Common Fall Irrigation Concerns
Nancy Hunter was assessing the damage to her landscaping from a long, hot summer in Phoenix. A few plants died, a tree wasn’t looking so great and her drip system sprung a few leaks. She thought, “I guess I’ll remove the dead plants and replant some things in the spring. But shouldn’t I get these leaks fixed now?”
Dennis Lee of D&L Sprinkler Service has some helpful advice for folks in the Valley like Nancy. “Fall is a great time to clean up the landscaping and assess the condition of the irrigation system. You should remove leaves and other debris from around plants that could harbor weeds, disease and pests. Then you can assess the dead looking plants to see if they can be saved or should be removed.” Dennis goes on to say, “Cleaning up the debris will help you locate the dripper for each plant and tree to make sure they’re all working properly.”
Dennis’s next piece of advice clears up a common planting myth. He says, “You don’t have to wait until spring to replace your dead plants. Spring in the Valley is very short and doesn’t give plants a lot of time to get established before the heat of the summer puts them under stress. A great time to plant new plants and trees is in the fall. This allows them to establish their roots systems over the winter and spring and be ready to handle the summer heat.”
What about leaks and other problems with the drip system? Dennis explains, “You want to fix any leaks as soon as possible to avoid wasting water or draining water pressure away from the rest of your system. You also want to make sure each dripper is working before you plant new plants and trees. If you find drippers aren’t working at the site of dead plants, sometimes just changing out the old drip head for a new one solves the problem.” Other times, he says, the problems can be a little more complex.
“Many problems can occur in a drip system including main line leaks, feeder line leaks, drip heads that clog or fail, too much water pressure, too little water pressure, tree roots that pinch off the main line and age-related issues.” Dennis elaborates, “It’s common to have a leak here and there in your drip system, but when it becomes a constant battle it may be time to replace your drip tube.”
Dennis explains drip tube has a useful life of about 8 to 12 years. Usually at and over the 10-year mark is when people start to experience age related problems like cracking and splitting of the tube and constant leaking. It’s a condition called dry rot that sets in and the only solution is to replace the old tube with new.
He goes on to say, “If your tubing is starting to get brittle, split or crack it may be time to replace the tubing. If you are constantly fixing leaks and then new ones appear, I recommend replacing the tubing in the fall or winter. It is much less stressful on plants and trees to have that type of work done in cooler weather. Then you’ll know your system is in top shape in time for the intense summer heat.”
Dennis points out that homeowners should regularly inspect their drip systems for leaks and problems. He says a brief monthly inspection during the fall and winter can reduce unnecessary water usage and improve the health of your plants and trees. He says homeowners can do this themselves, and this will familiarize them with their system and make problems easy to spot when they occur. If they can’t do it themselves Dennis advises, “A fall irrigation assessment with leak repairs done by a professional is a smart move. When you need assistance, give me a call. I’ve been doing this since 1999 so there isn’t a problem that I can’t fix.”
To get your irrigation system into tip-top shape, make repairs or get advice about your landscaping, give the expert irrigation techs at D&L Sprinkler Service a call at 602-329-3396. Our friendly staff is available Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm.
