Creating Beautiful Green Lawns

Daybreak or just before dawn is the ideal time to water your lawn.Evaporation is at a minimum, and the rising sun will quickly dry the grassreducing the likelihood of disease. Unfortunately, many of us have a day job to go to, and find it difficult at best, to go out in morning before work to get the hoses and sprinklers working.

Daytime- Daytime is also a good time to water your lawn. You can pour on generous amounts and allow it to soak in. The blades of grass dry quickly minimizing the risk of plant disease. The major disadvantage is it takes more water. Evaporation steals a portion of the water you apply, before it can soak in and reach the grass roots.

Nighttime- A lot of us choose nighttime and the hours just before dark for two reasons. First, is the simple fact that we are home. After dinner is the time many of us devote to caring for our lawns and yards. We also know that the water we apply will not be robbed by the sun through evaporation. The major disadvantage is plant disease thrives in wet, humid conditions. The water sits on the blades of grass all night, improving the breeding ground for disease.

Of course you can install an automatic sprinkler system. Then set your timers to water early in the morning without ever getting out of bed. The newest feature on the market is the new PC Control system. Control your automatic sprinklersystem from your PC. For more information on this new device click here.Jenco Irrigation has a coupon for the PC Control System.

The newest concept in irrigation control lets you manage your irrigation system from your computer! With PC Control from Irritrol, a beautiful landscape is only a click away. The first of its kind, Irritrol’s computer-controlled residential controller increases the professional installer’s productivity while providing the highest level of end-user convenience.

PC Control combines the user-friendly power of a personal computer with highly intuitive software to provide simple, at-a-glance scheduling of irrigation and landscape lighting.

Homeowners will save money with water conservation. Scheduling Advisor™ saves water by adjusting zones according to online weather forecasts. Scheduling simplicity makes it easy to customize a schedule to comply with local watering restrictions. Rain Sensor compatibility means system can shut off automatically when it rains.

Learn more about water conservation with PC Control by watching a
short video.

We have professional licensed irrigators specializing in all areas of trouble-shooting,repair and maintenance of your sprinkler systems. Jenco Irrigation will design a system that will keep your lawn watered efficiently throughout the year. We are knowledgeable with all makers of controller systems, heads and sensors and can choose or match the most effective parts for your system. We can help install a simple system to a more complex one.

As our North Texas dry weather continues, we must find ways to conserve our water resources. Several communities have also passed additional water conservation ordinances requiring home owners to save water and for violations there are penalties and fines. We are here to help with any problems that may occur in your system, controller settings and sensors. Don’t forget your beds and foundation during this all important time. System conversions to drip irrigation and installation of soaker hoses will save 70% of the water used when compared to a conventional spray system. A typical bed can be easily converted and most conversions are very cost effective in terms of water savings vs. initial investment. Drip irrigation is the most effective watering system developed today. Watering takes place very slowly under the mulch allowing much more water to reach the shrubs and plant roots helping to eliminate run off, evaporation and air born misting and evaporation.

Additionally, we highly recommend a system diagnostic each year to correct head spray patterns and trajectory and make any necessary adjustments due to your landscape changes and maturing. Major manufacturers of irrigation system components are aware of the ever present need to conserve water so they are developing newer technologies to make this possible. There are state of the art controllers, newer sprinkler head technology and even more advanced sensors. Staying abreast of these developments is important to us so we can install and repair using the latest technology.

Q: How much time do I run my sprinklers to water my lawn effectively?

A: Chances are your professional contractor programmed the controller when they were finished installing the system. They probably also gave you a schedule (or schedules) you could enter into the controller during different seasons of the year. If not, you should contact an irrigation professional in your area who can give you guidance as to the number of minutes each zone should water, and on how many days of the week.

Each climate has different requirements; each plant material will have varying needs, as well. In addition, be sure to account for the fact that different types of sprinklers apply water at varying rates. Please click on the link for more information on how to determine correct watering times: www.wateright.org

Existing yards need to be watered at least two times a week for approximately 20 minutes each station (1/4-1/2 inch of water accumulation.
Newly laid sod should be watered twice daily during spring and summer months. After this period, reduce to watering once daily for 1-2 weeks. Following this, return to a normal watering pattern of 2-3 times weekly. Side yards and shaded areas require less water than the front or rear areas.
Water deep. Shallow watering only wets the soil and water doesn’t have time to soak in. This forces the roots to grow to the surface for water and then allows the sun to steal the water through evaporation.
Adjust your sprinkling schedule to change with the seasons.
Install a rain gauge. This allows your system to automatically shut off during rain, saving you money.
Do not water on windy days
Water in the early a.m. to avoid evaporation.
Mulch trees and plants to maintain moisture.
Have your sprinkler checked in the spring and the winter.

Choosing a Professional
Installing an automatic irrigation system is a complex task. That’s why it is
best to hire a qualified professional. Irrigation contractors are experts in
hydraulics, proper sprinkler system layout, plant water requirements and soil
types. Their skills will help ensure a water-efficient system and years of
trouble-free operation.

But how do you make sure that the person you hire is qualified to do the job?
Here are some handy guidelines to follow when choosing a contractor:

• Check for a valid license/certification (if required in your state)
• Ask for proof of liability insurance
• Talk to local references
• Make certain each contractor inspects your property prior to submitting
  a bid
• Insist that the installation be completed in a timely manner
• Beware of low bidders that take costly shortcuts
• Be sure the contractor will obtain any required permits
• Be certain the contractor will install the backflow preventer required
  by local codes (to protect your drinking supply)

Irrigation professionals are continuously looking for ways to more efficiently and effectively diagnose programs in the field. Now, instead of having to physically check each field wiring circuit for potential problems, the user can run the Hunter Quick Check procedure. This circuit diagnostic test is very beneficial because of its ability to aid in quickly identifying “shorts” commonly caused by faulty solenoids or when a bare common wire touches a bare station control wire.

The Quick Way to Check:

• To initiate the Hunter Quick Check, press the , , , the and buttons simultaneously.
• In the standby mode, the LCD will display all segments (helpful when troubleshooting display problems).
• Press the button to begin the Quick Check test procedure.
• Within seconds, the system searches all stations in an effort to detect a high current path through the station terminals.
• When a field wiring short is detected, an ERR symbol preceded by the station number will momentarily flash on the controller LCD display. After the Quick Check completes running this circuit diagnostic procedure, the controller returns to the automatic watering mode.

Q: What procedures should I follow when starting up my system after the winter months or after a long period of inactivity.

A: The best way to get your system up and running in the spring is to have your contractor go through their startup procedure. They will be able to check and make sure all the components are working properly and help to ensure that your system is ready to work for the season.

Q: Why would my sprinkler system continue running even after the controller is unplugged?

A: There are two reasons why your sprinklers would continue running:

It is possible that your valves have been opened manually. You will need to locate your valve box(es) and twist the solenoid(s) on the valves clockwise until snug. The solenoid is located on the top of the valve and looks like a cylinder with two wires coming out of it.
It is possible that you have debris in the valve, which is causing them to remain open. To fix this, you’ll need to disassemble the valve, rinse all the parts with clean water and re-assemble the valve. If you cannot locate your valve boxes or fix the valve, it is recommended you contact a Professional Contractor, such as Jenco Irrigation in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Q: How often should I check my irrigation system’s performance?

A: It’s a good idea to check it frequently during the peak watering season to make sure that everything is functioning correctly and water is being applied as needed to the plant material. Users will often do a quick run through of each zone after they have finished mowing and trimming.