Fall Water Management Tips When Landscaping: Portland Expert Kirk Lobb at Landscape East & West
When it comes to fall landscaping, Portland residents have to pay particular attention to their irrigation systems and watering habits. Even though the Portland area doesn’t get much snow, fall is the perfect time to winterize your landscape, including your irrigation system, so you don’t end up with burst pipes and costly leaks.
Controlled Irrigation for Portland Landscaping
Portland landscaping experts at Landscape East & West see this happen all the time in the fall: over watered plants and turf. When planning their fall landscaping, Portland residents should plan to water less because this is when the area starts to receive more rain.
Controlled irrigation is a great practice to prevent over watering. It takes into consideration the amount of water a landscape actually needs, so you can set up an effective and efficient watering and feeding schedule that keeps your plants happy. Even if you set up a controller in the spring, you need to readjust it for the fall season so the growing conditions remain optimal for your plants.
By using the latest SMART controllers, drip irrigation, rotating nozzle heads and the right number of zone in a landscape, you can lower your operating costs by up to 30 percent while improving the health of your plants. In fact, Landscape East & West is so confident in the systems they install that we offer a five year warranty.
Dealing with Puddled and Standing Water in Your Yard
Good drainage design for your landscaping is an important component for a controlled irrigation plan. It’s common for Portland-area homeowners to voice concerns about overly wet yards in the fall, and for good reason. Standing water and puddles can damage a home’s foundation, make landscaping difficult (and unsightly) as well as pose safety hazards.
If you have puddled or standing water on your property, Portland landscaping experts may install a catchment device. This device uses a catch basin that’s installed at the lowest point of your landscaping, allowing it to trap surface and runoff water. The catch basin then diverts the water elsewhere, ideally to an aquifer that uses a drywell to return the water back to the soil. However, it’s best to determine where to redirect the water with the help of a professional.
French drains are an option that homeowners may use in lieu of catchment devices to prevent puddles and standing water. A French drain is a trench with a perforated pipe inside of it that’s hidden under gravel or decorative rocks. Gravity sends excess and runoff water down to the drain and the concealed pipe diverts the water away, like to an aquifer. Again, have a Portland landscaping expert help you determine the best location to divert the water that the pipe collects.
Landscaping and water management is an investment in your property. Hiring an expert to help you with your irrigation and drainage needs ensures that the systems that you use are installed correctly and in the best locations for your property.
Landscape East & West specializes in irrigation systems and drainage management, as well as irrigation installation and repair. Give us a call today to get your Portland landscaping ready for fall.
Kirk Lobb is the Service Department Manager at Landscape East & West, Portland Landscaping professionals. Kirk specializes in helping customers with their fall water management needs, from irrigation system installation and repair to drainage management.
