Your Front Yard or Yard is the first impression of your “home”, correct? How many times do you drive the streets of your neighborhood or go looking for a home to “buy”, and the first thing you are looking at is the yard? A nicely landscape yard gives the impression off that house is well maintained and full of pride. The yard full of weeds is a home that needs TLC so the house probably needs TLC too.
Often we think that the people that have those lush yards have a “green thumb” and we just don’t have what it takes. But by Gosh, No One will tell me that I don’t have what it takes…LOL… Well, then you decided you want that type of yard. So, a planting we go.
Well, in August I did just that. I am a person who loves to have a beautiful yard. A yard of impression. A yard that my children can run through, roll around in, and simply just enjoy. So, the grass got planted and I left it up to the “Landscaping Company” to set the water sprinklers and just go on about my business until root time. There was no direction other than, let it root, let the sprinkler system do it’s thing, and you will have great looking grass.
As the month pasted and I got so excited seeing my “grass” take it’s formation, I decided I would re-landscape my front “flower bed” by myself and by Mid-September, I will have a yard of “impression”.
Still filled with all the excitement in the world and posting pictures to “Facebook” and thinking, oh Halloween is coming and what a “beautiful” yard Trick or Treater’s will have to walk through and that I can decorate, I walk to the mailbox and….
WHAT IN THE WORLD??? ARE YOU JOKING ME??? THIS CAN’T BE RIGHT!!!!
The water bill had arrived and I had opened it! Already knowing that last months bill was only $30.01. This month’s bill $173.45!!! YES, you are riding that correctly!!! So, jumping on the phone I go. I pull up last months bill and see that we only used 1000 Gallons which equaled $30.01. This bill in my hand 20,000 gallons which totaled that awesome new bill for that beautiful new yard!!! As, I’m talking to the Utility Company, she asked me several questions about what maybe transpired over the last thirty days. I was wracking my brain and remembered, the “yard”. I explained to her that the Landscaping Company set the “sprinkler” system. She replied with, “that’s your issue”. She stated that they will set your system to water everyday, twice a day, for an hour each time. Which equals a 1000 gallons an hour. YIKES. I replied with “well thank goodness I shut it off”.
So, what’s my point? If you decide that you want one of those yards that are beautiful and think that the cost is only the price of the product and labor, stop and think about budgeting in “water” expenses.
Tips:
1. New Yard budgeting should include: labor, product, fertilizer, and water. Your first 30 day budget will be more costly because the “new yard” needs to take root.
2. If you are professionally having your yard done, have the Landscapers describe to you in detail how they are setting your “sprinkler system”. And request for them to return in 30 days to reset it to your water restrictions.
3. Make sure your “rain measure” is working on your sprinkler system.
4. Have the Landscape Company reduce their quote for the cost of your first water bill.
5. When they are running your sprinkler system, check for leaks . Have all broken items fixed asap.
6. Shut off your system manually on “rainy days”.
7. In the “colder” months, “new yards” do not need to follow the rule of “watering” everyday, twice a day.
8. If there is no “rush” to get a “lush” yard, let “rooting” take a little longer with “watering” every other day.
9. Use an “electric soil tester” to make sure you aren’t over watering.
10. When the first cut happens, place your mower on the highest level. The taller the grass, the less water.
I hope all these tips help you and “my lesson learned” is one that you can avoid.
Happy Planting!!!
You have raised some very interesting points here and I agree with a lot of them. However, as a representative of a landscaping company I must point out that the landscaping company that installs your grass and sets the sprinkler system has an interest in protecting your investment as well as their reputation. A responsible landscaper/ irrigator should tell you to expect an increase in your water bill (especially if you did not have a sprinkler system to begin with) and may even have an idea of what you can expect that increase to be. A responsible contractor should also make sure that you’re sprinkler system is as efficient and effective as the customer is willing to make it but a contractor can not reduce their quote for the cost of your water bill. That is a cost that the customer must assume as part of the establishment and maintenance of their lawn.
Please visit Turf-Scape’s blog if you are interested in environmentally conscious landscaping and water conservation
Hello. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Yes everyone in every business has to protect their reputation. But when I stumble across mistakes I have made or I have been effected by, I like I share the information to hopefully help others to prevent the mistakes. After much research with other landscaping owners who gave me some relief in what to look for in the future, I decided to let the general public know. We write on landscaping once every two weeks. If you would like to supply us with some articles, we would be more than happy to review them and post them. I appreciate your knowledge and time. Thank you again