Dedicated Irrigation Lawn Meters Help Houston Homeowners Save

A lawn meter gets installed right next to your existing meter.

Homeowners throughout the greater Houston area are learning that dedicated lawn meters for irrigation systems and swimming pools is an investment that sees an immediate return.  Taylor Irrigation Service is one of very few turn-key companies that install these meters and they make it really simple.

The process of getting a meter installed can be pretty daunting.  There are permits, applications, inspections and long lines to wait in for each.  It is common to spend hours in the city permitting center on just one of these tasks.  Then you need to have an authorized City of Houston plumber as well as a registered City of Houston irrigator and finally a registered City of Houston backflow tester to complete the process.  A homeowner could certainly contract each of those companies or contractors on their own and take care of all of the paperwork in person but that is a plan that can lead to a lot of trouble because most homeowners have no idea what the codes governing these processes are.  It is common for homeowners that try to tackle this process themselves contact and then contract with a professional during the process because of these issues.

Taylor Irrigation Service was awarded the Angie's List Super Service Award in 2012 (given to the top 4% of companies across the country), the Kudzu "Best of Houston" poll in 2012, the Home Advisor "Houston's Best" award in 2012 and 2013 and then John Taylor, the president and operations manager of TIS, became the first Texas based  irrigation designer to ever receive the EPA Partner of the Year Award in October of 2013 for his water conservation and sustainability efforts within the Houston market.  That adds a lot of weight to their resume when a homeowner is looking for a company to install a dedicated irrigation or lawn meter.  Taylor offers turn-key service, simple contracts and "the buck stops here" accountability which homeowners love.

Irrigation meters can easily cut many water bills in half by eliminating the "sewer fee" for all water that is used in the sprinkler system, hose bibs and even pool and fountain fills.  Your water bill is divided into two sections; consumption (how many thousands of gallons per month you use) and the sewer fee (the charge for processing the water that you flush or that goes down the drain).  Because irrigation systems are often 80% to 90% of the water that we use in the Houston area during the warmest months, homeowners should be aware that they are paying for a service that the city is not providing them (water on the landscape and/or swimming pool is not going down the drain and is therefor not processed by the city).  This sewer fee is often more than 50% of your water bill.  Take a look at your latest bill, a hard copy or access it on-line, and see how much you stand to save by installing a dedicated lawn irrigation meter.

If you are interested in a dedicated irrigation lawn meter and live in the Houston area then contact Taylor Irrigation Service today.  You can contact TIS online HERE or you can call (832) 799-4657 and stop letting your money go down the drain... literally.

TAYLOR IRRIGATION SERVICE 

(832) 799-4657

info@taylorirrigation.com

Why Irrigation Maintenance?

July 11, 2012

By John A. Taylor

 

If you are like most home owners then you spend a fair amount of your time and money on the upkeep of your landscape.  Whether it is the maintenance of your lawn, planting flowers or an annual fertilization or aeration, your lawn is important and is the very first thing other people notice about your home.  Most homeowners though tend to neglect the routine maintenance and upkeep of their sprinkler systems.  Irrigation maintenance is very important on a number of levels in that a routine maintenance program can lower repair costs, reduce water consumption which lowers water bills, and can prevent the loss of landscape due to over or under watering.

Sprinkler systems need to be adjusted regularly because things change on your property regularly.  The weather, your plants (the variety, the density and the height) change, your hardscape changes (you may add a patio, move some potted plants or relocate that bird bath ), construction (even some minor project can result in a cut wire or cracked pipe) and regular wear and tear (drive over a head with the car/mower or clogged nozzles) are all great reasons to routinely check and adjust your irrigation system.  The right plan can not only identify these issues but can also save you money in the long run, especially in terms of water consumption.

