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Every year, the Texas Water Development Board does a “Water Use Survey.”

It collects information about how much water is used, where it comes from, and who uses it the most. According to the most recent information, irrigation is the winner by far. It accounts for 54% of the water usage in our state. (Municipal use came in second at 30%.)

Because of how hot and arid the climate in Texas can be, it’s no surprise that keeping our plants alive takes a lot of water! As you consider ways to keep your landscape looking its best, we thought it would be helpful to cover the ins and outs of a good irrigation system and why partnering with an irrigation service is important.

Why Irrigation Services Matter

If you’ve invested a lot of money into your lawn and landscape (perhaps even hiring a landscape architect and a company to install it), you’d hate for it all to end up wasted because it didn’t get enough water! A good landscape company will make sure that essential detail doesn’t get overlooked.

While landscape maintenance is a necessary expense, irrigation is not an area where you can cut corners. Reliable irrigation services ensure that water is delivered to your plants constantly and appropriately. With an irrigation system, your plants will stay beautiful and healthy, and you’ll save money in the long run. Once your system is installed, professional irrigation services can help you keep it properly maintained.

What Is An Irrigation System?

Irrigation systems may seem mysterious and complicated. That’s probably because they do most of their work underground and out of sight—magically popping up from time to time to make things wet. However, they’re not that difficult to understand once you know how they work.

An irrigation system is made up of several parts working together to make sure that your plants get the water they need at the right time and in the right amounts. If each part is working well, you can usually count on thriving grass, shrubs, trees, and flowers no matter what the Texas climate throws at them.

The basic parts of an irrigation system are:

1. Water source
2. Timer
3. Backflow preventer
4. Water pump
5. Pipes and risers
6. Control valves
7. Heads
8. Nozzles

Let’s look at each of these in more detail.

1. Water Source – If you don’t have water, you don’t have much of a water system. The water for your irrigation needs can come from several places: municipal water connections, wells, lakes, ponds, or streams. The important thing to keep in mind here is that your water source needs to be big enough to handle your needs. For instance, don’t try to irrigate a large commercial property from one small decorative pond.
2. Timer – This device (also known as a controller or clock) is the brain of your irrigation system. It is what tells the system which days to run, when to turn on, and how long to run. Timers can range anywhere from simple battery-operated units that attach directly to a control valve, to complicated computer systems that run multiple zones from a remote location. Without this piece of your water system, you’ll have to manually turn valves on and off. So a good timer is a must-have!
3. Backflow Preventer – If your irrigation system is connected to the same source as your residence or a commercial building where people will be needing potable water, you need a backflow preventer. (In fact, it is likely required by your local municipality. So check with them to be sure.) It’s a device that does what its name implies. It prevents potentially contaminated irrigation water from flowing backward into your drinking water in the event of problems with your water pressure.
4. Water Pump – Access to all the water in the world does you no good if you can’t move it from one place to another. That’s what the water pump does for your irrigation system. It pulls water from your water source and pushes it through your system with enough pressure to reach all of your plants adequately.
5. Pipes and Risers – These are the highways your water travels underground to get to all of your plants. “Pipes” refer to the horizontal pieces that carry water underground, while “risers” are the vertical pieces that bring the water to the surface.Usually constructed out of PVC, they are built to withstand years of use. From time to time, joints and the special glue that holds them together may wear out. But a good irrigation company can easily locate damaged areas and make repairs as needed.
6. Control Valves – More than likely, your water pump will not be able to supply enough water pressure to water your entire property all at once. That’s where control valves come in.Your irrigation system will have one “mainline” that runs from the water supply to the rest of your property. Various secondary lines will branch off from it to specific areas. Each of these areas is considered a “zone”, and each zone will be operated by its own control valve.

   When the timer sends an electric signal to the control valve, a solenoid inside the valve is activated. As it moves, the change of water pressure within the valve diverts water from the mainline into that particular zone. The plants in that area get watered. When the timer turns off the signal, the valve closes again and the water shuts off.

   Having enough control valves to create however many zones your landscape needs will ensure good water coverage and plenty of water pressure everywhere on your property.

7. Heads – These are the parts that you can see above ground. Once the water reaches the surface, heads help deliver it to your plants depending on the needs of that particular zone. There are a few different types of sprinkler heads.Sprinkler Head Types
   • Pop-up Style Sprinkler Heads – Mainly used for lawn and landscape beds, they stay below ground when not in use but get pushed up by water pressure when the zone they are part of is turned on. Pop-up heads are good where you want to keep a nice clean view and/or avoid trip hazards. There are two main types:
     • Rotary Heads – designed to turn from side to side and spray a strong stream of water over large areas
     • Spray Heads – designed to gently shower a fixed smaller area
   • Shrub Style Sprinkler Heads – These look like PVC stems sticking up a few feet out of the ground. They’re typically used to water shrubs and foundation plantings around buildings where there isn’t any foot traffic and the height of the plants is usually the same year-round.
   • Nozzles – This is the last step in your irrigation system before the water is delivered to your lawn or plants. Nozzles attach to the ends of the heads and come in a variety of spray patterns (whole circle, half, variable, center, etc.) and distances. Your irrigation company can adjust these nozzles to fine-tune your water system to get water exactly where you need it to go…and keep it from spraying anywhere that you don’t want to get wet.

Landscape Horticulture Services: Irrigation Installation in Dallas and Fort Worth

At Landscape Horticulture Services, we’ve been installing and maintaining irrigation systems all around the Dallas/Fort Worth area for over 20 years! We understand how important dependable water is to your landscape, and we have the knowledge and experience to keep your plants happy and healthy.

If you’re looking for professional irrigation services in Dallas, Fort Worth, and the surrounding areas, give us a call! Schedule your free estimate today!

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