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As the weather along the Front Range starts to warm up, you might already be spending time outside. Perhaps you have been eyeing your still-dead lawn from your deck or patio. If you have sprinklers in Denver or if you have been thinking about putting a system into place, it’s time to start thinking about getting them ready and geared up for a new season. Taking the necessary steps now can help prevent costly repairs to your sprinkler system—and it can protect your lawn and the rest of your landscaping for the duration of the summer.

Wondering what else you need to do to get your yard prepped for outdoor living? HouseLogic has more information on what you can be doing to get your yard ready for spring in this article, 5 Simple Steps to Prep Your Lawn for Spring.

The Benefits of a Sprinkler System

You can keep your lawn green and your landscaping healthy without a sprinkler system. But in Colorado’s semi-arid climate, if you are not consistent about watering, you can easily have a dead lawn rather than a healthy one. There are so many advantages to having a sprinkler system, including:

• Convenience. Nothing beats the convenience of having an irrigation system in place, so you don’t have to make watering your yard a hands-on experience. With a timer set up, you don’t even have to worry about turning it on. If there are water restrictions throughout the season, you can set your sprinkler system up accordingly, so you are not fined.
• Aesthetics and safety. Dragging a garden hose across your driveway and lawn is not only a hassle, but it doesn’t look all that nice. Having to put away the hose every time you water is also inconvenient, but if you leave it out, it creates a tripping hazard for both kids and pets. (Some area HOAs might also have a complaint about this.) Contrast this with sprinkler heads that pop up when they are ready to run—and then pop back down into the ground when the watering cycle has been completed. This looks better—and it’s safer for everyone involved.
• Water at the best time of day. Most experts recommend watering your lawn early in the morning, and in most areas around the metro area, it is required that all watering cease by 10am. Watering at times other than the heat of the day mean less water is evaporated by the sun. There are also studies that show watering early in the morning can protect your lawn from some diseases, which can happen if you water in the evening and have a soaked lawn overnight. With a sprinkler system, it’s easy to set your watering system to water at the best time of day—even if you are still in bed.
• Water the best amount—or the allowed amount. If there are watering restrictions, a sprinkler system makes it easier to comply. If you have a more advanced sprinkler system, some even sense weather and will skip a scheduled water session if it rains so your lawn will not become oversaturated. You’ll also save on water!
• Your lawn is watered—even if you are out of town. If you go on vacation during the summer as many people do, you won’t have to worry about your lawn turning yellow while you are gone. You won’t need to bother neighbors to water for you. Your sprinkler will be set up, just as if you were home.

Now that you know why you should invest in a sprinkler system, here are our tips for getting your watering system ready for the upcoming season.

Don’t Start Your Sprinkler System Too Early

Although we get plenty of beautiful days in March and April, our location on the Front Range of Colorado means that spring usually has a number of false starts. You want to make sure the ground is no longer frozen before gearing your sprinkler system back up. If you start it up too soon, it could actually damage the pipes.

Inspect the Entire System for Damage

Winter can be tough on sprinklers. Shovels and snowplows can easily damage sprinkler heads. Other parts of the system, including nozzles, valves, and pipes can also be damaged over time. Replace parts that need it.

Check That the System Works

Check the programming and controls of the system. Set it up for the proper days and times you’ll be watering your landscape. Most systems have a battery backup, and you should also check that this is in working order.

Check Water Distribution of the System

If there is too much water in some areas and not enough in others, you are putting your entire landscape at risk—not to mention harming the environment by wasting water. Dirt and rocks can also settle in and block water from flowing evenly from sprinkler heads.

Check the Water Pressure

When you turn the water back on for your sprinkler system, do it slowly. If you don’t, there could be an initial surge of water pressure that can burst pipes and damage valves. This can result in needing costly repairs.

If you are on the fence about hiring pros to handle your landscaping this summer, read Why You Should Hire Professional Denver Landscaping Services for Your Yard. You might be surprised at just how cost-effective it can be to put your landscaping needs into the hands of professionals.

Whether you are getting a new system or starting up your old one, make sure your sprinklers are up and running this spring by calling the professionals to do the job right. At Water Solutions Services, we are your go-to Denver sprinkler system experts. We can tune up your system, fix any problems, and you can rest assured that we always have an interest in delivering our best to you. We offer free estimates for stress-free sprinkler maintenance in Denver, as well as the Aurora, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Lone Tree, and Parker areas. Call us today at (720) 435-1495 for your free estimate.

