making landscaping beautiful and beneficial

Did you just have your yard beautifully landscaped, but are now realizing that watering your flowers and plants has become one extra daily chore that you are tired of performing manually? Or are you thinking of having your yard landscaped, but you worry that you will regret it when the cost of watering all of your plants begins to take a toll on your tight budget? If this sounds like you, then you will be happy to hear that there are two new easy and water-efficient ways to keep your lawn plush and those plants and flowers healthy with little, if any, daily work. Read on to learn all about them. 

1. Sprinkler Systems with Smart Controllers

If you don't have a sprinkler system installed in your yard yet, then realize that sprinkler systems today can make maintaining a beautiful yard very easy, especially when equipped with smart controllers. Smart controllers have been in use for several years now by businesses that need to keep the landscaping around their businesses plush with little work, since business owners are typically not in their offices around-the-clock. However, they are now becoming popular among homeowners due to just how cost-efficient they are and how they really make maintaining a lawn a hands-off experience. 

Unlike traditional sprinkler system controllers, where the homeowner or installation technician must set every sprinkler in every zone to turn on and off on a specific schedule, a smart controller is made with special technology that is able to receive information from local weather stations. The controller then "finds out" each day if it is going to rain, if it will be a sunny and hot day, and even what the current humidity level is. It then triggers the sprinklers to water the landscaping only when necessary based on local weather conditions. 

While the upfront investment in the controller varies, you will typically save more money on your water bill just during the first year after installation than you pay for the controller. 

2. Sprinkler Systems with Soil Moisture Sensors

Another great way to reduce your water bill and save time while keeping your landscaping plush is to have a sprinkler system with soil moisture sensors installed. One soil moisture sensor can be used to dictate when your sprinkler system waters all yard zones, but you can choose to have more than one moisture sensor, such as one installed in each zone. If you have a large yard, and some zones get much more sun than others, it can be a good idea to have a moisture sensor installed in each zone that connects to that zone's sprinkler. 

How do soil moisture sensors work? They are small devices placed in the soil of your yard at the depth of the roots of your plants. They sense how moist the soil is, and when the soil becomes dry, they send a signal to the sprinkler system to turn on and moisten the soil. Then, once they sense that the soil is at the appropriate moisture level, they send a signal to the sprinkler to shut off. 

While sprinkler system control option can also make keeping your landscaping beautiful easier and less costly, the only disadvantage of it when compared to the smart controllers is that the sensors cannot predict when it will rain. This can lead to the sensors triggering your sprinklers to come on shortly before a rain storm, which can lead to wasted water.

Speak to a local sprinkler system installer like Boehm Landscape Inc about these two options. They can help you decide which is best for you and help you get your new sprinkler system or retro-fitted sensors or controller set up.