Cover your Sprinkler Pipes

Colorado October weather can be anywhere from divine warm sixty degree days to disastrous, sudden cold - often with snow that can snap branches on leafed out trees in mere hours. Guess what is predicted in about seventy-two hours? Are you ready?

I am prepared, mostly - the landscape trees and new plantings are well hydrated from recent rain storms, plus some supplemental deep root watering earlier in August. It's never a good thing for plants to go in to the fall and winter with dry roots. Dry means damage to the fine root hairs, so try to remember "winter - wet" (not sopping, but moist). Here's more information on fall and winter tree watering from CSU Extension.

One easy to delay fall chore is scheduling the automatic sprinkler blow out. I'm guilty! In the meantime I have securely wrapped and covered the exposed back flow preventer and the attached pipes so they don't freeze. It's about a five minute job, so don't delay.  For extra insurance turn off the water to your sprinkler system. The shut off valve is usually inside the house (should be two shut offs, one for the sprinkler, one to the whole house). Drain excess water in the exposed pipes as well by opening the ball valves attached to the back flow preventer. Check out this video from the Broomfield Parks Department for a good resource to winterize your pipes.

Also, please watch my short video on wrapping the sprinkler pipes. Ferris wanted to be part of the action.