How many of you have gone out, turned the sprinkler on, and then gone back inside to do a couple of things? The next thing you know you're looking out the window as you make your coffee the next morning and you see the sprinkler is still running!
I know I'm not alone (and I live with an irrigation guy)! Not only does this raise your utility bills astronomically, but unless you have planted native flood species you are not doing your plants any favours. I am not much of a gardener, but my mother assures me that plants do not grow as well when they are under water!
Even if you always remember to turn your sprinkler or hose off, you can still benefit from the savings of an irrigation system. The best time to water your lawn and gardens is in the early morning and most of us are either still sleeping or on our way to work at that time of day. Watering in the early morning decreases water loss due to evaporation. The timer on your in-ground lawn sprinkler system will take care of the watering for you.
You can ensure that watering is done when it is most effective, lowest cost (off peak), and you can avoid the times of day that experience the most evaporation (approximately noon to late afternoon). The more evaporation that occurs, the more you need to water, and the higher your utility bills become. Mother nature has created a bit of a catch 22!
The best way to beat mother nature is to get the groundwater into the soil before peak evaporation and allow your plant roots to adsorb the moisture. An automatic irrigation system will take care of the scheduling for you. Your water usage, and bills, will be lower with an irrigation system.
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