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Landscaping Ideas for a More Beautiful Fall

April 2, 2021 By Matt Sorenson

Autumn is almost in sight and for Texans that means cooling trends in the 80s. These lower temperatures and potential for fall rains creates the perfect conditions for you to add  plants with colorful leaves and flowering plants back into your landscape to celebrate the return of milder weather.

Cockscomb
Cockscomb

Traditionally, early September is one of the best times of the year to add new greenery in Texas. You should expect that whatever you plan now will last until first freeze of the season. For residents of central Texas, that first freeze usually happens around the end of November/beginning of December.

Before you begin your project, consider adding a bit of fall color to established flowerbeds or to pots located near a front door or, if you have one, a patio area.

Here are some suggestions for plants that are guaranteed to provide cheerful seasonal accents to your landscaping scheme:

  • Celosia plumosa (cockscomb) –  produces feathery flowers and comes in yellow, pink, red and maroon.
  • sweet potato vines – fast-growing and light yellow-green in color.
  • moss roses –  sun-loving, low growing flowering plants that produce yellow, orange or pink blossoms.
  • dusty miller – has gray-green to almost white deeply indented felt-like leaves; makes for a striking addition to any landscape.
  • chrysanthemums – adapts well to potted environments and produces big, colorful blooms.

You can prolong the growing season of these plants (and especially the ones that produce flowers) by protecting them from early frost and freezes with a sheet or row cover cloth.

At South Austin Irrigation, we are committed to helping our clients achieve the most beautiful results with their landscaping. Regardless of the time of year, we’re here to help you with all your irrigation repair needs.  For the best in irrigation system inspection, service and repair, contact us today!

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: garden tips

Building a Raised Bed Garden

March 30, 2021 By Matt Sorenson

raised bed gardenGet ready, Austinites – spring is almost here! If you’re looking for new landscaping ideas for the new season, consider adding a raised bed to your garden. Not only can it improve soil fertility and drainage. It can also help you grow larger, healthier plants.

Step 1: Find a level area in your garden
Once you’ve found a spot for your raised bed, carefully measure the area. Divide the total area into rows three to five feet wide. Adjust the width of your rows based on the mature size of the plants you intend to grow in each row. Mark the outer edges of each row using wooden stakes.

Step 2: Begin digging
Excavate the soil inside the area you marked off using your shovel to a depth of one foot. Pile the dirt nearby on the plastic sheet or tarp. If your soil has a heavy clay or sand content, mix it with compost to improve fertility and drainage.

Step 3: Multiply and mix
Multiply the length, width and height of your raised bed (above ground) to determine the volume of topsoil needed to add to your raised bed. Mix the topsoil into the dirt you removed from the bed. Use a shovel to loosen and aerate pit soil to a depth of one foot.

Step 4: Begin building
Begin placing masonry blocks around the pit perimeter to create a wall around the edge. Stack blocks in horizontal layers and stagger the blocks in each layer so that the ends of each block are above the middle of the blocks underneath them. When the wall reaches two feet in height, stop adding blocks.

Step 5: Fill in the bed
Shovel the new mixture of topsoil back into the area inside the wall. Apply the soil evenly over the excavated area, but avoid walking on or compacting it. Scan the soil for any large rocks or trash and remove them.

No matter the season, South Austin Irrigation is here to help you make the most of your outdoor environment.

Call us when you need help with your irrigation system!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Filed Under: Landscaping tips Tagged With: garden tips, horticultural advice, landscape tips

5 Steps to Laying Down Autumn Sod

March 12, 2021 By Matt Sorenson

Save your lawn with proper watering

The heat of summer can burn bare patches into even the best-kept lawns. But the good news is that early fall – which is now only a month away – is prime sodding season.

Sod is essentially a mature grass cover that has been professionally cultivated and cut into easy-to-lay-down squares. What makes it so popular is that it allows you to see the results of grass landscaping much more quickly than if you planted seeds.

The first thing to determine is how you will use your sod. It is just as effective for “patch jobs” as it is for redoing entire grassy areas. Once you’ve done that, then you can begin the actual work of laying it down.

Step 1: Turn over the soil

Do this to a depth of 4 or so inches. If you are only working a small area, use a pitchfork. Otherwise– and especially those covered in hard soil – us a rototiller for large areas.

Step 2: Prepare the planting area

Rake the soil using a garden a garden rake to create an even surface. Wet the soil thoroughly with a soaker hose or sprinkler 2 to 3 days before planting the sod, which needs dampness to get established.

Step 3: Begin sodding at a landmark

This is important so that you will have as straight a pattern to work with as possible. For example, if the sod will abut a driveway, sidewalk or path, begin sodding against these pre-established landmarks.