Taylor Irrigation Service, Inc. of Houston, Texas offers a variety of comprehensive maintenance programs for both commercial as well as residential properties.  We recommend that the average home owner have their system checked at least once per season.  Most residential systems do not need to be checked more than once every other month.  Commercial properties that have the potential to waste a lot more water should be checked a minimum of six times per year but we recommend monthly checks for most commercial clients.  Our basic checks include; setting the controller for current seasonal conditions, adjusting heads for optimum coverage, clearing clogged nozzles and reporting any damage so that it can be repaired as soon as possible.

Setting the controller often is very important, especially in terms of water consumption.  The run times that are set for the spring are not going to help you in the summer.  A great example in the greater Houston area would be on St. Augustine grass.  St. Augustine, which is the most common lawn turf in this area, goes dormant during the winter.  Continuing to water the turf can delay this dormancy and can also bring unwanted fungus and disease like brown patch, not to mention the wasted water that raises your water bill.  Understanding the unique water needs of your property and how to achieve a healthy landscape is important.  There are a lot of rules of thumb and old wives tales out there on how and when to water and it is something that is best left to a professional.  A recent study by Rain Bird revealed that most home owners only change the settings on their controller a few times per year which leads to wasted water and unhealthy landscape – both of which cost the home owner money.

Changes also lead to a great many problems with sprinkler systems.  Odds are that the lay of the land when your system was installed is a lot different than it is today.  The height of the plants change, sometimes by double or triple.  Bed sizes and shapes change, as do the types of plants that are planted inside of these beds.  It is important that your sprinkler system be considered whenever these kinds of changes are made.  Sometimes these changes can be very simple to adapt to and sometimes they can be rather tricky.  I had a client last summer that could not figure out why her grass always looked a shade lighter in one corner.  The system, in a run-through, would check out okay until I drove by early one morning on my way to another appointment and saw the problem.  This client watered her turf twice per week on Mondays and Thursdays.  Well… Thursday was also trash day and every week she would set her trashcan in the exact same spot… on the front yard at the corner of the driveway… right on top of the sprinkler head.  This would result in that corner of the lawn getting fifty percent less water than the other areas of the lawn because it was always covered for one full cycle.  The smallest things can make such a difference in terms of irrigation systems and how they relate to the health of your landscape.

Regular wear and tear are also a big factor in terms of the success of your system.  Running over a head with a mower, backing out of the driveway and running over the head that sits at the corner, clogged nozzles and freeze damage are all very common forms of routine system damage.  These issues are not serious but not noticing these problems can turn them into bigger problems really fast.  These issues can go unseen pretty easily since most systems run while the homeowners are asleep or away at work.  A small leak or a missing nozzle can easily lead to hundreds of gallons of lost water every time the system runs.  A problem like this can hurt you in your water bill and also hurt the landscape because while this leak is open it will often render the rest of that zone useless because there is not enough water to pressure the heads up due to the leak.

Most irrigation maintenance packages are very affordable and can help in a variety of ways from reducing water consumption to improving the health and overall appearance of your landscape.  The next time you look at your lawn and think about maintenance and care, don’t forget the irrigation system.  As Ben Franklin’s old adage goes; “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”





John Taylor is the owner of Taylor Irrigation Service, Inc. based in Houston, Texas and has been in the industry for twenty years. His company specializes in water conservation and awareness partnering with a number of local grass roots groups, the City of Houston, the state of Texas and the Environmental Protection Agency with their WaterSense initiative. John is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, an active volunteer in the community and lives in the north Houston area with his wife and daughter.

Winterizing Your Sprinkler System/Backflow

Houston is not known for its cold weather but if there is one thing the last couple of years has shown us it is that no matter how hot it is getting in the summer months we can drop below freezing more than just a few times during the winter.  As many of you know these freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on your irrigation system because the pipes are not buried very deep and the backflow device, if you have a Vacuum Breaker, is above ground.  Because of this, understanding how to winterize your backflow device is very important in order to avoid costly repair bills or the possibility of cross contamination and Taylor Irrigation Service is here to help just in time.

