Whether this is your first house and your first backyard or you have been around the block a few times and this is just the latest in a series of homes you have owned, there is always something new to learn! Sometimes your new knowledge is something simple, such as those nozzle looking things stapled into the eaves of your patio cover are actually a working misting system that keeps homeowners cool on warmer days. Sometimes it can be the realization that the weed you almost pulled is a beautiful sunflower growing with its face towards the sun. And sometimes, you learn from your friendly pool and landscape guys (that would be us, New Image Landscape and Pools, of course!) that an automatic watering system may be the ideal thing to add to your private oasis! This guide to the pros and cons of an automatic watering system is designed to take your homeowner knowledge to the next level!
What is an Automatic Watering System?
This system is exactly what the name would apply; a system that waters bushes, gardens, and grass with the use of an automatic timer, ensuring that homeowners don’t have to worry about remembering to do it themselves! Coming in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, this type of system is particularly handy in the desert as it also monitors the amount of water your landscape receives, preserving our most precious resource. Use drip lines around your trees, bubblers for your plants and flowers, and of course, sprinklers for your yard, all of which can be tied into a timer that regulates how long the watering cycle should last and how often your plants, grass, and trees should be watered. The automatic systems also differ in terms of technology from the very basic to super connected models with all the bells and whistles that can even be controlled by an app on your phone.
All the Pros
There are so many reasons an automated watering system would benefit your landscape and so few reasons as to why it wouldn’t. (We will get into those reasons later on down the page.) Novice gardeners and landscapers often overestimate on how much water their yard needs either through lack of knowledge or by pure accident. How many times have you forgot to turn the sprinkler attached to your hose off at night before going to bed, waking to the sound of water running and a yard that is squishy and possibly even growing mushrooms? An automatic system allows owners to program when to start and when to stop, ensuring your lawn gets exactly the right amount of water it needs. (Helpful hint: for those with Bermuda grass, if the color is a blueish-gray and you can’t easily push a screwdriver into the soil, you need to up the watering time.) For those who desire a colorful garden filled with their favorite flowers, it can be a relief not to have to remember to get out there and water, especially when your schedule is already tight to begin with! Run a drip line behind the flowers and schedule when you want that to come on as well, and your garden problems are virtually solved. Many of today’s systems even offer sensors that can determine if it has rained enough to keep the sprinklers from coming on, conserving even more water!
Why Wouldn’t the System be Right for your Yard?
After reading all that the systems can do for homeowners, you may be wondering why there is even a question as to whether it is right for your yard. It does seem to be a bit of a miracle worker, and at the end of the day, everyone wants a beautiful landscape, but there are some reasons why a system would not be necessary for your yard. For example, perhaps the expanse of your back yard is taken up by a built in pool and hot tub and there are no plants, grass, or flowers to keep watered. Townhomes and condos are known for their postage stamp lots on which a concrete pad holds nothing more than a barbecue grill and/or patio table and chairs. If you rent your property, you will be at the mercy of the homeowner who may very well decide they don’t want to spend any more money on their investment. And finally, perhaps you find joy in doing things all by yourself. There can be Zen achieved in the time spent in a garden, watering can in hand, floppy hat on head, and with the sun shining down from above and if that brings you pleasure, well, it is very reasonable to decide that an automatic watering system would not be right for you!
Give Us a Call Today
If you do decide that an automatic watering system is the miracle you have been waiting for, give us a call today and let New Image Landscape and Pools help that magic along!