There is nothing like a beautiful yard to enhance the curb appeal of your home. It’s also a great way to enjoy outdoor living with your friends and family. Some people enjoy working outside in their yards, and they seem to have talent for it—not to mention a green thumb. Others would prefer to spend their time outdoors relaxing, and if that is the case, the best option is to look into hiring Denver landscaping services to take care of your yard. The 300-plus sunny days we get each year mean you will have plenty of days to enjoy a beautiful outdoor living space.

When you hire Water Solutions for professional landscaping, these are some of the advantages we will provide. Here are some other great reasons to hire professionals to take care of your yard.

Professional Landscapers Will Save You Time

You work hard Monday through Friday, and you want to relax on the weekends. If you have a yard to take care of, this can mean hours of your time outside doing manual labor such as mowing and weeding and pruning. When you hire professionals to take care of your yard, this means you can relax and enjoy your outdoor space on the weekends instead of sweating over it. Landscaping professionals can take care of everything for you, including maintaining your sprinkler system, keeping plants pruned and fertilized, keeping weeds from creeping in, and trimming trees and shrubs.

Think of all the hours you and your family can spend enjoying your outdoor living space rather than working in it! Imagine the parties, barbecues, and nights around the firepit you can host. You’ll have more free time to enjoy all of it when your yard is being professional maintained.

Before you hire anyone, however, take a look at Angie’s List’s recommendations that you ask these seven questions before hiring a landscaper. These questions will help ensure you hire the right company for the job.

Professional Landscapers Will Give You Options for Success

Unless you are a plant expert, you probably have no idea what plants will thrive in your yard. The experts have the knowledge to identify which plants are most likely to do well given the type of soil you have, the amount of sunshine the area receives, and the overall environment they are dealing with. You won’t waste time and money trying to grow plants and foliage that have little chance for success here.

For example, Kentucky bluegrass is often used in Denver yards, but it is actually a very difficult grass to grow in our semi-arid climate—even with an efficient sprinkler system. The experts can give you different lawn options, including those that grow better along the Front Range.

Professional Landscapers Will Give You More Space in Your Garage

When you think of all the products and tools needed to take care of your yard, these items not only take money but they also hog lots of storage space in your garage. When you hire professionals, they will bring all of the products needed to maintain your yard, including soils, plants, rocks, tools, and so forth. You won’t need to worry about lugging these things from your car to your garage.

Professional Landscapers Can Mean More Enjoyment of Your Yard

When you’re not spending your free time mowing your lawn and weeding flower gardens, you can start planning other ways to enjoy your yard. Professional landscapers can help you with your vision by installing walkways, creating patios, and adding retaining walls. Perhaps you’d like to create an outdoor kitchen or natural stone firepit to enhance your outdoor living space. You’ll have the time to create more ways to experience your yard.

Professional Landscapers Will Increase the Value of Your Home

Nothing makes a better first impression than a beautiful yard. This also enhances the curb appeal of your home as well as its value. When it comes to sell your home, you will reap the rewards of having a professionally landscaped yard. Meanwhile, you can just sit back and enjoy it. Your neighbors likely appreciate it as well!

Professional Landscapers Will Lower Your Water Bill

It takes a lot of water to keep even a fairly small yard well-irrigated. Often sprinkler systems are leaking and homeowners don’t even know it. With professional landscapers taking care of things, you can rest assured that your sprinkler system is running efficiently so there is no water being wasted. Or you can save even more by xeriscaping your yard. You’ll save money—and it’s good for the environment.

Something else you might not have considered is that you can also save on energy bills for your home by having the right kind of landscaping. Shading from trees and bushes can keep your home cooler in the summer—meaning even more money savings. Plus they look beautiful. It’s a win-win situation!

Professional Landscapers Will Save You Money

It’s easy to dream big and blow your budget in the local home improvement store’s lawn and garden section. With help from the professionals, you can determine a budget ahead of time and zero in on your priorities. Your vision can become a reality while the pros do the work—and ensure that you stay within your target budget.

Nothing beats having a beautiful outdoor living space—except maybe having more time to enjoy it by opting for Denver landscaping services. Make a solid investment in your home and your lifestyle by hiring professionals to handle the heavy lifting in your yard.

At Water Solutions, our expert staff has earned an A+ rating for providing two decades of exceptional lawn services. We can provide essential landscaping products, install your ideal landscape and hardscape features, and then perform maintenance duties to preserve the quality of your lawn and to maximize the beauty of your home.  Have more time to relax and enjoy a beautiful yard by hiring Water Solutions to take care of your landscape. Contact us today. We can’t wait to make your vision a reality!