Step 4: Treat sod squares like bricks

Lay squares of sod side-by-side. Build the first row and then move on to the next. Use a carpet knife to cut pieces of side to different lengths and don’t forget to stagger the joints as though you were laying down bricks.

Step 5: Water newly sodded areas

Use a soaker hose to wet newly laid sod to a depth of four inches. After that, be sure to water daily for the first two weeks. Sod takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks to get established. Because Austin is still under stage 2 water restrictions, you will need to water it once or twice a week.

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Filed Under: Landscaping tips Tagged With: garden tips, landscape tips

St. Augustine Grass and Chinch Bugs

February 28, 2021 By Matt Sorenson

admin-ajax1If you’re like many Austinites, you use St. Augustine grass for your landscaping because it’s drought resistant. But many St. Augustine varieties – including Bitterblue, Floratine, Delmar, Palmetto and Jade – are also susceptible to damaging infestations of a pest known as the southern chinch bug.

Adult chinches are black and oval in shape and are approximately 1/6 of an inch long. Females live two months, but lay many eggs during their lifetime. The nymphs that emerge from these eggs mature within just 4 to 5 weeks. Chinch bugs feed on St. Augustine by extracting plant juices from grass blades with their piercing beaks.

These pests typically congregate in one area of a lawn. St. Augustine grass infested with chinch bugs usually turns yellow, grows slowly and then becomes brownish-red just before it dies. Chinch bug damage occurs near the soil’s surface and is most common in sunny areas near driveways.

The way to discourage chinch bug infestations is to avoid overwatering. You should also stay away from nitrogen rich fertilizers. To help get rid of this pest, you should use insecticides that are specifically for the treatment of chinches, which you can find at your local nursery or garden center.

One thing to remember is that while you may be able to control the chinch bug population in your lawn, you’ll never entirely eliminate this pest. If you can decrease chinch bug presence by 80%, consider your efforts a success.

South Austin Irrigation specializes in irrigation system inspection and repairs or all types of irrigation systems. For all your irrigation system repair needs, contact us today!

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Filed Under: Landscaping tips Tagged With: garden tips, landscape tips

Soil Conditioning

February 4, 2021 By Matt Sorenson

Healthy soil is the key to a beautiful lawn. Some chronic lawn issues — browning, thinning, and wilting — can stem from poor soil conditions. Cracked, dry, and compacted soil are other signs the soil supporting the lawn might be unhealthy.

The good news is that poor soil can be improved by soil conditioning. Soil conditioning is the process of improving different features of soil quality, such as:

  1. Tilth — the physical condition and structure of the soil in relation to how suitable it is for plant growth. This includes the presence or absence of clumps (aggregates) and their size, the aeration level, and whether the soil has channels where water can enter and drain. If a soil has good tilth, it has the structure for supporting healthy root growth.
  2. Nutrient-holding capacity — the ability of the soil to retain minerals that plants use as nutrients. Clay soils generally have higher nutrient-holding capacity, giving them the potential to be very fertile. But they also compact and clump easily. 
  3. Water-holding capacity — varies by soil type (sandy soil drains quickly, and clay holds on to water longer), but other things affect it as well. Soil should be well drained, while still holding enough water for healthy plant growth. 
  4. Organic matter — ideally 5 percent. Organic matter promotes soil biological activity, and also affects tilth, and nutrient- and water-holding capacity.

What are Soil Amendments and Conditioners?

A soil amendment is any material, organic or inorganic, added to soil to improve its physical qualities so it can support plant growth. The term is often used interchangeably with soil conditioner.

Organic Amendments

Organic amendments contain materials derived from animals or plants, and include manure, biosolids (treated sewage sludge), compost, grass clippings, straw, hay, sawdust, wood chips, wood ash, bone meal, leaf mold, and sphagnum peat moss. To be classified as amendments, organic materials should be fully composted. The exception is sphagnum peat moss, which doesn’t require further decomposition.

Adding organic matter to the soil increases pore space, allowing for better oxygenation for root growth, and making it physically easier for roots to penetrate the soil. Organic matter also improves soil structure, aeration, water- and nutrient-holding capacity, drainage, water infiltration, and workability. Many organic amendments also provide plant nutrients and act as organic fertilizers.

Organic matter as well feeds bacteria, fungi, and earthworms that live in the soil. This increases bioactivity, which releases even more nutrients for plant roots. Once the earthworms and microorganisms have digested the organic matter, more of it will have to be added.

Inorganic Amendments

Inorganic amendments are either man-made or mined, and are often more expensive and less available than organic ones. Some examples include vermiculite, sand, perlite, lime, pea gravel, and gypsum. 

Inorganic amendments improve water filtration, increase soil aeration and drainage, decrease or increase soil weight, and decrease excessive water holding capacity.

