Irrigation Repair: Essential Tips to Keep Your Garden Thriving

There’s no denying that proper irrigation in your yard is essential to optimal performance. It ensures that your retaining walls and other outdoor living spaces have proper drainage. Irrigation repair also ensures your garden is properly watered since irrigation is the most important part of landscaping. But, like all things, maintenance is a part of the game. Here are some tips for irrigation repair and maintenance that will help you keep your garden thriving. Common Irrigation Repair Needs The most common irrigation repair needs tend to be small-scale, such as clogged nozzles or leaky sprinkler heads. Below, take a look at the most common problems, their causes, and what you can do to prevent them. Leaky Sprinkler Heads Leaky sprinkler heads are typically the result of poor maintenance. Worn-out seals or broken heads are often the culprits, and you want to get this fixed as soon as possible. Leaky sprinkler heads directly cause water to puddle in your garden, leading to unwanted things like fungus and mold growth, irregular watering, and soil instability. Clogged Nozzles Clogged nozzles are another result of poor maintenance that should be fixed as soon as possible. Over time, substances like sand, dirt, and other small debris can clog your irrigation system’s nozzles. This results in uneven watering, which eventually leads to all kinds of plant stress. Broken Pipes Broken pipes can seemingly occur out of nowhere, but luckily, this is a slightly less common irrigation problem. Shifts in the ground, tree roots, or general wear and tear can all result in broken pipes, which are imperative to fix immediately. Broken pipes lead to a plethora of problems, with water pressure issues and inefficiency being the most prolific. Faulty Timers Faulty timers are usually the result of electrical issues and are usually not within your control. However, a malfunctioning system can throw off the timer and, therefore, the entire irrigation cycle. It’s imperative not to over- or under-water your plants and to water at the right time of day. The Importance of Timely Irrigation Repair The need for irrigation repair directly affects three things: water conservation, plant health, and system longevity. When your system’s need for repairs is neglected, all three are in danger, and they are crucial for a thriving garden. Here’s what can happen when your irrigation system doesn’t get the repairs it needs: Water Conservation Proper irrigation directly contributes to water conservation levels. Repairing your irrigation system is not just a way to go green. Conserving water has other benefits, such as saving money on your water bill, preventing water shortages, and ensuring you always have enough water to keep your plants alive and protected. Water conservation reduces things like runoff, fungal growth, and poor moisture retention in your soil, which provides a healthier environment for your plants. Plant Health As previously mentioned, under and overwatering your plants both cause a significant slew of plant health problems. Overwatering leads to fungal and mold growth, deprives your roots of oxygen, and causes runoff problems that deprive your plants of the nutrients they need to flourish. Underwatering can cause issues like stunted growth, drooping, browning, wilting, and soil compaction, which prevents the plant from absorbing water and nutrients. If you do not repair your irrigation system in a timely manner, your plants will either rot or simply not grow. System Longevity Because you need an irrigation system regardless of what you’re growing, you want your system to last. Timely maintenance and repairs extend the life of your irrigation system, and it saves you significant money in the long run. Preventative Irrigation Repair Maintenance Tips Investing in your garden means putting in lots of time and money–so you want to extend the life of your irrigation system as much as possible! Maintenance is an inevitable part of that process. Here are some maintenance tips that will help you avoid the need for frequent irrigation repairs. Seasonal Checks Seasonal inspections are great because they help you identify if something is broken or malfunctioning in a timely manner. Plus, this allows you to make whatever adjustments required for the changing weather conditions. Inspections don’t need to take long, and they save you lots of stress and worry. Regular Cleaning Regular cleaning is a given. You really only need to do this twice per year, ideally in late fall and late spring, so that it will function optimally for the seasons it’s needed most. Cleaning it before you put it to rest for the winter and before you begin to use it after its winter dormancy will prevent buildup from debris and will help you identify any post-winter repairs before they become serious. System Flushing System flushing is a great way to remove debris and improve optimal performance. You can do this twice per year during your annual cleanings. Here’s how you do it:

1. If you have a flush cap, pull the riser up before refitting the flush cap, and then screw it on
2. Run water for 15-20 seconds
3. Flush all sprinklers one by one or with multiple flush caps at one time
4. If you don’t have a flush cap, flush for 5-10 seconds without any nozzle or filter basket attached to the riser
5. Call Pro Green professionals for help, especially when dealing with complex irrigation systems and repairs.