March 7, 2014

Watering landscape plants on your Ann Arbor Michigan property is a critical measure to keep them looking good and growing properly. Homeowners can hand water these plants, or they can rely on an installed irrigation system that makes the job easier. The advantages of each method should be considered when determining whether you need an irrigation system:

Watering By Handlandscape
Hand watering plants is the simplest method, but it has both advantages and disadvantages:

· You can use only the amount of water individual plants need

· Equipment is inexpensive

· Costs for maintaining your watering system are low

· Hand watering is time consuming

· You may not water deep enough to encourage healthy growth

· You must move from one area to another, judging the amount of water for each plant.

· Water may not be absorbed by the soil efficiently, leading to wasted water and high water bills.

Spring The GrassUtilizing An Automated System
An automated watering system for your Ann Arbor Michigan property has a number of advantages:

· Automatic systems will turn on and off at scheduled times, without your needing to remember or monitor the watering.

· Sprinklers can cover large areas of your yard.

· The system can be turned off when there is sufficient rainfall for plants.

· Systems can be programmed for the most efficient use of water for your soil conditions.

· Your landscape plants can be watered when you are away from home or are too busy to attend to them.

Understanding Your Plants’ Needs
Your automated watering system must be designed to properly care for the needs of all the plants on your property. Some areas of the yard will need more intensively watering, as flowerbeds, vegetable gardens or flowering shrubs. Other areas, such as evergreen plantings, may require less watering. These considerations will affect the design of your irrigation system. Because designing and installing an automated system is not a simple task, you should leave it to a professional contractor who has the knowledge and experience to do the job efficiently.

Designing An Efficient Automatic Watering System
Your landscape irrigation contractor can provide the best system design for your property’s needs, taking into account a variety of important factors, such as:

· Water pressure

· Water volume

· System capacity

· Type of sprinkler heads

· Sprinkler head locations for maximum coverage

· Zone locations

· Valve locations

· Line connection points

When You Need An Automated System
Although you may have watered your plants by hand in the past, it may no longer be an effective method for your current needs. Your landscaping needs may have changed over recent years. If you find you no longer have the time to hand water your landscape plants, you should consider having an automatic system installed on your property. If hand watering is causing you to waste too much water and causing high water bills, it may be time to change to an automated watering system. Call your local Ann Arbor Michigan irrigation contractor to discuss how an automatic system can help you to care for your landscape plants more easily and efficiently.