Above ground irrigation

Well I hate to think that I failed at establishing a yard last year, but I did. The only thing that could make me feel a little bit better is if I was at least able to LEARN from that experience. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I have…

BACKGROUND

I really thought that I was going to have a good yard last year, and really, I almost did, it was almost respectable.

But, it all died and I’m left with weeds (not just crab grass, other, exotic weeds too).

WHAT I LEARNED

So, in my effort to identify a lesson from last year, I have come up with (I’m no expert, but this is what I’m going with):

LESSON 1

I did not treat for fungus (because I’m cheap and it was ~$400) and brown patch wiped me out.

In order to address this “lesson,” I have started a Turf Management Plan with Turf Titanz.

LESSON 2

I relied too much on hoping that the rain was sufficient for watering (basically I think I stopped watering too early in the season…)

In order to address this second “lesson,” I have purchased the a bunch of stuff in an attempt to take the thinking (and most of the effort) out of watering the grass:

PURCHASED

1. 700' of cheapo hose = ~$135
2. Melnor 4 zone / 4 cycle Watering timer = $50
3. Melnor XT Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler = $20
4. Melnor Metal Pulsating Sprinkler with Tripod = ~$35
5. 2-Way Garden Hose Splitter = $7
6. Galvanized Ground Garden Staples = $10

ALREADY HAD

Those were purchased to supplement the following items that I had from last year:

• 250' of hose (also cheapo)
• 2-Way Garden Hose Splitter
• 2 nice sprinklers, 1 cheapo one
• 1 tripod sprinkler (I’m going to need two for the coverage in the front yard)

CONCERNS

With all of that said, I have some real concerns and items to consider:

1. I am on a well, so while the water is free, I absolutely can not deplete the entire well of water at any point
2. Because I’m on a well, I have a Kinetico system to treat my water. Water to all of the exterior spigots go through this system (which makes about ZERO sense) so I will want to run the hose directly from the well
3. I do not know the appropriate time of day, nor duration to water
4. My septic system (and therefore leaching field) is in the front yard, and I think that I read you can’t have an actual in-ground irrigation system put over a leaching field…I hope I didn’t make that up because I’m cheap.

SIDE NOTE

I was initially very excited about some youtube videos and so I purchased some of the same equipment. As luck would have it, I needed to cover almost exactly a 30' radius and the parts I got were supposed to do that. Unfortunately, perhaps due to water pressure or distance to the sprinklers, they just did not accomplish what I needed.

So I basically wasted that money (~$50) and abandoned that in lieu of leaving the tower sprinklers in my yard all season long…my neck is red.