sprinkler system

When designing your landscape, the sprinkler system is going to be what makes sure your plants get the required water as efficiently as possible. Although in the past yards would be designed with a few sprinkler heads that spray water in an area for a few minutes, now we know there are better ways of doing things.

Today we’ll go through a number of things to keep in mind when designing the sprinkler system to support your landscaping vision for years to come.

Zones

When you speak with our designers, they will mention landscape zones. This is a term used to separate portions of the landscape such as your lawn, garden or potted plants. Zones are used to determine specific areas and how they are supposed to be irrigated. 

For example your lawn will require a different volume of water compared to a vegetable garden. If you were to use the same amount of water for both you could over water and drown plants in one zone while a different zone remains too dry. By separating your landscape through different zones you can use an irrigation controller to make sure each zone gets the perfect amount of water. This will help your lawn and plants to thrive while conserving water.

Types of Irrigation

In order for your landscape to look great and grow throughout the years you’ll need to water it. There are no exceptions. You can choose to do the watering yourself with a hose however, every zone may require different watering needs. Although watering a vegetable garden can be calming for some, many people don’t have the luxury of time to water their entire lawn. 

To solve watering issues there are a couple of popular options for irrigation that can be used in different zones to fulfill different watering needs.

Lawn Sprinkler System

This is the classic go to system many people use to water their lawns. Although it is no longer the most efficient form of irrigation, it’s still a great option when you need to water a large area such as a lawn. During hotter seasons it’s best to use sprinklers either early in the morning or in the evening after the sun has gone down to reduce water loss to evaporation.

Drip Irrigation System

Less is more with drip irrigation systems. With drip irrigation water slowly drips through irrigation tubing allowing you to fine tune how much water plants will receive. Due to tubing often being shaded by the plant or mulch, there is little evaporation even during the hottest days.

Irrigation Controller

An irrigation controller is used to regulate how much water is being used for each zone of your landscape. Though there are a few options you have for controllers as well. 

Smart Controller

Smart controllers are relatively new to the market, but have shown that being able to be controlled by a smartphone or tablet is convenient and efficient. By allowing them to connect to the internet, they can access meteorological databases, have sensors built into the controller or both to ensure efficient watering of your property. 

Smart controllers like the Rachio 3 can be purchased with 4 -16 different zone counts to allow for flexible irrigation tailored to your yard. 

Standard Irrigation Controller

Simple, yet cost effective, standard controllers are typically used when installing basic sprinkler systems. These controllers can use local weather conditions to regulate the amount of water used when you turn on the sprinkler system. Or may have a setting for seasonal adjustments allowing you to increase watering during summer and reduce watering during winter.

Battery Operated Controller

With many of the same features as standard irrigation controllers, battery operated controllers give you the freedom of having the controller installed without the need of a power source. Many come with small solar panels to recharge the internal battery. While others can function without issues for up to 3 years with two AA batteries.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allows us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Your project is carefully managed by our team of experts. Whether you are looking to turn your front yard into a showpiece or creating the backyard of your dreams we are here to help. Fill out our Landscape Design request for landscape to fit your aesthetic today. Feel free to call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for the project you have in mind.