The winterization process includes fully flushing and removing water from the irrigation system prior to the season’s first freeze. Residual water in an irrigation system can lead to pipes freezing / bursting and a potentially costly repair job.

Many homeowners overlook the importance of winterizing their lawns. They often do not realize that by not prepping and winterizing their lawns they are allowing weeds to germinate and get a head start on the next season.

Our team offers the following tips to help homeowners get their lawns ready for winter:

• Overseed during the fall season, so new seedlings have a chance to grow and mature before the heat of summer.
• Start treatments of pre‐emergent herbicides before crabgrass and other broad leaf weeds start to grow.
• For warm season turfs (Bermuda, Zoyisa, etc.), fall is a good time to kill unwanted intruder grasses and weeds.
• Mulch trees and shrubs in the fall to help prevent cold weather damage.
• Winter is a good time to prune most trees and shrubs.
• And, winterize your sprinkler system!

Irrigation systems should be shut down before freezing water has a chance to cause harm. Winterizing a system is normally less than $100, which is significantly cheaper than replacing damaged equipment from bursting pipes that have not been winterized.

For the most professional, best-qualified irrigation service in East Tennessee, call Rainscapes’ friendly staff at (865) 981-4270 to schedule an appointment.

Regards,

Clint

Which covers a greater acreage in the United States — lawns or irrigated corn fields? If you guessed lawns, you got it right. According to a study published in the journal Environmental Management there are 40 million acres of land planted to turf grasses across the country. That’s more acreage than is planted to the eight largest irrigated crops combined — corn, alfalfa, soybeans, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards.

Keeping all that turf watered can claim a big chunk of water resources. Researchers estimated the amount of water needed to give all those lawns about 2 1/2 centimeters of water a week through a combination of natural rainfall and sprinklers required more water nationwide than that supplied to the country’s seven greatest water-using crops.

The point to take away from this is that, even though each individual lawn may be relatively small in size, when taken together maintaining all that turf represents a very significant use of water, a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce in many parts of the country. It reinforces the importance of all homeowners looking at their lawn maintenance practices to come up with ways to minimize water use, using strategies such as only applying water when needed and growing drought resistant grasses.

For more information about smart irrigation practices, please call me at (865) 981-4270 or visit our website (www.rainscapes.com). We’re just a click or phone call away from serving you.

Regards,
Clint

In recognition of Smart Irrigation Month, we’re running a special on the Rainbird Smart Controller. The ESP-SMT maximizes water efficiency by factoring in everything from soil type to the slope of your lawn to the amount of sun exposure different areas receive. All of these details are calculated for every zone of your automatic sprinkler system to help you maintain a lush, healthy lawn and landscape.

If you’re on Facebook, ”Like” our company page and receive a $10.00 off coupon. Please tell your friends to “Like” us too.

Have you heard about our 20/20 program? Anytime you refer a brand new customer to us, you will receive a $20 discount off your next invoice and the new customer will receive $20 off their invoice too.

Lastly, don’t forget about your potted plants. Call us today and ask about our 10 percent off special on drip irrigation.

For more information our latest news and current promotions, please call me at (865) 981-4270 or visit our website (www.rainscapes.com). We’re just a click or phone call away from serving you.

Regards,

Clint

Design: Believe it or not, all the latest and greatest products do not always solve the biggest problem with wasted water – the design. Designing an irrigation system has the most effect on the efficiency. A system with poor spacing or improper placement of equipment creates flaws that simply cannot be fixed with improved technology. Sometimes we can improve the systems we see, but we have also encountered systems that were so poorly done that it was more cost efficient to start the project from scratch. Today’s irrigation is much more advanced that “just sticking a sprinkler in the yard.”

Technology: The irrigation industry has encouraged the message to conserve water in the last several years. We realize that as an industry, we are responsible for millions of gallons of water and good stewardship must start with us.

Sprinklers and controllers from as recently as five years ago are primitive compared to some of the new products offered today. Most manufactures have drastically improved the efficiency of the products they carry. There are heads with “rain curtain” technology that ensure even coverage and “smart” controllers that actually use temperature, plant type, shade, soil and slope to determine appropriate run times – all done automatically.

There are plenty of other products like drip irrigation, matched precipitation rotors, sensors and web-based control systems that are designed with water conservation in mind. Some of the newest products can cut water usage by 50 percent or more. Unless your system was installed with most recent water efficient products, there is always room for updated equipment.

Alternate sources: Water doesn’t always have to be bought from a municipal water supplier. We have recently installed projects that use water from ponds, lakes, streams, wells, air conditioning units’ waste water, rain water and non-potable water supplies. Often there are multiple sources from which we can obtain water. The expense can vary greatly on these projects, but with the increasing cost of water, they can be smart long-term investments.

System administrator: Ultimately the person overseeing the irrigation system has a huge impact on how much water is wasted. If timing is not set properly or adjusted for changing weather conditions, thousands of gallons of water can quickly be wasted. Without a regular review of the system, broken or damaged equipment can cause excessive water usage.

In today’s environment, it is possible to water extremely efficiently. It all starts with a design that adequately covers the needed areas with products that are installed properly, and a minimum amount of water used.

For more information our latest news and current promotions, please call me at (865) 981-4270 or visit our website (www.rainscapes.com). We’re just a click or phone call away from serving you.

