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Hunter PGP (picture) green grass around heads, brown mid way

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Chronster

Unregistered

1

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 12:52pm

Hunter PGP (picture) green grass around heads, brown mid way

Hello, I recently have taken over a house from my grand mother and am trying to figure out what is wrong with the sprinklers. She has always had a lush green lawn and now I am running into problems.
There are 5 zones, most have Hunter PGP heads on them, there is a couple nelson rotarys and 2 toro heads.

As you can see, there are green patches right around 3 of my sprinkler heads, and I am not sure what is causing this! Any help would be much appreciated. It's the Hunter PGP's (red nozzled)


Chronster

Unregistered

2

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 12:55pm

I should point out that there is no water pooling by the heads, it appears to shoot out water as it should.. The water reaches its destination, but it is the spot in between (the under spray) that is not receiving enough water. There are 3 heads throughout the lawn that are doing this ?(

GatorGuy

Moderator

Posts: 458

3

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 1:07pm

Do you have head-to-head coverage?
For full coverage/saturation the water from one rotor must hit the next. In most rotors/sprays there is a problem with uniform distribution. Head to head fixes it.

ian

New Member

Posts: 5

4

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 1:09pm

Hey, chron here - I forgot to log on to my registered account before I posted the thread.
It used to be head to head from what I was told, but there was a problem and 2 of the zones had to be combined. I had no problem with the sprinklers last year - they came on, I didn't think abuot them. This year, I've had to adjust 2 (spraying towards road) and now what appears to be a "missing under spray" on these 3 heads

GatorGuy

Moderator

Posts: 458

5

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 2:08pm

Simple, very informative but slightly time consuming test.
Take a bunch of tuna cans (cat food, etc. Low sides, broad base) and spread them out in the dry areas and in the areas getting enough water. Run your zones for a while then compare water in each one. That will tell you what kind of water coverage you are getting.

Reason for this test: it may show you have poor coverage, which you already suspect. However, there have been times when coverage was uniform but something in the soil was the problem. This can keep you from chasing the wrong problem and, if it is coverage, pinpoint your weak spots.

How many cans? Looking at your picture I'd use at least 10, maybe more. Bunch in the dry area, a few around the head and more in the green area in the back ground.

If you don't have the cans you can use anything that is identical and has relatively low sides. Small paper cups with a weight in them so they don't blow over, paper/Styrofoam bowls, etc.

wsommariva

Supreme Member

Posts: 332

Location: Northern New Jersey

6

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 3:18pm

Looks a bit downhill? Maybe peat moss application will retain some water where it lands.

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

7

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 3:21pm

why did two zones have to be combined? - maybe you un-combine them

ian

New Member

Posts: 5

8

Thursday, June 14th 2012, 7:27pm

hey, thanks for the fast replies and help, i will most definatley try the can test!
it's not downhill at all, in response to why the zones were combined i am not sure, but it was a few years back and the lawn has always looked great even after the combining. my grand mother thought the heads seemed to be misting more then usual as well which led me to googling some things.. could it be a bad pressure regulator?

i will give the can test a whirl this weekend and let you all know the results!
thanks, ian

GatorGuy

Moderator

Posts: 458

9

Friday, June 15th 2012, 8:40am

For more than you want to know: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/hortgardens/conservation/agentdemo1.pdf

Step by step, details and analysis of your audit.
You'll have to cut and paste. The link probably won't work.

ian

New Member

Posts: 5

10

Friday, June 15th 2012, 10:34am

Thanks everyone for the help!
I am still a bit confused as to why I've never seen these dry spots before though - It's not even the dead of summer yet and the lawn has never had these spots by the heads like there is now!
Ah well, will do the can test tomorrow =)
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