July is Smart Irrigation month, and at Arborjet | Ecologel, we want to help you get the most from your irrigation systems.  It’s no secret that a properly watered landscape looks beautiful, but with water scarcities in parts of the country, this can be easier said than done.  The aim of Smart Irrigation Month is to celebrate innovative systems and technologies that make irrigation more efficient, as well as the individuals who make it all possible.  Therefore, we asked our resident agronomist, Jim Spindler, to discusses some of the best techniques and products for smarter irrigation practices.

Why Smart Irrigation is Important

We all know that water is crucial to plant life, but not all places are lucky enough to have adequate rainfall to supply the moisture requirements for plants to thrive.  Therefore, irrigation is necessary to sustain beautiful, healthy landscapes.  Supplying our plants with water thoughtfully (or in a smart way) helps preserve our limited water resources longer and ensures greater resources for everyone.

What Makes ‘Smart’ Irrigation?

In irrigation, we often refer to the concept of the Four R’s: Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place.  Here’s how do you apply them in practice:

• Right Source: Be aware of where your irrigation water comes from, and if it has any nutrient or salinity issues that need to be addressed. Some irrigation water may lead to a buildup of salts, which may require treatment. You may not have much control over your water source, depending on where you live.

• Right Rate: You should aim to water less often and for longer periods of time.  In general, don’t run water too often, too long, or too hard. This will help you avoid overwatering, flooding, or growth of diseases in overly wet soil.  Deep and less frequent irrigation events will encourage more root developments for maximum water utilization.

• Right Time: Typically, it’s best to water early in the morning to avoid excess evaporation that can occur during peak heat times.  Make sure you’re watering long enough for the ground to soaked through.

• Right Place: Obviously, you don’t want water to get sprayed onto sidewalks or roads where it will get wasted, but you also want to make sure you’re not applying water to unnecessary places. Don’t deliver water where the roots don’t grow (which is why drip irrigation is useful in gardens and in agriculture) and make sure application is uniform.

You should also be doing regular irrigation system maintenance and use devices such as rain sensors or gauges to ensure you’re only watering when necessary. These practices will ensure you get the most out of the Four R’s.

However, if soils are overly dry or hydrophobic, you might need more than the Four R’s to help with water deficiencies.  Innovative ingredients in lawncare products can help boost your smart irrigation efforts and support your landscapes:

• Hygroscopic humectants: help utilize moisture in the soil that would otherwise be lost to evaporation
• Seaweed extract and potassium will help plants with root growth.  Promoting deep root growth during extreme weather will help plants survive long term.  Seaweed extract encourages plants to search for and use water more efficiently.

Of course we carry products that can help with these issues! Here are a few that can help maximize your water efficiency and promote the health of your plants and landscapes

Arborjet | Ecologel Products for Smart Irrigation

Hydretain

You’ll lose less water due to evaporation with Hydretain, which means using your irrigation system less and saving more money.  Use it on lawns, gardens, or trees.

FOURPlay and NutriRoot

These additions help roots grow so the plant can better search for water, and then better absorb and use water and nutrients.  FOURPlay also helps deal with localized dry spots in grass to let irrigation be more effective.  NutriRoot is great for flower beds, gardens, and trees, encouraging greater root growth and reducing transplant stress.

SeaXtra Water Penetrating Pellets

SeaXtra Water Penetrating Pellets help water reenter dried-out soils.  Use on grass to help eliminate dry spots, increase stress tolerance, and help new sod take hold.

Smart Irrigation Month encourages us to use all the technologies available to optimize and use water resources most efficiently.  There are a wide variety of great irrigation hardware, consumer products, and irrigation practices available for us to use to enhance irrigation efficiency.  Combining these technologies and techniques will help us conserve more water – one of our most valuable resources.

Jim Spindler is a Certified Professional Agronomist, Certified Professional Soil Scientist and Certified Crop Advisor with over 40 years experience in the green industry.