Picture this. It’s the beginning of summer. The days are getting longer, temperatures are getting higher, and plants are getting greener. Finally, you can dust off the patio furniture and enjoy your beautiful backyard or courtyard landscaping once again.

But anyone who’s spent time outdoors during the summer months knows one thing … The thirst is real. Just like us, plants need proper hydration to look and feel their best during warmer months. And just because you live in the rainy Northwest doesn’t mean you can ignore proper irrigation maintenance. This time of year is the perfect time to engage a partner like Malone’s to handle your irrigation start-up and backflow testing.

Irrigation Start Ups & Backflow Testing

To prep for warmer months, spring start-up and inspection services should be performed between March and June—even in rainier states. Malone’s Landscape is experienced in these tests and is eager to help you get a head start on prepping your irrigation system. Irrigation start-up and backflow testing usually includes the following steps:

• Inspecting and testing the backflow prevention device of your system
• Inspecting each zone for leaks, spray coverage, and general functioning
• Inspecting the backflow connections and re-sealing leaks from loose fittings
• Checking for damaged sprinkler heads or nozzles, removing dirt and debris, unclogging nozzles, and straightening sprinkler heads, as needed
• Recommending replacement parts, if needed

Why Irrigation Matters

Irrigation isn’t the same as just turning on the sprinkler in the front yard. While the sprinkler method works fine for lawns and smaller plots of land, it doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to give adequate hydration to all the plants in your landscape design.

Correctly managing your landscape’s irrigation is vital to your plants’ health and longevity. Mismanagement of water can lead to dead plants, displaced soil or fertilizer, potholes, and water damage. Long story short, if you want to keep your plants healthy and happy, as well as save yourself time and energy—you need an irrigation system.

Keep Plants Healthy & Happy

One of the most important and most obvious perks to having an irrigation system is that it keeps all the plants in your landscape healthy. Irrigation can help protect your lawn, plants, and trees from experiencing the negative side effects of a possible drought.

Quality irrigation systems are designed to give plants the right amount of water, as needed. Remember: Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Too much water can cause your plants to drown, so it’s important that your irrigation system can drain excess water as needed, and can shower your yard more frequently during the dry season.

Save Time & Energy

The best times to water your plants or yard is early in the morning or just before nightfall. With an irrigation system, you won’t have to worry about remembering to pull out the hose before you leave for work or drop the kids off at soccer practice.

A high-quality system does the heavy-lifting for you. It will even keep your landscape hydrated even when you’re away for a longer period of time.

Our professional team will keep the climate and layout of your landscape design as they install your system, so that it runs as efficiently as possible.

Maintaining Your Irrigation System

We get it. Installing an irrigation system can seem like an expensive undertaking at first, but keep in mind that it doesn’t require much maintenance after it’s been installed.

The biggest ongoing cost associated with your irrigation system will be your water bill, but an efficient system will actually save you more on water in the long run. Irrigation systems last a long time, and will remain in good shape longer if you take these steps:

• Inspect Frequently — Irrigation systems are equipped with sprinkler heads, nozzles, valves, and pipes designed to withstand outdoor wear and tear. But sometimes people, pets, and the environment can keep your system from working its best. If something gets moved out of place, it can impact the efficiency of your system, which in turn can impact your water bill.
• Update Your System — Like everything else, irrigation systems are always improving. Sometimes, it may make sense to update your system to a newer, more efficient, or more economical version.
• Change With the Seasons — Every season brings with it new temperatures and levels of precipitation, so your irrigation needs will fluctuate throughout the year. To conserve water (and money), update your system as the seasons change.
• Conduct a Yearly Audit — Once a year, conduct an irrigation audit to test the effectiveness of your system. This audit can be a helpful way to determine whether there are better ways to conserve water or reduce your water bill.

Partnering with the Right People

You spent a lot of time, money, and energy bringing your landscape vision to life. To preserve its beauty, proper hydration is essential.

An irrigation system will ensure your plants, trees, and grass get the water they need, while you save money on your water bill. Hiring a professional early on can help when spring rolls around and you need to start thinking about irrigating your landscape.

At Malone’s Landscape, our experienced team will help you start up your irrigation system through backflow testing and other inspection services, so that it runs as efficiently as possible. We’ll help you understand how to use your system, as well as how to adjust it as the seasons change. We’ll also help you with regular audits and ongoing maintenance, so that your landscape stays healthy and beautiful for years to come.