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Tips for How to Water a Newly-Planted Tree

December 4, 2019 By Matt Sorenson

How to plant a new treeYou’ve just planted some new trees to enhance your landscape.  In order for them to reach their fullest and most beautiful potential,  you’ll need to be very careful about how you water them.

The roots of your  trees likely came in the form of a soil ball. Until the trees are able to establish regular roots in its new soil environment, it is critical to keep the ball moist. Generally, the safest and most effective approach for getting a new tree through the first year–and especially the first summer–is to irrigate regularly by dripping a known quantity of water slowly into the original root ball.

To keep a 24-inch root ball moist not saturated during drought conditions of the kind Texas is currently experiencing  will require you to moisten that ball with two or three gallons of water every four to five days. The simplest way to meet these needs is to poke a few nail holes in the sides a five-gallon bucket near the bottom, set the bucket next to the trunk and fill it with water every few days.

The more sophisticated way to do it is to insert two or three one-gallon-per-hour drip emitters which are attached to a length of plastic tubing and with a special fitting, to your hose. This can be attached to an inexpensive, electronic, battery-operated timer programmed to turn the water off after one or two hours. Check with the nursery where you bought your trees to see if they sell drip irrigation kits that you can use or adapt for this purpose.

A good way to gauge whether or not you are giving your new trees the right amount of water is to probe the soil ball with a metal rod. If you are unable to push the rod easily more than a few inches into the ball, you’re not applying enough water. If the rod slides easily all the way through the ball, you’re more than likely overwatering your plants.

Call South Austin Irrigation at (512) 534-7449 to find out more about irrigation for you.

 

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Filed Under: Landscaping tips Tagged With: drip irrigation, Water conservation watering lawns

A 5-Step Drip Irrigation System for Raised Bed Gardens

April 29, 2017 By Matt Sorenson

Drip Irrigation System
Drip Irrigation System

Do you have a raised bed garden? One of the best ways of irrigating it is with a drip irrigation system. By delivering water directly to where it’s needed, this irrigation method saves both water and money. It’s also fairly easy to set up.

Step #1: Measure tubing

Starting at the water spigot you use for your garden, measure the amount of tubing – which should not exceed 400 feet – that you’ll need to water plants in your raised bed area.

Step #2: Run main tubing through garden

Run a 5/8-inch polyethylene tubing (called the submain) through the bed. Where it touches the plants you want watered, snap on an emitter. If your bed has any 90-degree bends, you’ll need an elbow to create the necessary turn in the submain.

Step #3: Attach smaller tubing to main tubing

Snap on a length of 1/4-inch tubing to an emitter and extend to plants away from the submain so that they will still receive water. Punch holes at regular intervals in tubing with a 16-penny nail.

Step #4: Connect submain to filter and pressure reducer

Attach submain tubing to the filter and pressure reducer, connect to spigot with an adapter and bury flexible submain just below surface of the soil. Test system to see that water is dripping freely.

Step #5: Water according to climate conditions

With a drip irrigation system, it’s best to water according to climate conditions. Be aware, however that because Austin still observes Stage 2 water restrictions, watering needs to be done on your given day. This should be sufficient for most plants, since drip irrigation should be done deeply but infrequently.

South Austin Irrigation Repair believes that you can maintain a beautiful outdoor environment regardless of season…and has been the case in Austin for the last few years, drought conditions.

For irrigation system sales and repair, call on the experts at South Austin Irrigation Repair! (512) 534-7449

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Filed Under: Irrigation Repair Blog Tagged With: drip irrigation, Irrigation system maintenance

Drip Irrigation

February 24, 2017 By Matt Sorenson

Drip Irrigation has many advantages as well as a few disadvantages.

It is becoming increasingly more popular, due the rising cost of water, and the need to conserve water (especially in periods of drought).

Drip irrigation has a low application rate and fairly uniform distribution of water. Drip zones are great for beds and pots, however they have been met with mixed results when used in turf zones. The drip tubing can be buried too deep and is susceptible clogging from debris and roots. In beds, the drip tubing can be covered with a light layer of mulch, equipped with an auto flush valve (to clean the lines before each use), repairs are easier to make, and therefore the drip zone is easier to maintain.

Click on pictures for a larger version

Drip Pots
Drip Pots
Drip Zone
Choose your plants carefully

Call South Austin Irrigation at (512) 534-7449 to find out more.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Filed Under: Irrigation Repair Blog Tagged With: drip irrigation, Irrigation system improvements, water conservation tips

Winterizing Your Drip Irrigation System

November 29, 2016 By Matt Sorenson

frosted-plants-winterAustin typically experiences relatively little in a way of extreme cold during the winter. But you can expect at least a few days of kind of hard freeze  that can damage the drip zone lines that many Austinites use to irrigate their landscape. If you happen to own this kind of system, here are some easy steps you can follow to keep your investment in good working order for the spring and summer months.

STEP #1
Turn off the controller for your drip zone irrigation system.

STEP #2
Open the flush clip(s) on the drip the line and release the water. Once the line has been thoroughly drained, reattach the flush clip(s).

STEP #3
Lateral lines are another area where water can get trapped. Loosen the filter cap, which is typically located near the valve and drip regulator, and allow any water that you see here to drain.

STEP #4
Nest, take out the filter and inspect it for debris: clean if necessary and reinstall. Be sure to tighten the filter cap once you’ve put the filter back in place.

STEP #5
Insulate all pipes that are above ground by wrapping them with insulating tape. Leave sprinkler heads free.

