IRRIGATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT
Checking water pressure with a pitot tube Flagging each head is an initial action in Step 1
When no obvious flaws are evident , inefficiency may be indicated in Step 2 Taking readings after Step 2
ing the roots evenly moist , but it will also cause a problem with the control of turf insects and diseases . For example , many turf pest control products such as imidacloprid and azoxystrobin need to be watered off of the turfgrass blades and into the upper soil layer to be effective . If the sprinkler system delivers half as much as needed , or three times as much as needed , the product may not be adequately moved into the root zone — being held tightly by the thatch or possibly moved beyond the active root zone by excessive amounts being applied .
SOMETIMES IT ’ S OBVIOUS ; SOMETIMES NOT In some cases , sprinkler system problems are easy to spot . Leaking heads and valves produce greener turf than surrounding areas , while low pressure output tends to create symptoms of a doughnut pattern .
Soggy patches that are not supposed to be soggy are also obvious .
Some system flaws are not that evident — at least at first . These include clogged nozzles and excessive pressure that produce symptoms that can be confused with other turf maladies and causes such as overly thick thatch , soil compaction , uneven fertilizer application and inadequate seeding rates . The only method to determine if the sprinkler system is causing problems is to audit . sportsfieldmanagementonline . com September 2021 | SportsField Management
21