The backflow device is the most important component of your irrigation system because it protects your family’s tap water from harmful contaminants that are present on the lawn, things like fertilizers, pesticides and animal droppings.  These contaminants can be sucked into the irrigation system when the sprinkler heads finish spraying and go back into the ground.  Your backflow device acts as a stop gap between the water that is contaminated and your drinking water so it is very important that your backflow device is installed up to code and that it is functioning properly.

There is a great deal of misinformation out there as to how you properly winterize your backflow.  The most common misconception (That you should turn your backflow off during the winter) actually ensures that the backflow will break and will therefor cost the home owner many hundreds of dollars in repairs.  Winterizing your PVB properly is easy, will save you a great deal of money and only takes one or two minutes.

To properly winterize your backflow you MUST have a cut-off valve.  A cut off valve is most commonly a ball valve and will be located in a valve box near your meter or at the foot of your backflow.  Cut-off valves are standard components of an irrigation system and are currently state code though many older systems and a great many systems that were not installed by a licensed contractor may not have one.  If your system does NOT have a cut-off valve then leave the backflow on and simply wrap it with towels during a freeze.  DO NOT turn the backflow off as this will significantly increase the chances of freeze damage and will usually result in a crack on the inside of the PVB.  We repair many PVBs every year that were damaged from home owners, landscapers and even misinformed irrigators turning the backflow off.  Once again; if you do not have a cut-off valve then leave the backflow device alone and simply wrap it in towels during the freeze.  DO NOT turn it off.

After locating your cut-off valve step one is simply turning it off.  Not all systems will have a ball valve as the cut-off, some will have a gate valve (like the one on your hose bib) but a ball valve is the most common.  A ball valve will only turn a quarter of a turn in either direction and is open (or on) when the handles are in line with the flow of the pipe and is closed (or off) when the handles cut across the flow of the pipe.  If you have a gate valve then just turn the valve clockwise until it is hand tight.

The next step will require a standard small flat head screw driver.  With screw driver in hand, standing in front of your backflow device once again we are going to focus on the test-cocks.  The test-cocks are a pair of small nozzles that are used to test or drain the main cavity of the backflow.  Each of these test-cocks will have a small screw in the center.  Those screws, as with the ball valve, are open when the slot of the screw is in line with the flow of the water and closed when the slot cuts across it.  Use your screw driver to turn each of the test-cocks one quarter of a turn so that they are open (the slots should be horizontal).  This will allow the water inside of the backflow to drain from the unit.  DO NOT turn the screws more than a quarter of a turn or remove the screws from the test-cocks.

 

When the draining water begins  to slow we take the final step.  Leaving the test-cocks open to drain we are simply going to turn each of the ball valves on the backflow device to a forty-five degree angle (meaning that the ball valve itself is half open/half closed).  There will be one ball valve at the bottom of the backflow and one ball on the side of the backflow.  In any order turn one ball valve to a forty-five degree angle and then turn the other to a forty-five degree angle.

Success!!  You have now properly winterized your backflow.  If you do not plan on watering your landscape during the winter then you can leave your backflow winterized until the temperatures start to climb.  If you do water during the winter then you will perform this winterization process before each freeze.  It is always best to consult your personal landscaper or horticulturist to find out what the winter water requirements of your landscape are before making this decision.

To make your sprinkler system functional again you simply need to: 1) Open your cut-off valve (this is going to shoot water out of the test-cocks but that is okay, we want to let any air in the line escape.  2) Close the test-cocks with a screw driver (screw slots vertical) which will stop the water from spraying out of the backflow.  3) Return both ball valves to the full open position (handles in line with the flow of the pipe).  Your PVB will once again look like the one in the image featured at the very top of this article.

As always, Taylor Irrigation Service, Inc is here to help so if you need any advice or help winterizing your system then please don’t hesitate to contact us at: info@taylorirrigation.com

From all of us here at TIS to you and yours… Happy Holidays!

NEW WEBSITE FOR TAYLOR IRRIGATION SERVICE HOUSTON

Hinting that a new website was coming during an interview last month, Taylor Irrigation Service and owner John A. Taylor unveiled their new website on October 22, 2011.  The new website is part of what the owner described as, "A push to meet the needs of the greater Houston market by providing irrigation and landscape news, do-it-yourself articles and content that provides value to the entire community rather than just our client base."