Regards,
Clint

• Check your lawn for diseases and insects. Look for spots of dead grass and check for thatch accumulation.
• Mow your lawn as soon as the grass begins to grow again. Leave grass clippings on your lawn to decompose and add nutrients.
• Treat your lawn with pre-emergent weed killer. Treat it before weeds have a chance to grow.
• Fertilize your lawn using a slow-release fertilizer.
• Test your soil for proper nutrient uptake and balance. Buy a soil test kit or have it tested professionally. Healthy soil is essential to a healthy plant.
• Check shrubs and woody plants for pruning needs.
• Lay down mulch. Mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial practices you can use in your beds. Mulch helps deter weeds, protects the soil from erosion, reduces compaction from the impact of heavy rains and provides a “finished” look to your lawn.
• Plant your spring garden. Plant early-season vegetables, like root vegetables and leafy greens and herbs, as soon as possible after the last frost.
• All about brown spots. Brown spots in your lawn may not be from a lack of water. It could be suffering from a disease called Brown Patch. True brown patch spots are small to begin with, but in warm weather they can expand rapidly. If you are absolutely sure you have brown patch, the disease can be controlled with fungicides. Several are labeled for brown patch control.
• And don’t forget. The best watering time for your lawn is the early morning, just before the sun comes up. It allows the water time to saturate the ground without the sun evaporating most of it, like it would in the afternoon. Watering in the evening is not a good option because the water just rests on top of the ground without drying out properly which can often lead to fungus growth.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact me at our office if you have any questions at (865) 981-4270.

Everyone who connects a lawn sprinkler to a municipal water supply in Tennessee is required to have a backflow preventer. Each utility company has slightly different regulations regarding types, locations and testing of backflow preventers.

Backflow preventers are required to protect water users from potentially being exposed to chemicals or other substances that could enter public water supplies through lawn sprinklers.

Essentially, backflow preventers do what the name implies as they prevent water from moving backwards in the water supply.  It’s not likely such a situation would occur, but it could happen with a pipe break or when a large quantity of water is needed – during a fire for example.

Backflow preventers require annual testing to ensure they are working properly.  The device is one of the most expensive single pieces of equipment on a sprinkler system and must be maintained to function properly.  Backflow preventers require winterization if they are in a freezing climate.

Unfortunately, backflow preventers can be the target of theft, so homeowners should take every precaution to make sure that doesn’t happen. Rainscapes offers mock rock as an economical solution to this problem.

Call us today to see if you are in our testing district or to schedule a repair on your backflow. For more information about the backflow preventers or how to prevent yours from being stolen, please call me at (865) 981-4270 or visit our website. We’re just a click or phone call away.

Regards,
Clint

For this month, I thought I’d take an opportunity to let you get to know my family and me a little better.

I’m a Madisonville native and owner of Rainscapes. I spend most of my days selling or servicing sprinkler/ irrigation systems.

When I’m not at work, I love to spend time on the lake with my family. We’re really into boating and water sports. My life is either spraying water or playing in it!

My love of water skiing is actually what brought me to Blount County.  I used to do competitive water skiing and skied at the Master Craft test lake. That’s when I fell in love with Maryville and decided this is where I want to live and raise a family.

My wife Lori is from Louisville, KY. Funny story—before she agreed to move to Maryville and marry me, she made me promise I’d take her to the Kentucky Derby every year!

We have two beautiful daughters – Kayla and Isabella – who love dance, cheerleading and boating.

Before family life, I completed my first irrigation job in college and enjoyed the engineering aspect of water much more than the plant side.  Seeing water moving was very impressive to me.

I graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1991 with a degree in ornamental horticulture. After graduation, I worked for an irrigation/sprinkler system company before starting Rainscapes in 1996.

I’m thankful to live, work and play in such a beautiful region of our country.

If you have questions about Rainscapes or myself, feel free to give me a call at (865) 981-4270.

Best Regards,

Clint

The Rainscapes team is certainly itching for warmer weather and I’m sure you are too! With spring right around the corner, we’ve been happily busy scheduling spring start-ups. If you’ve not heard from us or made an appointment, please give us a call as soon as possible to schedule your spring start-up.

The spring start-up process is important for several reasons. It ensures that you are making the proper preparations to maintain a healthy lawn throughout the year and protecting your investment in your lawn.

Like I mentioned in my recent column for The Daily Times, now is also a great time to make your lawncare checklist to get your outdoor space ready for spring. Think of your outdoor space as a personal expression of what you want your home’s curb appeal to reflect.

Generally, the spring start-up process costs around $75-$100, but some package plans are available for those interested. Also, all of our maintenance package holders will get priority scheduling.

Creating a landscape and irrigation game plan now allows for enjoyable outdoor living space later.

For more information about the spring start-up process, please call me at (865) 981-4270 or visit our website (www.rainscapes.com). We’re just a click or phone call away from serving you.

Regards,
Clint

For those of you that already have an irrigation system in place, you may be able to upgrade your current system with a smart controller. Some new components are designed as easy add-ons to existing systems. Smart controllers maximize water efficiency by factoring in everything from soil type to the slope of your lawn to the amount of sun exposure different areas receive. All of these details are calculated for every zone of your automatic sprinkler system to help you maintain a lush, healthy lawn and landscape.

The new generation of “smart” irrigation controllers monitor things like weather; soil conditions; evaporation and plant water use; and automatically adjust your watering schedule. Smart controllers use weather and / or site data to determine when and how long to water. Then, sprinklers apply just enough water at exactly the right time in each zone of your yard.

Simply input a few key specifics, such as your zip code, allowed watering days and the plant/soil type for each zone and the smart controller does the rest. Your irrigation system waters only when the landscape requires it, plus you save 30 to 70 percent in water.

This innovative system is engineered to save valuable time, money and water. Some experts even say that a healthy lawn can raise your home’s value by as much as 14 percent.

For the most professional, best-qualified irrigation service in East Tennessee, call Rainscapes’ friendly staff at (865) 981-4270 to schedule an appointment.

Regards, Clint