Fertilizers and Organic Amendments

Fertilizers are concentrated organic or inorganic nutrients added to the soil that directly affect plant growth. In contrast, amendments are organic or inorganic materials that indirectly affect plant growth by improving the condition of the soil.

However, because of the substantial amounts of organic matter in organic fertilizers, many are considered soil amendments (e.g. manures, bone meal, biosolids) and organic amendments, because they provide nutrients in varying degrees to plant roots, can act as fertilizers (e.g. sawdust, straw, hay, leaf mold, sphagnum peat moss).

Texas Soil

Nearly all soils in Central Texas lack organic matter, are somewhat alkaline, and are clay-textured. These characteristics create the following problems:

  • It’s hard for roots to penetrate
  • Pooling and drainage problems occur when clay absorbs water and traps it for extended periods
  • Clay becomes hard when dry
  • The alkalinity prevents plants from absorbing iron
  • The clay compacts easily and prevents water and oxygen from reaching plant roots

Soil Testing

Before using any soil amendments always test your soil first. One place to get it tested is at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service soil testing labs. Download and print the applicable submittal form from their site. For homes and gardens select the Urban and Homeowner form. If unable to obtain soil sample collection bags from the laboratory you can use plastic zip lock bags. Information is provided on the forms on how to collect and submit a soil sample, as well as the fee amounts for each type of test.

A number of different soil tests are available, including ones for routine nutrients, micronutrients, organic matter, boron, lime requirement, detailed salinity, and texture. The routine test detects the soil acidity or alkalinity (pH), salinity, nitrates (NO3-N), plus the levels of primary nutrients (P — phosphorus, K — potassium, Ca — calcium, Mg — magnesium, Na — sodium, and S — sulphur) that are available to plants. 

A routine test report will tell you what nutrients are already in your soil and recommend which ones to add and how much to apply. This takes the guesswork out of what type of fertilizer or amendment to use. You’ll also get a lime recommendation for any low pH.

Amending Your Lawn by Top-Dressing

Top-dressing a lawn is the process of adding a thin layer of compost or other soil amendment over the surface to improve soil quality. Using compost is best for achieving better soil structure and a healthy environment for microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes) and macroorganisms (e.g. earth worms, spiders, beetles). 

The best time of the year for top-dressing is in the spring for warm season grasses, and the fall for cool season grasses. Cool season grasses can also be top-dressed in the spring if you don’t plan to overseed in the fall. Be sure to match the nutrients in your compost or other soil amendment with your soil test results.

Steps for Top-Dressing

  1. For lawns with more than 1/2 inch of thatch, dethatch or core aerate first. Core aerate if you have poor soil, such as heavy clay. Remove the thatch debris and cores.
  2. Mow the lawn to the lowest recommended height for its grass type.
  3. Shovel a small pile of top-dressing onto the grass, and evenly spread a layer over a small area 1/4 to 1/2-inch-thick, depending on the grass height. You can layer up to 1 inch thick for grasses 3 or more inches high. Fill in any aeration holes, especially if the soil is poor.
  4. The top-dressing must touch the soil, so brush the grass using the backside of a rake until the grass shows through. Make sure the top-dressing is at an even depth.
  5. Water the grass to settle the top-dressing and keep it in place. 
  6. In a day or two rake the area again to make sure the top-dressing is even. With enough moisture, much of the top-dressing should work into the soil within a few weeks.
  7. If you’re overseeding, do it after applying the top-dressing. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate. 

Proper irrigation of your lawn is indispensable to its health and vitality.  You can rely on the pros at South Austin Irrigation for irrigation and sprinkler system alterations and repairs.  

Call us today at (512) 534-7449 or complete our online form.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Filed Under: Landscaping tips Tagged With: garden tips

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Important message:
South Austin Irrigation is very mindful of the health and safety of its customers and employees and we are taking all possible precautions against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
For customers practicing self-isolation or social distancing, please be assured that we will perform repairs and adjustments to your sprinkler system at a safe distance and without the need for close contact.