Looking through the site it is obvious that Mr. Taylor and his company are taking this new philosophy to heart and providing a plethora of new content for visitors.  The site opens with a number of scrolling picture-based news articles with a video tab that shows off one of their latest commercials.  A Twitter feed and the latest headlines from their eMagazine and news page are also seamlessly integrated here allowing the user to get all of the latest information in one central location.

The small post-it note on the main page is a charming way to show off a number of glowing reviews from existing Taylor Irrigation Service clients.  As described in last month's Social Media article, there are all of the right social media links; Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and an RSS feed for all of the social junkies.
There are of course all of the standard features like; contact us, about us, services, etc but the DIY content, which is still being uploaded as of the time this article is being published, appears to be something that will really help the homeowners of Houston to better understand irrigation, laws and code, water conservation, and the relationship between water, soil and plants.

What really sets the new site apart from others though, is the eMagazine which is professionally written and published giving Taylor Irrigation Service a platform to show off their knowledge and expertise in a way that benefits every reader.  It is easy to tell that this is something that John has been looking forward to for a very long time.  "I'm really proud of this and the site now fits in with our want to change the way we think about irrigation in Houston, in Texas and in the entire country for that matter," he was quoted as saying.  "We have to get a handle on water usage and how we apply water to our landscapes because ten years from now we are going to look back at the blatant waste of water and the inefficient sprinkler systems that we were using today and ask ourselves why."

Taylor Irrigation Service looks to be at the forefront of both water conservation as well as educating customers.  We look forward to seeing what they do next.

Shopping For A Sprinkler System, What You Need To Know!

Considering installing a sprinkler system?  Getting lots of quotes and just can't understand how the prices could be so different from company to company?  Think all systems are the same?  You are probably feeling the same way most home owners do when shopping for an irrigation system.  What's the difference and exactly what do you need to know?  At Taylor Irrigation Service, we're here to help... even if you go with one of the other guys because we believe that an informed consumer is a good consumer.

Hiring the right contractor can save you thousands of dollars.

Why are the prices so different from one company to the next?   Irrigation in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the TCEQ, and thus to a large extent how a system is installed is not up to the home owner or the contractor.  Texas is rampant with unlicensed and sometimes unscrupulous contractors that do not install systems properly, safely or up to code.  An unlicensed contractor can save an awful lot of money by not pulling permits, not maintaining a license or insurance, not building to code or by using day laborers and paying less than minimum wage to those hard working individuals.  Cutting corners like these doesn't just save money for the contractor but it hurts reputable companies and could cost the home owner tens of thousands of dollars in the end.

Anyone can show up and give a quote, it is up to you to figure out if they are competent because you could end up paying for it for a very long time.

How will that end up costing me?  The consumer can pay for these failures in the form of high water bills (if the system is not designed properly it can use more than three times the water required to maintain your landscape), costly repairs (if the work is sub-standard or faulty), loss of landscape (due to poor coverage) and even contaminated drinking water (if a backflow is not installed or not installed properly).  This says nothing for the headache of trying to enforce a warranty or for your being in violation of local, city and state codes that could ultimately lead to your being fined or required to bring your system up to code.  While we would certainly never fault anyone for trying to save a dollar in this economy, it is important to understand that a buck saved in the install can easily mean fifty lost each and every month to your water bill.

What are the most frequent code violations?  This varies from job to job but here are some of the most common; failure to have a license and insurance, failure to call in line locates before digging, throwing water across driveways, walkways or sidewalks, failure to install a backflow, failure to have that backflow inspected, failing to install a rain sensor, failure to provide a warranty, failure to provide an as-built drawing of the system once it is installed, failure to provide a year-round watering schedule and failure to pull permits.

Do you want to pay for a contractor that cuts corners? Here, a sprinkler head throws across the sidewalk creating a hazard that you are liable for as the home owner.