The mild winter that Denver experienced this past year is almost over, which means that spring is right around the corner. In fact, it’s felt like spring for a while now, as unusually warm temperatures have kept the Denver metro area feeling especially comfortable. Although the first day of spring isn’t until March 20th, it’s a great time to start thinking about having your Denver sprinklers ready for another season of watering. Here are a few things to consider prior to the start of the season:

Check the Soil

Before you get your garden under way in earnest, you’ll want to make sure that the ground that your irrigation system lays in is not frozen. You can check to see if your ground is frozen by using a shovel or other tool in order to test the hardness of the ground. Ideally, you will want to have the soil be completely frost free to a total of 12 inches below the surface. If you fill the system too early, it can create very expensive repairs that may require some extensive replacements of irrigation lines, a project you definitely don’t want to have to undertake.

Collect Sprinkler Supplies

In order to make sure that your sprinkler and irrigation system is operating at peak efficiency and performance, you will want all of the necessary tools to make the job something that is easy to perform. Not having all of your supplies on hand at the start of the job can create unnecessary headaches, as you will have to make multiple trips to the store in order to have everything for the job.

Prior to starting the job, check to see that you have all of the parts for your irrigation system, such as risers, sprinkler heads, and nozzles. It’s a good idea to have extras for all parts, as some parts may break or be faulty. Being one nozzle or sprinkler head short of a fully-functioning system is certainly an aggravating event you do not want to have to experience.

Fill the Pipes

Once you have checked to make sure your soil is properly thawed and you have all of the necessary components on hand to complete the job, the next step in the process is to actually fill your irrigation piping. During the initial startup, it is possible that an excess amount of air pressure caused by the initial rush of water into the pipes can create problems, such as burst fittings and sprinklers that blow right out of the ground. If problems aren’t immediately known or observed, this process can weaken components and create trouble for you later in the season.

As a result, it is crucial to include air pressure relief valves and drains within your irrigation system as a way to prevent such events from taking place. These devices will allow air to flow out of the system as you refill the lines with water, preventing damage that results from excessive surges of air pressure. As you refill the system, it is a great idea to do this at a slow pace, so as not to create any of the problems that can result from excessive air pressure.

Starting the process of refilling your irrigation system, you will want to fill the main line of the system first, which is traditionally located between the water sources and the zone valves. As stated earlier, you will want to slowly open the shutoff valve that controls the water flow to the irrigation system. Taking your time with this process is key, as rushing the water through the system can create additional fixes which will not be fun (or cheap) to deal with. After you’ve filled the main line, you can then move on to additional zones, moving slowly from zone to zone until every section of the irrigation system has been filled.

As your thoroughly fill your irrigation system you will want to check for leaks to make sure no water is wasted and pressure is being lost in the process. This can be done by checking areas around the valves and sprinkler heads to test for excessive moisture buildup. You will also want to make sure there are no breaks in the lines themselves, which you will be able to see by water pooling in areas it shouldn’t be.

Test the System

Now that you’ve gone through the trouble of filling your entire irrigation system again in preparation for another long season of keeping your garden hydrated, you will want to test the system out to make sure that it still functions at the level you need it to. You will want to make sure all areas are operating properly.

As stated earlier, observe the system in operation to make sure there are no leaks in any zone or portion of the system. You’ll also want to make sure that your timer programs are functioning and operating accurately to the desired amount of time that is needed for your garden. You may need to reset them and determine what amount of water is needed, as a dryer winter may necessitate that you water heavier than normal earlier in the season.

Hire Someone for the Job

If all of this process sounds intimidating or overwhelming, a great option for you as a homeowner is to hire a trained professional who can carefully and thoroughly get your irrigation system up and running to optimal conditions. Doing it yourself can be a stressful and tiring process that is often not worth the hassle that accompanies such an intensive process.

If your irrigation system is in need of getting filled and prepared for the upcoming season, contact the trusted professionals at Water Solutions Sprinkler Service. We handle all of your sprinkler and irrigation needs, including installation and repair of your irrigation systems. We also take care of sprinkler blowouts at the end of the season and are more than happy to provide routine maintenance of your system throughout the season. We strive to provide our customers with the best possible customer service, and we are proud to have served the Denver metro area for over two decades. Call us at 720-435-1495 today.

With Denver’s semi-arid climate, growing things here can be a challenge. Not only are we usually under water restrictions because of drought, but as a landlocked state, we need to be protective of our water supplies. Xeriscaping can be a great solution that not only looks beautiful but enables you to conserve that most precious of resources: water. If you want to create a yard that is lovely to look at and good for the environment, contact the experts at Water Solutions in Denver to find out more about Denver landscaping services.

