Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
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STAYING CURRENT www.landscapeirrigation.com Landscape and Irrigation May/June 2015 15 too wet. Overly wet areas in the same zone as overly dry ones make for stressed plants and poor growing conditions. 5. Irrigation systems do not run when it is raining or has rained. At the very core of responsible water use in the landscape is ensuring the system only applies water when it is needed by the plants and not just when the controller is scheduled to operate. In other words, when Mother Nature supplies adequate water to the plants in the form of rainfall, the irrigation system should not operate. To prevent the controller from operating as scheduled when there has been adequate rainfall, all controllers should have a rain shutoff device. Every controller should have a working rain switch (also called a rain sensor) or a soil moisture sensor that can minimize wasted water and promote healthy plants and soils. 6. Irrigation schedules are changed to match the water needs of the season or month. The water needs of the plants are driven by a number of ever- fluctuating conditions of the landscape within each zone: The size of the plants as they grow The time of the year (plant growth cycle—blooming, fruiting, etc.) The number of plants (adding or changing plants) The changes in the weather The irrigation program in the controller needs to accommo- date these changes. Typically, a schedule is entered into the con- troller at the beginning of the year, intending to satisfy the highest water needs of the year, and that schedule is never changed dur- ing the year until it is time to turn it off at the end of the season. This causes too much water to be applied in the spring and fall (and winter if there is a 12-month irrigation year). The irrigation schedule should be adjusted to meet the changing plant water needs at least seasonally or, better yet, monthly. Potential Water Savings of Monthly Schedule Adjustments 7. Components of the irrigation system are observed in operation at least twice per irrigation year to ensure proper operation. Most landscape irrigation systems are scheduled to operate during times of the day when no one is around to know if they are operating correctly. The effect of something being out of adjustment or broken often is invisible until the physical damage becomes extreme or plants are dead. The sooner the problem is identified, the sooner the negative effects can be minimized. At least twice during the irrigation year, all sprinklers, valves, rain or soil moisture sensors, and other critical components should be observed in operation and maintained. 7.5. Use licensed and/or certified professional irrigation contractors. Credentials demonstrate expertise. Whether they are instead of or in addition to, licenses or certifications demonstrate that a contractor has the training to build a complete irrigation system. Involvement with trade associations can also help. The Irrigation Association (www.irrigation.org) is the national certifying body for the irrigation industry. The National Association of Landscape Professionals (www.nalp.org) — formerly known as PLANET — is the national certifying body for the landscape industry. Become licensed or certified and get active in a national, state or local trade association. Kurt K. Thompson is irrigation director at Massey Services, Inc., Orlando, Fla. NC Licensed Contractor, CIC, CID-R, CID-C, CID-G, CLWM, CIT, CLIA, CGIA, CSWP, FL Water Star AP, EPA Water Sense Partner. Article provided by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. LI