The average home owner probably doesn't know what most of these violations mean, what the code is for or how to tell when these things are done properly and when they are neglected.  This makes it easier for the kinds of contractors we are talking about to take advantage.   You might find yourself wondering why throwing the water across the sidewalk is such a big deal.  Well, when someone slips on the wet concrete and your system is throwing across that concrete structure to water something on the other side of it, you are liable for this accident.

Most consumers don't know what a backflow device is, let alone what it is for, and so these kinds of failures usually go unnoticed until there is a problem.  A backflow device protects your family's drinking water from harmful chemicals and is a very serious matter.  You see, when the sprinkler system is finished watering and the heads go back down into the ground, they create a vacuum-like suction.  This suction pulls in things like fertilizers, pesticides and animal urine or droppings that are commonly found on your lawn.  Once in the pipeline, if your home is not protected by a backflow device, then your family could be at risk.

Rain sensors and other items are not after market upgrades, they are primary parts of the irrigation system and are code for all new installs in the state of Texas.

What is the difference between poor workmanship and a quality job?  Because an irrigation system is below the ground and out of sight, it is easy for poor work to remain hidden until you have to break the bank for repairs or upgrades.  Many contractors will sell you on one price and then try to hit you with "add-ons" or "upgrades" later on down the road.  Another common problem is that the guy with the license is not on the job site and does not know what is going into the ground.  A poor job can tear up your landscape leaving a muddy mess behind.  Often times, sub-standard products are used from places like Home Depot that are just not built to last.  Backflow devices are often installed in a manner that will invite costly freeze damage in the winter.   This has become so rampant in the state of Texas that the governor just signed HB2507 into law making it a criminal offense to operate without a license.  This law is aimed at protecting homeowners just like you from the kinds of blatant violations that are described here.
A good contractor takes pride in his work and it will show from the moment you meet him.  Irrigation installation and backflow installation or repair is not a good do-it-yourself project.  Understanding pressure loss, elevation change, flow, how to keep water from moving in excess of five feet per second, evapotranspiration and run-time calculations are not common knowledge and requires not only extensive training and licensing but years of experience as well.

So what should I look for if I have my system installed by another company?   If you do decide to go to another company Taylor Irrigation Service is still happy to give you some advice and tips on what to look for.  Before you hire someone, during the job and before you issue a check, look for the following things:

• Make sure they are licensed (code).
• Find out what the warranty is up front (code).
• Make sure that permits are being pulled if you live within a city (code).
• Ask to see the design before installation begins.
• Ensure a backflow device is installed, inspected and insulated (code).
• Ensure a cut-off valve is installed and know the location of it (code).
• Make sure that your grass and beds are watered by separate zones.
• Make sure a rain sensor is installed (code).
• Make sure you understand how to use the controller and have the owner's manual (code).
• Make sure there is a back-up battery installed in the controller so that you do not lose your settings.
• Get a detailed watering schedule outlining the watering times for every zone for all seasons (code).
• Ensure that you are not throwing water across a sidewalk or walkway (code).
• Get an as-built drawing showing you where the heads, pipe and valves are all located (code).

By taking the time to ensure your system is installed properly and up to code, you will have a healthier landscape that provides a great ROI, not to mention peace of mind.

Would you believe that most home owners I talk to in the field that have an existing system are missing at least half of the things on this list?  A great many of them are missing all of the items outlined here.  By checking all of these things before you make a payment to the contractor you will be a lot more sure that you are getting a quality system that is up to code and will not cost an arm and a leg in terms of water consumption and maintenance or repairs.  Remember that these things are not preferential, they are the law and are there to set a standard of quality and performance for you, the consumer.  Happy Gardening.

Shopping For A Sprinkler System... What You Need To Know!

Considering installing a sprinkler system?  Getting lots of quotes and just can’t understand how the prices could be so different from company to company?  Think all systems are the same?  You are probably feeling the same way most home owners do when shopping for an irrigation system.  What’s the difference and exactly what do you need to know?  At Taylor Irrigation Service, we’re here to help… even if you go with one of the other guys because we believe that an informed consumer is a good consumer.