Soil Preparation for Xeriscape Landscaping

If you are like most people living in the Denver metro area, you probably have a lawn in place—and it’s probably Kentucky bluegrass, which is one of the most difficult types of lawns to grow here. Getting rid of it probably won’t hurt too much!

The first thing to do is to kill the top growth. If you are dealing with a large portion of yard, the best way to do it is to use a glyphosate product like Roundup (there are a number of other brands out there as well) to kill the grass. This will permeate the root of the grass but it will not contaminate the soils. Be sure to follow the directions carefully.

It might take a full two weeks to turn the lawn brown, so be prepared for the fact that it’s not going to happen overnight.

Next you want to address whether or not there are any pests in the soil. One way to do this is called solarization. This is a nonchemical way to raise the temperature of the soil to a high enough degree that it will kill weeds, pathogens, and pests in the soil. This technique is also useful for breaking down nutrients in the soil, which is good for the planting stage of your project.

At this point you also want to find out what type of soil you have, which will help you choose plants that will grow well in the area. Analyze the soil for nutrients present and pH balance, which will tell you if it is acidic or alkaline. There are soil pH kits you can purchase so you can do the testing on your own.

Once you find out what type of soil you are dealing with, find out what you can add to it to improve both workability and drainage capacity. This will help ensure the success of your new xeriscape landscaping.

Before you get started with plants, you might want to create a terrace design to add visual interest and to help with water channeling. If you are planting near your home, be sure drainage slopes away from the house rather than toward it.

Plant Treatments for Xeriscape Landscaping

The best Denver landscaping companies can suggest drought-resistant plants for your xeriscape landscaping that thrive with very little water. Xeriscaping is not only cost-effective because it uses so little water, but it is also quite low maintenance, so you can save a lot of time not having to do a lot of yard work.

And did you know that a xeriscape landscape can even increase the value of your home? There are other advantages too, which you can read about in Xeriscape Colorado by Colorado WaterWise.

There are many drought-resistant plants you can use in your xeriscape landscaping, and here is a partial list of plants you can take a look at to get you inspired (Note that these are most suited to the Front Range of Colorado.):

• Agastache, or Hummingbird Mint, unsurprisingly—given the name—attracts hummingbirds.
• Native to the southwestern part of the United States, the agave is very low maintenance.
• This native-to-Colorado shrub, Apache Plume, is quite unique.
• Blue Avena Grass needs little maintenance and adds a lovely texture and contrast to nearby plants.
• Catmint produces flowers all summer long.
• Coral Bells produce flowers in late spring to early summer.
• Rocky Mountain native Creeping Western Sand Cherry attracts birds and wildlife. 
• Crimson Pygmy Barberry is red, as the name implies, and is a compact, dense shrub.
• A medium-sized shrub, Fernbush has leaves all winter long.
• Mexican Feather Grass has a lovely way of moving in the breeze.
• Mojave Sage is a semi-evergreen shrub that will give you color most of the year.
• Panchito Manzanita has berries and flowers as well as being evergreen.
• Penstemon is a small plant, so it’s perfect for filling empty spaces between other plants.
• Prairie Coneflower produces flowers all summer, and you can easily harvest its seeds for planting the following season.
• Prairie Winecups is another Colorado native plant that thrives in this climate.
• This shrub is actually native to the Mediterranean, but the Spanish Gold Broom is an evergreen plant that does well here as well.
• Torch Lillies grow in thick clumps, adding interest to the landscape.
• The Rocky Mountain native Yarrow is extremely drought tolerant.
• Yuccas are true evergreens that are native to the southwestern United States and Mexico.

Irrigation Treatments for Xeriscape Landscaping

It’s best to have the professionals install an efficient irrigation system for your new xeriscape landscaping. They can help determine the appropriate amount of water needed to keep all the plants healthy and happy. They can make sure water is not wasted by using, for example, rotor sprinklers. This type of sprinkler distributes water evenly, keeping wasted water to a minimum. Your new xeriscape landscaping should thrive—regardless of how dry it gets this summer.

Spring is here! Contact the pros at Water Solutions to plan your xeriscape landscaping today. Our expert staff has been satisfying customers for more than 20 years and is respected throughout the Denver area for providing exceptional landscaping services.  We can handle any of your landscaping needs, whether you want xeriscaping or a more traditional look to your yard. We only use superior products, and we would love to use them to help maximize the beauty and health of your yard. Contact us today! We are proud to serve the Aurora, Centennial, Denver, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Lone Tree, and Parker areas, providing sprinkler and landscaping services.

