Landscape Irrigation System FAQs

Commercial and Residential Landscaping Questions

After spending your time and money working on your landscaping, you deserve to keep it beautiful. It’s important to rig a property irrigation system to prevent erosion and destruction due to inclement weather. Maryland’s summers bring unpredictable storms, making it hard on your lawn and plants. The solution is installing a landscape irrigation system to always keep your property looking nice. With this comes questions. That’s why we’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions covering the topic. As always, if you have any questions or concerns pertaining to your situation, give us a call. We’re happy to help you with your residential or commercial property. For years, our team has been installing professional irrigation systems to preserve lawns, plants, and landscaping.

Why are landscapes irrigated?

Irrigation provides the proper amount of water for plants that otherwise wouldn’t receive it due to a lack of natural rainfall. In short, it helps keep your lawn and plants watered when it doesn’t rain enough.

What are the irrigation requirements for turfgrass and landscape plants?

This all depends on your specific landscaping needs. Plants require specific watering to become established on your property. On average, trees require about three to four months per inch of trunk diameter to become established while shrubs need about 25 weeks. During those times, you need two to three gallons of water per inch of your trunk’s diameter. So, a 2” tree would need four to six gallons of water. Fortunately, when you work with Arundel Irrigation, we take all this math into consideration for you, letting you relax and enjoy your beautiful landscaping.

How often should I check my irrigation system’s performance?

A good rule of thumb is to check your irrigation system once a month. This helps ensure you’re always running efficiently to keep your landscaping looking great. We also recommend hiring a professional to conduct a full maintenance and service check every year, usually before the summer season. An expert in irrigation can check more in-depth systems and guarantee their success.

How long should I run my sprinklers to water my lawn effectively?

About 20 minutes, three times per week will net you an inch of water on your lawn. Most lawns require about an inch of water per week, either from rain or watering to stay healthy.

Will lighting installations damage my landscaping?

If you hired Arundel Irrigation to install your lighting, no! We make sure to work around your property to effectively install lighting without damaging your landscaping or irrigation system.

Why isn’t my system operating at the right time?

This is a common issue. Check to see if your time and day in your controller are set properly.

Why won’t my sprinklers turn off?

If your controller isn’t responding and your sprinklers are still running when they shouldn’t, you will need to shut off the water supply to your irrigation system. Usually, the physical shut-off is at your backflow device. The most common reason for faulty sprinklers causing this issue is a failed valve. After shutting off your sprinklers, make sure to give us a call so we can get a better look at your system.