Why are the prices so different from one company to the next?   Irrigation in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the TCEQ, and thus to a large extent how a system is installed is not up to the home owner or the contractor.  Texas is rampant with unlicensed and sometimes unscrupulous contractors that do not install systems properly, safely or up to code.  An unlicensed contractor can save an awful lot of money by not pulling permits, not maintaining a license or insurance, not building to code or by using day laborers and paying less than minimum wage to those hard working individuals.  Cutting corners like these doesn’t just save money for the contractor but it hurts reputable companies and could cost the home owner tens of thousands of dollars in the end.

How will that end up costing me?  The consumer can pay for these failures in the form of high water bills (if the system is not designed properly it can use more than three times the water required to maintain your landscape), costly repairs (if the work is sub-standard or faulty), loss of landscape (due to poor coverage) and even contaminated drinking water (if a backflow is not installed or not installed properly).  This says nothing for the headache of trying to enforce a warranty or for your being in violation of local, city and state codes that could ultimately lead to your being fined or required to bring your system up to code.  While we would certainly never fault anyone for trying to save a dollar in this economy, it is important to understand that a buck saved in the install can easily mean fifty lost each and every month to your water bill.

What are the most frequent code violations?  This varies from job to job but here are some of the most common; failure to have a license and insurance, failure to call in line locates before digging, throwing water across driveways, walkways or sidewalks, failure to install a backflow, failure to have that backflow inspected, failing to install a rain sensor, failure to provide a warranty, failure to provide an as-built drawing of the system once it is installed, failure to provide a year-round watering schedule and failure to pull permits.

The average home owner probably doesn’t know what most of these violations mean, what the code is for or how to tell when these things are done properly and when they are neglected.  This makes it easier for the kinds of contractors we are talking about to take advantage.   You might find yourself wondering why throwing the water across the sidewalk is such a big deal.  Well, when someone slips on the wet concrete and your system is throwing across that concrete structure to water something on the other side of it, you are liable for this accident.

Most consumers don’t know what a backflow device is, let alone what it is for, and so these kinds of failures usually go unnoticed until there is a problem.  A backflow device protects your family’s drinking water from harmful chemicals and is a very serious matter.  You see, when the sprinkler system is finished watering and the heads go back down into the ground, they create a vacuum-like suction.  This suction pulls in things like fertilizers, pesticides and animal urine or droppings that are commonly found on your lawn.  Once in the pipeline, if your home is not protected by a backflow device, then your family could be at risk.

What is the difference between poor workmanship and a quality job?  Because an irrigation system is below the ground and out of sight, it is easy for poor work to remain hidden until you have to break the bank for repairs or upgrades.  Many contractors will sell you on one price and then try to hit you with “add-ons” or “upgrades” later on down the road.  Another common problem is that the guy with the license is not on the job site and does not know what is going into the ground.  A poor job can tear up your landscape leaving a muddy mess behind.  Often times, sub-standard products are used from places like Home Depot that are just not built to last.  Backflow devices are often installed in a manner that will invite costly freeze damage in the winter.   This has become so rampant in the state of Texas that the governor just signed HB2507 into law making it a criminal offense to operate without a license.  This law is aimed at protecting homeowners just like you from the kinds of blatant violations that are described here.

A good contractor takes pride in his work and it will show from the moment you meet him.  Irrigation installation and backflow installation or repair is not a good do-it-yourself project.  Understanding pressure loss, elevation change, flow, how to keep water from moving in excess of five feet per second, evapotranspiration and run-time calculations are not common knowledge and requires not only extensive training and licensing but years of experience as well.