When it comes to watering your lawn, there’s a lot to take in. Depending on when you water, how much, and the time of day, will truly make your lawn lush and green or eventually end up killing your grass. For those of you that want to retain a beautiful lush yard, it’s imperative that you brush up on these watering guidelines for the time of day and time of year from your Denver sprinkler experts!

The Time Of Day

Watering your lawn at the optimal time of day can reduce evaporation, prevent fungus growth, and ensure your lawn is green and healthy. The ideal time to water your grass is roughly an hour from sunrise. This allows an ample amount of time for the water to soak into the ground, but also leaves the blades of grass damp for a shorter amount of time compared to watering at night. Damp night air also softens the soil so water will be able to easily soak into the ground.
The more water that soaks into the ground, the more healthy the grass roots will be.

There are two really common mistakes that homeowners make when watering their lawn. The first is that they water at night, believing that the cool air will prevent evaporation. While it’s true that evaporation is minimal after sunday, but that cool air causes your grass to stay damp for a long period of time. This creates a perfect environment for disease and fungus. Simply put, nighttime watering will wreck havoc on your lawn.

The second common mistake is to water during the afternoon. Many homeowners believe that this will prevent grass from burning, which isn’t the case at all. Watering during the hottest part of the day is just wasteful of water. Water evaporates almost as soon as it hits the lawn on extremely hot, summer days. Soil will also harden in the sun, so it won’t even soak up the water that you do try use.

When you install a sprinkler system with us, one of our expert technicians will come out to your home and help you layout a plan for the best places to put sprinkler heads and also the best kind of sprinklers for your lawn. Our sprinkler systems can be set to start at any time in the morning and water certain zones at a time. This will be instrumental in helping your grass become as healthy as possible.

Watering in the Summer

Denver summers are know to bring about outdoor activities and events, but it also brings out some of the strongest heat your lawn will be exposed to throughout the year. One of the most common mistakes homeowners make during the summer is to water their lawn all the time. This actually ends up hurting your lawn more than helping it, and you can waste so much water doing so.

So, when should you water your lawn in the summer? In the morning - it’s as simple as that. During these hours, the air is cooler making it the perfect oportune temperature for your lawn to soak it all up. Typically in the morning, wind isn’t an issue which can blow away the droplets of water. Another summer watering mistake is to water during the evening, but doing this is risky and causes a lawn disease. Watering overnight causes the droplets to cling to blades of grass which sits there for hours, creating the perfect environment for fungus.

In the summer, it’s imperative that your lawn receives between one and one and a half inches of water each week. For optimal results, be sure to water your lawn every other day. You can also water your lawn every two days to create deeper grass roots which means your grass will be better at protecting against a drought.

Watering in the Winter

Believe it or not, yes you should water in the winter - but very carefully. While you might be prone to wanting to put away your hose or stop your irrigation system as soon as the snow falls, the fact of the matter is that you should continue watering your lawn up until the ground temperature is below freezing.

Once the cool air descends upon the Denver area, you’ll notice that your lawn will go into dormancy for the winter. What this really means is that your grass will stop growing. Grass starts to change and eventually stop growing once the first hint of winter comes around. Because of the incoming winter season, you’ll have to change your watering frequency which won’t be anything like you did for the spring, summer, or fall.

For the winter, there really is no set schedule of when you should water because you don’t really know the exact date that temperatures will drop and the ground will freeze. We suggest changing your frequency of watering to once a week until the ground starts to freeze. The cold temperatures that come about means that water will not evaporate as quickly as it did in the spring, summer, or fall, so it’s crucial that you do not overwater your lawn, or water more than once a week.

How do you know if your grass needs watering? It will tell you by the way it looks. The grass blades will fold in half and begin to appear a bluish, gray color when it’s time to water. Another way to tell is to simply walk on your lawn. If you see footprints after you take a walk on it, it’s good to go and doesn’t need watering.

Regardless of if your anticipating snowflakes or a snowstorm, keep watering until the ground is frozen. Once the ground is frozen it acts as a barrier to prevent water from getting soaked up and down to the grassroots. If you do happen to know when the big freeze or snowstorm of the season is about to hit, water your lawn the morning before it happens. If the soil is moist, it will act as insulation for your roots and if your roots are dry, your roots are more at risk of freezing.

At Water Solutions Company, we know a thing or two about the proper way to water a lawn. Contact us today with any questions you have about watering guidelines, and if you want to have an expert come look at your lawn!