At South Austin Irrigation, our experts are here to help you with all your irrigation repair needs all year long.

Call South Austin Irrigation at (512) 534-7449 for your winter irrigation repair needs.

Filed Under: Irrigation Repair Blog Tagged With: drip irrigation, Irrigation system maintenance

Installing a Drip Line Irrigation System

June 2, 2016 By Matt Sorenson

south austin-drip line irrigation systemWith Austin still facing watering restrictions, finding more efficient ways of keeping lawns and gardens green makes good economic and environmental sense.  One of the best options is to install a drip irrigation system, which not only reduces water bills but also avoids wasted run-off.

Step 1: Sketch out your garden

On a piece of graph paper, mark out the shape of your garden.  Use different colored pencils to sketch in different symbols that will represent small, medium and large plants. When you’re done, connect the dots of your drawing to form the shortest route for your tubing and for the most efficient use of water lines.

Step 2: Scan drawing for large plants

Use separate lines for bigger plants that will need larger amounts of water.  These plants should be marked in the same color pencil on your irrigation system sketch so they’ll stand out.  Remember: putting too great of a demand on a single line will deplete the necessary pressure to force water all the way to the end of the line.

Step 3: Begin actual measuring

Measure out the distance from your water source to the area to be irrigated.  Plan on attaching a backflow control piece, controller, timer or control valve, filter and a pressure regulator, in that order, between the faucet and the line that will conduct water to your garden.

Step 4: Lay out tubing

Use your sketch to help you lay out the route of your irrigation line.  Use ¾ inch tubing for the main run of your water line.  You can plug emitters directly into the ¾ inch vinyl tube line or you can plug in lengths of ¼ inch drip line to function as branch extensions instead.  You can add emitters in-line along the smaller tubing or place an emitter at the end of each smaller branch.

Step 5: Check emitters

Examine the GPM (gallons per minute) or GPH (gallons per hour) marked on your emitters and choose the higher volume emitters for larger plants.  Use drip irrigation sprinklers to cover areas of low-growing ground covers.  The volume of water you’ll need at each emitter will depend on how quickly your soil drains as well as plant size.

Step 6: Test system

Turn on the water to look for leaks.  Keep checking your lines and the emitters on it regularly.  Drip irrigation systems can clog over time.

At South Austin Irrigation, we believe that you can have a beautiful landscape and save money and resources.  Whether you need service on an existing irrigation system, we’ve got what you need when you need it.  For a greener outdoor environment that spares your wallet and the earth, contact us today!

 

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Filed Under: Irrigation Repair Blog Tagged With: avoid lawn & garden run-off, cold weather landscaping tips, drip irrigation, drip line irrigation, economic lawn & garden, installing a drip line irrigation system, reduce water bills

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Our Services Include:

  • Consultation
  • Main and Lateral Line Repairs
  • Pop-up and Rotor Replacement
  • Broken PVC and Copper Pipe Repairs
  • Electrical Troubleshooting
  • System Leaks
  • Backflow Replacement and Installation
  • Valve Locating Repair and Replacement
  • Reroutes for Mature Trees and Patio Additions
  • Controller Replacement and Upgrades
  • Water Conservation by System Upgrade
  • Custom Scheduling
  • Drainage Repair & Maintenance
  • Lawn Irrigation System Adjustments
  • Sprinkler Head Replacement
  • Underground Sprinkler Weatherization
  • Unclog and Adjust Heads and Nozzles
South Austin Irrigation
South Austin Irrigation, LLC
5.0
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Joan Jackson
13:52 08 Oct 17
Excellent, quality work. Matt, the owner, is reliable and explain all charges clearly, with options for how to repair.
Emanuel Saba
21:22 02 Mar 17
I've worked with Matt on a few different occasions and every time he has been extremely professional, timely and most importantly does it right. He really knows the business. His work lasts and is done right. Highly recommend for anyone needing any type of irrigation repair, adding lines, fixing leaks, etc...he does it all!read more
David T
03:17 16 Oct 16
Matt with South Austin Irrigation has been my go-to irrigation company for many changes we've made to our yard over the last 4 years. We've done extensive rock work throughout the front and back yards (which required major irrigation changes); converted an entire zone of our irrigation system to a low-pressure drip irrigation system for my 1000 sq ft "in-ground" garden, plus a recent drainage project to top it off. My experiences with South Austin Irrigation have always been good - Matt is professional and punctual, and has always known what to do to solve the issues I've thrown at him. I was using other companies before I found him, so I can say that his rates are very competitive as well. Matt is a good communicator and doesn't mind taking time to explain the reasons for doing something one way or another, and then letting you make an informed decision about how you want to handle it. Of course, if you'd rather just stay out of it and let him make the decisions (I'm too curious for that!), he's more than capable of doing that as well.read more
Raymond Loren Naylor
14:56 02 Jan 12
Knowledgeable service technician. Work performed a quickly and efficiently. Pleased with ovaerall experience. Even helped understand importance of wartering timing.read more
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Our sprinkler repair service areas include:

  • Austin, TX
  • Lakeway, TX
  • Spicewood, TX
  • Horseshoe Bay, TX
  • Dripping Springs, TX
  • Wimberly, TX

Give us a call for sprinkler repair and service in your area: (512) 534-7449

We Service Many Irrigation Brands:

  • Toro
  • Nelson Turf
  • KRain
  • HydroRain
  • Berkeley
  • Irritrol
  • Rain Bird
  • Rachio
  • Hunter

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Irrigation in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) (MC-178)
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