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

Google Reviews

South Austin Irrigation, LLC
South Austin Irrigation, LLC
5.0
Based on 19 reviews
See all reviewsWrite a review
Ed Burgess
Ed Burgess
16:09 18 Aug 20
Most excellent work! These... guys know their stuff, and take the time to make sure the work is done right. Very professional and conscientious!read more
Russ Brown
Russ Brown
00:06 15 Jul 20
On time, efficient, quality... work at a reasonable price. Highly recommend.read more
Becca Friedman
Becca Friedman
14:22 12 May 20
I've been waiting to write... this review for far too long. I wanted to do it justice. Still worried it won't be good enough ;)I saw the stellar reviews for South Austin Irrigation and with a mystery leak on my hands, really wanted the best. So I gave them a call. Matt promptly responded, listened to my issue, set solid expectations, and then sent Dave to my home.Dave arrived on time (early, if i recall) with the biggest smile on his face. I knew it was going to be a good visit. Dave was straightforward, no bs, and fun to talk to. He helped me understand my system, pointed out things I could do to improve it if I wanted, but never over-sold. He was honest about what the return on investment could be, and helped identify the cause of the massive water loss experienced (glitch or incidental adjustment of the system).My water bills were immediately back on track after that visit, and I had a plan for the future. But more than anything, I'd had a great time learning about something I never thought I'd ever enjoy - irrigation. And I feel like I've made a friend in the process. I trust South Austin Irrigation. That's hard to say about home service. You should too.Now if only they weren't so good at their jobs I'd have a reason to call on them. Can you teach other businesses how to operate? lolThanks again Matt and Dave. Really spectacular service. I recommend you to all my friends.read more
John Boozer
John Boozer
00:52 05 Feb 20
First time working with Matt... today and couldn't be more impressed! He is very knowledgeable and helpful, and not only took care of the problem I had, but also gave me lots of helpful tips to prevent further problems. I'll definitely be referring Matt to anyone I know that needs help with their sprinkler systems. Thanks Matt!read more
Ben Schreiber
Ben Schreiber
22:04 01 Dec 19
Nathan Erwin
Nathan Erwin
23:14 15 Oct 19
Dave came out to provide an... evaluation since someone (me) ruined the drip line in the front of our house when aerifying. It didn't take him but a few seconds to know it was going to need to be replaced. The other 59 minutes he taught and walked me through everything I didn't know about my irrigation system, which was a lot. I would recommend SAI to anyone who wants to better understand how their system works or has an issue that needs to be addressed.read more
Karen Shah
Karen Shah
21:44 15 Oct 19
Dave did an excellent job not... only replacing a control valve but thoroughly explaining and showing me the issue. He was super quick to respond, coming out within an hour and a half of my call. Reasonable price, fast, friendly - couldn't ask for more. Highly recommended!read more
Lee Polson
Lee Polson
22:47 29 Aug 19
On time, friendly and... inexpensive.read more
Jackie Jason Sabella Roche
Jackie Jason Sabella Roche
16:52 27 Aug 19
Highly recommend South Austin... Irrigation. Matt did an excellent job replacing our sprinkler system’s control panel. He made sure everything worked properly, and he spent time explaining the settings on the panel. He also quickly replaced a broken line in a flower bed. We hope we don’t have issues with our system in the future, but if we do, we will not hesitate to use them again.read more
Allan Hawkins
Allan Hawkins
18:08 31 Jul 19
I’ve known Matt and his team... for at least 5 years. He’s done multiple projects at 2 of my homes. He has always been reliable, honest, and knowledgeable. He will walk you through your issue and discuss options without up-selling. If you have an irrigation need, and you can squeeze into his schedule, he is a great choice.read more
Cue Boykin
Cue Boykin
17:01 22 Jan 19
I've used Matt at South... Austin Irrigation for years. Matt is knowledgeable, efficient, courteous, prompt, and reasonable. South Austin is my one-stop shop for all my irrigation needs.read more
Jeff Roberts
Jeff Roberts
22:33 10 Dec 18
Just had Matt out to work on... a customer's sprinkler system that one of our driver's accidentally broke. Matt was incredibly capable and had every tool-of-the-trade imaginable. The troubleshooting and work was completed swiftly, and the price was very reasonable. I will definitely be using South Austin Irrigation in the future and highly recommend them for any sprinkler system maintenance needs.read more
Phil Evans
Phil Evans
18:00 20 Aug 18
Thorough in sprinkler repair.
John Land
John Land
20:17 02 Jun 18
Excellent Service - I have... been using Matt and his company South Austin Irrigation for the last 6 or 7 years and could not be happier with his service. He is courteous, communicates well and has a great attitude and sense of humor. Matt is the best at what he does. He explains his work and advises well with providing the pros and cons with budget in mind. I wish that everyone I hire to perform services at my home were as good as Matt is, he sets a high bar of excellence.read more
Philip Watts
Philip Watts
05:55 11 Feb 18
In a recent long freeze our... sprinkler system suffered from a burst. I switched off the irrigation water and called Matt from South Austin Irrigation. He came out pretty quickly, investigated the problem and talked over how to fix it, how to winterize it in future, and answered other questions I had. He was very knowledgeable and helpful, and fixed the system after ordering a part. I am very happy with South Austin Irrigation's work and employees that I dealt with. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs their services.read more
Joan Jackson
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.read more
Emanuel Saba
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
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
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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