When do you shut off your sprinkler system?

[nemesis]

My wife told me that somebody told her that somebody told him that somebody told him that you're supposed to water your crepe myrtles through the winter.

No way am I gwin leave my system on through the winter. But seriously, when do you turn off your system?

thanx in advance.

 

[Boehlertaught]

All plants, not just crepe myrtles, need water in the winter. Not as much as summer of course but if there's been no moisture for 30 days you should give your plants a drink.

 

[WTJ]

When the ground is sufficiently wetted?

 

[woolworh]

Do they freeze up?

 

[nemesis]

Do they freeze up?

According to the fellow who installed the system the sprinklers are not under pressure with the exception of a few sprinklers/a specific zone?

As such, all zones not under pressure would not freeze. The zone under pressure would freeze. One might hope such a zone would be below the frost line.

 

[VIKING]

When our water rates doubled like they did a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Wheel Gun]

When our water rates doubled like they did a couple of weeks ago.

Yep. Paying what I pay for rural water, I'm not buying lawn water much longer. Those plants will get an occaisonal drink from a hose and they'll like it.

 

[bulbboy]

I keep ours on all year around - just back off to one long watering a week

 

[Cohiba]

My sprinkler man tells me not to worry about it...unless there are more than 20 days straight of below -10 weather. Then the next time he tells me to shut it off when the weather starts to change??

My rule of thumb; Turn it off when you winterize your house. Meaning, when you wrap up the yard hoses and put insulated covers over the faucets.

Cohiba

 

[DPI]

My wife told me that somebody told her that somebody told him that somebody told him that you're supposed to water your crepe myrtles through the winter.

No way am I gwin leave my system on through the winter. But seriously, when do you turn off your system?

thanx in advance.

What exactly do you mean turn it off? Turn off the water supply? Or just quit using it?

My sprinkler lines are about 12" deep and not below the freeze line. I usually don't water in the winter unless there is a warm spell and I will water all around the house, but not out in the yard.

If a sprinkler is built correctly, there should be drains at low points on every zone. The drain closes when the zone is watering and opens when the pressure goes away. There should be no pressure left in the system when the watering is done. Even without the drain, the pressure bleeds off when the zone valve shuts. Sprinklers are not designed to hold pressure in each zone without the water supply valve open.