For landscapers, this is the busiest time of the year...irrigation systems come online during spring. But when exactly should you turn yours on? Ah, the yearly dilemma…it’s the question that comes up every spring. At Rail City Garden Center in Sparks, Manager Gregg Gehlert told us the question he hears all the time in March is, "When should I turn on my irrigation? Is now a good time? Is it going to freeze?"
Gregg is a calendar guy. No matter what the weather, and despite several past days in the 70's, he is sticking to his tried and true yearly date, and we haven't reached it yet. As he told us, "With the moisture we've had the last few days, now is not the time to turn on your sprinklers. It’s still a no.”
Gregg's turn-on date is one he has lived by, every spring, in his 30 years of landscaping work: "Rule of thumb, we go by April 1st. April 1st to turn them on, November 1st to turn them off."
The reason behind Gregg's no-sprinkler March is all around you. Snow…still several inches high in many areas today. But if you're concerned your soil is too dry before April, get a soil probe. It’s a tube you insert into the ground and pull out to examine it. As Gregg told us, "What's good about this is you can actually see what's going on with your soil, as we have a good rich soil here."
For now there is plenty of moist ground, but this Spring is a bit different, just like the 4 previous Springs. One of our longest and most devastating droughts has turned irrigation into something you worry about. But taking the stress away is the latest line of water saving gadgets. Gregg's favorite is the Rainbird ESP: "The good benefit of this is it has a seasonal adjust on it for this time of year. It’s a great tool to use."
Across town, Action Lawn and Landscape manager Saul Vega swears by a smaller version, which he'll sell and install for around $200. As he told us, "It’s actually pretty easy. You know, this is a residential unit, so its not that hard to use. You know, just basically off and auto. And of course then you have all your sprinkler zones. This one will do up to 12."
There are systems out there with rain sensors that stop your sprinkler on wet days, and some are controlled by the internet. Back at Rail City Garden Center, Gregg says an inline drip system is the sensible choice…as he puts it, the most foolproof and efficient of the kinds of irrigation you can use, considering our wind: "When the irrigation system comes on with the wind blowing, you'll be watering your neighbor's house instead of your own. So the drip system's the more accurate system. It waters the specific plants."
And for the next two Wednesdays, the Truckee Meadows Water Authority is hosting free workshops on how to prepare your yard for the growing season. The hour-long workshops are free, with step-by-step lessons on preparing your irrigation system for spring and summer. Just click below for more:
