How to Use Misting and Irrigation Timers

Misting and irrigation timers are a gardener's best friend. If you have more than just a little bit of green in your back and front yard that you intend on keeping green, it might be a good idea to invest in a sophisticated sprinkler system.

An automatic irrigation system, in which you can program when your sprinkler turns on and waters your lawn, is an extremely useful tool for people – especially those who are away from their home a lot, either working or traveling or all of the above. Misting timers and the like often get a bad rep because they are deemed unnecessary and wasteful. But when they are installed and programmed properly, nothing can be farther from the truth.

Automatic irrigation means that your plants will get hit with water at a deeper pressure and thus the water will go right to the roots – as it should. The technology of these systems often allows you to target certain areas that are thirstier than others. With a regular hose, this simply can't be done. And since the water is more effectively distributed on the lawn with the help of the system, you won't have to water your yard time and time again in order to keep your grass nice and green.

However, if you misuse one of these timers, you will indeed waste not only water, but money. Basically, you should never let one setting guide you throughout the year. Every season must have a different setting. Summer months, you can program your timer to go off more frequently. But during wetter months, this is not necessary.

As well, there may be unexpected rain and when there is a rainstorm one night, you can save money and water by turning your timer off the next day. Not to mention, you wouldn't want to over water your plants anyways – you're likely to drown them.

Fortunately, there are timers that also come with rain sensors and thus, when the clouds do open up unexpectedly, your timer can self-adjust! How nifty is that?

Orbit irrigation timers are available with up to three independent programs. This means you can have a program for spring, summer and fall. Or you can also have different programs for days of week, watering intervals or odd/even days. The Orbit timers are also available with 6, 9, or 12 stations.

You can control up to 6, 9, or 12 valves, with specific watering programs for each valve. This allows to water different types of soil and vegetation that may exist in the different watering zones. So if one area has more shade than another area you can provide less water if you want.

The moral of the story is that irrigation timers are a great help to both you and your lawn, but only if you use them correctly. So stop worrying about whether or not the grass is greener on the other side – let an automatic irrigation system deal with that for you!

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For information on watering your plants, please read this article on inline sprinkler timers.

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