Irrigation is an essential part of a healthy landscape. In the Texas heat, water is often the difference between a healthy, vibrant landscape and a dead, crispy hellscape.
We specialize in expert, friendly service and have a passion for water conservation and water quality. We believe you should fully evaluate your irrigation system at least annually — and often more often. It should be adjusted seasonally and as a landscape evolves. If you want a quick primer on how to do this yourself, please visit our high-level overview on how to do it yourself here.
If you're ready or some professional help, call the irrigation specialists at Top Choice Lawn care!
- Leak repairs
- Replacement or movement for broken, buried, malfunctioning, tilted heads
- Valve replacements
- Reworking a system for a pool installation
- Clogged nozzles
- Mainline repairs
- Overspray
- Controller programming / installation (to include Bluetooth controllers)
- Water scheduling to best meet your specific needs and improve water conservation
- Rain gauge installations
Backflow preventer inspection services
Austin authorities are serious about backflow prevention. These devices stop toxic substances in your yard (chemicals, animal feces, etc.) from flowing backward into our local water system. Our licensed irrigators can perform repairs and required inspections on your backflow preventer.
Get up to $1000 in Austin Water irrigation rebates
Central Texas residential homeowners and commercial property owners can receive up to $1000 in Austin Water irrigation rebates. It's the perfect time to think about water-saving upgrades. The "Irrigation Upgrade" program is designed to encourage customers to improve their existing irrigation system's water efficiency. Austin Water and other qualifying water providers award itemized rebates for
- rain and soil moisture sensors
- pressure regulating components
- efficient nozzles,
- drip stations
- removing unnecessary stations
- and more
Questions about Austin Water irrigation rebates? Check out our article on irrigation rebates or give us a shout. We'll be happy to help you understand which upgrades can benefit your lawn and get you those coveted rebates!
Scott
Dylan
Johnny
Meet our irrigation team
We have several irrigation team members all of whom have a strong irrigation background and are properly licensed. Johnny and Dylan have all learned under highly experienced irrigators. They have years of experience in the field. If you want to hear a little more about our team, please visit our team page.
Irrigation FAQs
Explore our top 21 tips for effective yard watering and how to tell if your plants are in need of hydration—these could come in handy for you!
My irrigation manager *hates* generalizations… each micro climate and scenario needs a different answer, but when forced, he gave me an answer…
General guidelines for how long zones should be running in your irrigation:
- Sprays: 20 min
- Rotors: 40 min
- MP Rotators: 40 min
- Drip: 30 min
- Bubbler: 30 min
Keep this in mind..
- More sun = longer
- Hotter = longer
- Heavy shade = pinch shorter
- Bed with xeric plants = shorter
- Area with tropical thirsty plants = longer
- Soil type…sandy drains faster.
- Steep slopes have runoff issues
2 to 3 times per week in peak summer…unless you are under watering restrictions.
If they look thirsty – then they are probably thirsty.
What does that mean?
- Leaves are wilted
- Branches are drooping
- It generally “looks sad”
Rocks and Concrete
Don’t water your sidewalks, driveways, empty rock beds, or the side of your house.
You can cap heads or entire zones.
You can convert “90 degree spray heads” into “45 degree spray heads” if that is what is needed.
This is dependent on the specific circumstance.
BUT irrigation technology has improved a lot in the past decade and there are much more efficient heads, nozzles, parts, etc. than there were when most systems were installed.
Either something in your system is broken or you don’t have proper coverage (meaning the irrigation doesn’t apply enough water to certain areas even when functioning as designed).
We recommend you water throughout the year. You can greatly decrease your watering in the winter but plants benefit from watering even in dormancy.
It’s hard to over water in Texas in the summer. But if you are experiencing fungus, that’s a clear indicator you need to make some adjustments (either to amount or timing).
Shade can be a huge help to turf (especially afternoon shade). You can water 20-30% less in a shady area than a sunny area. The difficulty lies in the system design. Does one zone cover both areas? Or can you isolate shady areas from sunny areas in the controller settings?
Water water water. Keep it very wet until the roots are established.
Each fertilizer and weed control application is slightly different for optimal performance, but generally, you want to water it in within 48 hours.
Water runs down hill…so slopes need more water than flat areas to actually reach the roots. The steeper the slope and the harder the ground, the more water needed to properly care for the turf and plants.
No matter the water restrictions, watering by hand is a great supplement. If your irrigation system is working as it should, you should only need to water by hand to supplement your watering schedule. If you are under water restrictions, often watering by hand is an approved method so it can be very important and valuable during the hottest times of the year (specifically in the plants around the house).
Watering by hand could be a bit better because you will be very cognizant of where the water goes. But it takes a TON of time. Frankly, it is pretty impractical unless your yard is very small or it is only does as a supplement.
Yes. It is hard in the summer. But it is possible in a heavily shaded area at the bottom of a slope.
My #1 lawn question is how can I have a hydrangea bush in Texas because they’re my favorite and I’m so sad every time I go to the south that I don’t have one.
You need to understand soil and hardiness zones. I wish they grew well here as well. But we have a couple of issues…1) our soil is alkaline and hydrangeas need more acidity in the soil. 2) our high and low temperatures kill hydrangeas…
