) is best.

2. Install a drip irrigation system around your shrubs, hanging baskets, and flower and vegetable gardens. Drip irrigation systems use 50 percent less water than conventional sprinklers and are more efficient because they deliver water slowly and directly to the plant’s root system.

3. Install a rain sensor. Many states and local water districts now require rain sensors that interrupt the watering program when a specific amount of rain has fallen.

4. If you already have a home irrigation system, make sure you’re getting the most out of your timer. New technology makes it easier than ever to program and monitor your watering needs. Consider upgrading your timer – automatic, programmable timers save more water than mechanical models.

5. Don’t fertilize during hot, dry weather. Applying fertilizer can actually enhance drought problems. When you do feed your lawn and garden, use a slow-release fertilizer.

6. Raise the blade on your lawn mower. Closely cropped grass requires more water.

7. Recycle your grass clippings back into your lawn by using a mulching mower. You’ll not only conserve water, you’ll save time while mowing.

8. Using plants that are native to your climate require less watering and can reduce outdoor water use by 20 to 50 percent.

9. If you use a hose and portable sprinkler, purchase a hose end timer to regulate your water use.

10. Sweep your sidewalks and driveway rather than hosing them down.

—courtesy of Toro, www.toro.com