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We’re still enjoying the last week or so of August, but the forecast is calling for overnight lows in the 40s and the potential for snow in the Sierras. While that’s a bit of a seasonal anomaly, it’s a good reminder that cooler weather is just ahead. Your landscaping will need watering for another few months, but if you’re considering irrigation shut-off services in Reno and Sparks, it pays to plan ahead and get on the schedule now. Otherwise, keep these tips handy for shutting off your irrigation system yourself.

Why (And When) Winterize Residential Irrigation Systems?

Good question! Your annual plants, trees and shrubs need less water as they respond to the cooler nights and shorter days, which signals their shift into dormancy. So water conservation is one consideration. Another is protecting your irrigation system itself. When temperatures drop low enough, they can cause damage to systems that haven’t been shut down properly. But the big question is often when to do it.

Here in Reno and Sparks, the rule of thumb is to shut off residential irrigation systems by Halloween. Of course, depending on the weather, that can vary from one year to the next. When we’re experiencing a slower, warmer autumn, our watering season is longer. Instead of going by the calendar, the best approach if you’re planning to winterize your irrigation system yourself is to pay attention to the weather and the forecast. If you’d rather leave the process to a professional, contact Harris Landscape Construction today to get on our schedule for irrigation service in October.

How To Winterize Your Irrigation System

If you prefer to handle this yourself, here’s what we recommend. Start by soaking your trees and shrubs to about 18 inches in depth and irrigating the outer tips of the branches on your plants with a sprinkler or soaker hose. That will ensure that your plants, shrubs and trees are properly prepped for the cold winter months. Next, follow these steps.

• Shut down the controller. Refer to the owner’s manual or search online for your model if you aren’t sure how to do this.
• Shut off the water supply. To insulate it against freezing temperatures to come, wrap the main shut-off valve with insulation or pack it with pine straw. If your system has any above-ground piping, make sure to insulate that as well.
• Drain the water from your system’s pipes. This is really important, and it’s often skipped. Don’t make that mistake. Leftover water in the pipes can freeze and lead to cracking, which will be an enormous headache come spring. Depending on your system, you might use a manual drain valve, an automatic drain valve, or a compressor blow-out method. Again, if you aren’t sure how to do this, check the owner’s manual or consider calling in a pro.
• Finally, ensure that any above-ground back flow preventers and valves are properly insulated.

While it isn’t especially difficult to winterize your irrigation system, it’s easy enough to make mistakes or skip important steps (especially pipe draining). If you aren’t interested in winterizing your system yourself, we’re happy to help. Contact the team here at Harris Landscape Construction today to schedule an appointment.

A Word On Winter Watering

Remember that just because your irrigation system is shut down doesn’t mean your watering duties are on hiatus until spring. Some trees and plants still need water over the winter months, especially if we aren’t getting regular precipitation. If it’s been longer than three or four weeks without water falling from the sky, use a hose to water the trees and plants that need it. They’ll be in much better place in the spring for your efforts.