As the warm weather approaches, maintaining a lush and healthy landscape becomes a top priority for businesses and commercial properties. Efficient irrigation during the summer months ensures your plants and lawns thrive without wasting water.
At Naiad Irrigation Systems, we understand the importance of reliable commercial irrigation services. In this guide, we’ll look at 7 practical tips and techniques to keep your green spaces flourishing all summer long!
Why Efficient Irrigation Matters in Summer
Outdoor watering can increase summer water use by 30–40%, driving up monthly utility bills. Using efficient irrigation practices helps keep those costs in check while supporting healthier landscapes.
In Calgary’s clay-based soils, which naturally hold moisture, a “low and slow” watering approach is especially effective. It prevents overwatering and waterlogging – both of which can damage roots and even lead to plant loss – while encouraging deeper, more resilient root growth.
Timing also matters. Watering early in the morning or late in the evening reduces wind- and evaporation-related losses during peak heat, while controlled application helps prevent surface pooling and runoff.
Ultimately, efficient irrigation doesn’t just lower your water bill. It also helps conserve Calgary’s local water supply, ensuring long-term access to this essential resource for the whole community.
7 Practical Tips for Efficient Irrigation in Summer
1. Understanding Your Irrigation Needs
Every landscape is unique, and so are its irrigation requirements. Begin by assessing your property’s specific needs. Consider factors such as plant types, soil conditions, and climate. By tailoring your irrigation schedule to these factors, you can ensure that your plants receive the right amount of water at the right time.
2. Invest in Advanced Irrigation Technology
Modern irrigation systems are designed to optimize water usage while maintaining healthy landscapes. Naiad Irrigation offers state-of-the-art commercial irrigation services, including smart controllers, moisture sensors, and drip irrigation systems. Smart controllers adjust watering schedules based on weather conditions, preventing overwatering and ensuring efficient water use.
3. Schedule Irrigation Wisely
Timing is crucial for efficient irrigation. Watering your landscape during the early morning or late evening reduces evaporation and ensures that water reaches the roots where it’s needed most. Avoid midday watering, as the heat causes rapid evaporation, wasting water and leaving plants thirsty.
At Naiad, our members can save up to 50% on water consumption with our Wi-fi underground sprinkler timer! Read this article to learn more about how timed irrigation cuts water costs.
4. Implement Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation is one of the most efficient ways to water your plants. It delivers water directly to the root zone, minimizing evaporation and runoff. This method is particularly beneficial for flower beds, shrubs, and gardens.
5. Perform Regular Performance Checks
Regular maintenance is key to keeping your irrigation system running efficiently. Check for leaks, clogs, and broken sprinkler heads. Even a small leak can waste a significant amount of water over time. Making sure your system operates at peak efficiency will save you water and money.
6. Mulch to Retain Moisture
Applying a layer of mulch around your plants helps retain soil moisture and reduces evaporation. Mulch acts as a protective barrier, keeping the soil cool and damp. It also suppresses weed growth, which can compete with your plants for water.
7. Monitor and Adjust
Regularly monitor your irrigation system and adjust as needed. Plants have different water requirements throughout the growing season. By staying vigilant and making necessary adjustments, you can prevent both overwatering and underwatering, keeping your landscape healthy and vibrant.
8. Hiring Professional Irrigation Services
We recommend enlisting the help of professional irrigation experts to ensure your system is running at optimal performance and efficiency.
When to Hire Professional Irrigation Services
While basic tasks like adjusting a nozzle or spreading mulch can be handled in-house, managing a commercial or complex residential irrigation system requires technical expertise.
Consider bringing in a professional irrigation service when:
- You are resetting for the season: Spring startups and autumn blowouts (winterization) require specialized, high-volume air compressors to fully clear lines. A mistake here can lead to burst pipes and thousands of dollars in hidden underground damage.
- Your monthly water bills spike unexpectedly: If your bill jumps but your watering schedule hasn’t changed, you likely have an underground line break or a weeping valve that requires professional diagnostic tools to locate without tearing up your lawn.
- You notice erratic zone coverage or pressure drops: Low water pressure, sputtering heads, or zones failing to turn on point to electrical issues with the solenoid valves or problems with the main backflow preventer.
- You want to upgrade to smart tech: Upgrading to Wi-Fi timers, rain sensors, or converting standard zones to high-efficiency drip irrigation requires precise hydraulic calculations to ensure proper flow rates and pressure balance.
Partner with Naiad for a Smarter, Greener Summer
At Naiad, we understand the unique needs of commercial and residential properties and are committed to helping you achieve a beautiful, water-efficient landscape. Our team of experts is here to assist you with everything from system design and installation to regular maintenance and upgrades.
Efficient irrigation in summer is not just about saving water; it’s about creating a healthy environment for your plants and a beautiful space for your community! By implementing these tips and partnering with a trusted service provider like Naiad, you can enjoy a lush, green landscape all summer long while being mindful of our precious water resources.
Contact Naiad Irrigation today to book your service.
FAQs
How do Calgary’s local water restrictions affect my irrigation schedule?
Calgary occasionally imposes outdoor water restrictions during hot, dry summers to manage water demand. When these are active, properties are:
- Typically assigned specific watering days based on their address (odd/even numbering)
- Restricted to specific morning or evening hours
I have brown spots on my lawn—should I just increase the watering time for the whole system?
Avoid increasing the time for the entire system, as this will overwater healthy areas and waste a massive amount of water. Brown spots are rarely caused by insufficient overall watering time. Instead, they’re usually a sign of a clogged sprinkler nozzle, a broken head that isn’t rotating, poor head-to-head alignment, or localized soil compaction. Check the specific zone while your system is running to diagnose the physical issue first.
How long does a commercial underground irrigation system typically last?
With proper annual maintenance, including professional spring start-ups and thorough winter blowouts, the core piping of a high-quality underground system can last 20 to 25 years, while individual components, such as sprinkler heads and valves, generally need to be replaced every 5 to 10 years.
Book a service or call us today @ 587-200-3994. We provide top-notch services from Irrigation Association-certified professionals.