So what should I look for if I have my system installed by another company?   If you do decide to go to another company Taylor Irrigation Service is still happy to give you some advice and tips on what to look for.  Before you hire someone, during the job and before you issue a check, look for the following things:

• Make sure they are licensed (code).
• Find out what the warranty is up front (code).
• Make sure that permits are being pulled if you live within a city (code).
• Ask to see the design before installation begins.
• Ensure a backflow device is installed, inspected and insulated (code).
• Ensure a cut-off valve is installed and know the location of it (code).
• Make sure that your grass and beds are watered by separate zones.
• Make sure a rain sensor is installed (code).
• Make sure you understand how to use the controller and have the owner’s manual (code).
• Make sure there is a back-up battery installed in the controller so that you do not lose your settings.
• Get a detailed watering schedule outlining the watering times for every zone for all seasons (code).
• Ensure that you are not throwing water across a sidewalk or walkway (code).
• Get an as-built drawing showing you where the heads, pipe and valves are all located (code).

By taking the time to ensure your system is installed properly and up to code, you will have a healthier landscape that provides a great ROI, not to mention peace of mind.

Would you believe that most home owners I talk to in the field that have an existing system are missing at least half of the things on this list?  A great many of them are missing all of the items outlined here.  By checking all of these things before you make a payment to the contractor you will be a lot more sure that you are getting a quality system that is up to code and will not cost an arm and a leg in terms of water consumption and maintenance or repairs.  Remember that these things are not preferential, they are the law and are there to set a standard of quality and performance for you, the consumer.  Happy Gardening.

Severe Drought in Texas Leaves Plants Over-Watered?

Texas finds itself in the midst of one of the worst droughts in its history and water has become more and more scarce with aquifers dropping to all-time lows while lakes and ponds evaporate at record rates.  We recently set a record for consecutive days over one hundred degrees forcing water restrictions in most areas.  So how can plants be left too wet?

This year at Taylor Irrigation Service nine out of ten irrigation/sprinkler repair service calls that have been reported as dry or wilting plants this summer, especially in beds, have turned out to be cases of over-watering.  That's right... over-watering has killed or seriously harmed ninety percent of the plants that were reported as dry.

You see, when a plant is over-watered it takes on the same symptoms as does a plant that has been under-watered.  Home owners everywhere are turning up their irrigation and supplementing their beds with hand-watering in an attempt to prevent dryness, wilting and other climate related issues before they start.  This watering, in many cases, has created an anaerobic soil meaning that the soil is so full of water that it compacts itself until there is no more air in the soil which is very bad for the plants.

Yes, plants get their water from their root systems but they also get oxygen from those very same root systems.  When an anaerobic soil has been created and water sits on the roots, those roots begin to rot.  They will turn to mush, smell putrid and this will invite algae growth (a green tint on the soil surface along the edge of the bed) that ultimately invites fungi and disease.  When the roots rot they will stop taking on water, no matter how much is available, and therefor the plants will start to wilt, dry-up and die as if they had no water at all.  A great many home owners are seeing these signs and assuming that the drought has taken a toll on their plants and so what do they do... they add more water which compounds the problem.

Plants need water and then they need time to absorb that water and also to get oxygen before more water is added.  The best way to determine if your plants need water is to test the soil.  Testing the soil is easy and is the best way to determine what is going on with a plant because there are a great many factors that can affect the health of your garden and beds (infestations, disease, sun, shade, soil-type, were they planted too high or too low, are they the right plant for the zone you live in, so on and so forth).  By testing the soil you can be sure that you are not damaging your investment.  Pull back the mulch and scrape away a small amount of surface dirt and then grab a handful of soil (it is best to do this in several locations).  With that dirt in your hand ball it up in your fist.  If the dirt sticks together then it is plenty wet, if it is too powdery to stick together then it is too dry... and if it is like play-dough and cannot be broken back apart into fine pieces after clumping it together, or if you can squeeze water from it, then your soil is far too wet.

Adjust your irrigation or watering schedule accordingly and remember... just because we find ourselves in the midst of a horrible drought does not mean that your plants are starving for water.  Don't judge a plant by seeing signs of wilting or browning, judge it based on the soil moisture.  Happy gardening.