Sprinkler Systems (Lehi, Virgin, Garden: apartment, rent, new home)

[aussie_american]

We have finally moved from an apartment into our new home (yay) and as I look around at the bare dirt (where did all the clean, white snow that was in the yard in February go?), I am wondering where to start in the garden. Hubby wants to build a deck so we have somewhere to sit and have BBQ's (I'm for that), but I want to get started on lawn and gardens to green the place up and reduce the dust. If we are going to install a sprinkler system it should be done before the garden/lawn. Not sure if we can afford both a deck and a professionally installed sprinkler system. In our previous abodes (Gold Coast, Australia & Virginia, USA) we had high enough rainfall that a sprinkler system wasn't necessary, so we have no experience with installation/maintenance of a sprinkler system. We went to a class at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy place which kinda scared us into thinking getting the right sprinkler heads and coverage and watering times etc may be a bit of an artform and that a system also requires a fair bit of maintenance (broken heads, winterising etc) and may be beyond two newbies. We want to be water-wise and put in a lot of Utah natives, but still would like a patch of green lawn in the backyard. Which brings me to my questions. Is a sprinkler system necessary/preferable in Utah and could we (average handyman & woman) do it ourselves or is professional installation the only way to ensure a hassle-free future? Is it cost-effective to do it yourself? Would appreciate input from those who have gone either route.

[SergeantL]

Originally Posted by aussie_american

We have finally moved from an apartment into our new home (yay) and as I look around at the bare dirt (where did all the clean, white snow that was in the yard in February go?), I am wondering where to start in the garden. Hubby wants to build a deck so we have somewhere to sit and have BBQ's (I'm for that), but I want to get started on lawn and gardens to green the place up and reduce the dust. If we are going to install a sprinkler system it should be done before the garden/lawn. Not sure if we can afford both a deck and a professionally installed sprinkler system. In our previous abodes (Gold Coast, Australia & Virginia, USA) we had high enough rainfall that a sprinkler system wasn't necessary, so we have no experience with installation/maintenance of a sprinkler system. We went to a class at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy place which kinda scared us into thinking getting the right sprinkler heads and coverage and watering times etc may be a bit of an artform and that a system also requires a fair bit of maintenance (broken heads, winterising etc) and may be beyond two newbies. We want to be water-wise and put in a lot of Utah natives, but still would like a patch of green lawn in the backyard. Which brings me to my questions. Is a sprinkler system necessary/preferable in Utah and could we (average handyman & woman) do it ourselves or is professional installation the only way to ensure a hassle-free future? Is it cost-effective to do it yourself? Would appreciate input from those who have gone either route.

They are not that hard. You need to dig a little deeper, because your feeder lines should be below the frost line. I would avoid metal heads and go straight plastic. Plastic is cheaper to install and replace in the event something goes wrong. Placement is common sense.

Make sure you install a tap point immediately after your water source. You will use the tap as a means of blowing lightly compressed air into your system just before winter sets in. The air will purge your system of any residual water and prevent it from freezing in the lines and damaging the pipes. Make sure any feeder line exposed to the elements is wrapped with foam insulation to prevent freeze damage.

Finally, I find that a good old hose and sprinkler can do a great job, if you don’t want to bother with a sprinkler system.

[alexei27]

We have a sprinkler system...but it was already installed when we moved in. The key to lawn watering in Utah (like EVERYTHING in Utah)...is moderation. Many people make the mistake of watering everyday or every other day. Way too much...it wastes water and really all you do is feed the weeds!

You should water for about an hour...once a week. Given that...a hose and sprinkler you can move around the yard would do just fine.

I say for the deck and enjoy the spectacular weather here!

Cheers!!

Brandon

[jhwest]

My sister installed a new sprinkler system last year. They had an existing lawn, and it was a pain. I would definitely recommend doing it before you put in a lawn. There are a couple of online places that will plot out a sprinker plan for you. You can then either buy the parts online or take the plans to your local Home Depot or sprinkler supply place.
The biggest pain is digging. My sister asked around until she found a nice Mexican guy with a backhoe. He dug the entire thing in one day. Can't remember the price, though.
As for a veg garden I would highly recommend the book "Square Foot Gardening". It is absolutely fantastic!!! The author moved to Utah a couple of years ago and periodically offers classes at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. I had fantastic success with his mothods last year.

[chazcrew]

If you go to a home store like Home Depot or Lowe's, they usually have someone who will help you design your system. It is a bit of an art form, because certain kinds of heads work better in certain situations, and their coverage depends on your pressure. You want to make sure there are no spots on the lawn that are left uncovered. And then when you water, you need to adjust the time for the kind of heads you have. You can do it yourself, but I personally wouldn't undertake that sort of project. It's a lot of backbreaking work after a lot of planning. I'd get someone to help with the plan, and I'd hire someone to help with the installation. If you don't hire someone, at least rent a trencher. You do not want to dig those trenches by hand. Especially because they do need to be deep to avoid constant freezing and breaking of the pipes.

Upkeep isn't too bad; we do have to replace a few broken heads now and then, but that's not hard. We've had a couple of leaks, and that's a bigger pain. But the biggest pain of all is trying to water an entire yard by hand. We didn't have a sprinkler system at my former house, and my summers were filled with hose-dragging and spot-watering, trying to keep the lawn and garden alive. Now, it's a dream. I highly recommend an automatic system.