Keep watering

Fall may be approaching but keep your sprinkler system operating as it has all summer. Watch the weather as the temperatures may drop here and there - this is a good opportunity to take a day or two off from watering, just don't forget to turn it back on when it heats up again.

As we approach fall the plants still need water until well after leaf drop. What you can begin to do is ease back on the run times or reduce to two days a week instead of 3 or 4 days as the weather gets cooler.

Things to do to prepare for fall

-Aeration of your lawn - check the locations of your sprinkler heads to avoid damage. After an aeration occurs, run through your sprinkler zones and inspect that no heads were broken during the process.

-If temperatures do drip at night wrap your backflow device to keep from freezing.

When should sprinkler systems be turned off and drained or blown out?

Depending on the weather, most companies will start blow-outs mid-October and continue well into November. The important thing to remember is how to turn off the water to the system and be able to drain the backflow to prevent freeze damage. Then the system can be blown out anytime after that. You can use your system instead of a hose to keep watering trees and shrubs.

Keep watering even if your sprinkler systems are turned off!

As long as the temperatures are above freezing and dry, plants need water, especially Evergreen trees and shrubs. All plants need water until the end of December and possibly once or twice a month January - March if we are unseasonable warm and dry.

Keep loving your landscape through winter and the plants will keep on giving you shade and beauty next year.