In the Lakewood Ranch community, each home has an irrigation system that is tied into the reclaimed water retention ponds. Each subdivision is on a different watering day and the system is controlled by a timer. Ours happens to be a Toro Irrigation timer and I’m guessing most of the homes in Lakewood Ranch are using the Toro timers also. If you are new to using one of the timers and don’t have the manual, don’t worry, a little trial and error and you can get it figured out. It is the sprinkler heads that you need to ask questions about (at the store) and really read the instructions. At some point in time the sprinkler heads need replaced and honestly I have replaced most of mine. When we bought our Lakewood Ranch house I did a little landscaping and not once, but twice I broke the pvc pipe that surrounds the house. This pipe of course provides the means for the water to travel. It is really easy to fix, it’s just a pain in the hot Florida sun.
I got myself into a situation where my wife volunteered my time to help our neighbor with her sprinkler heads. I purchased the K-Rain sprinkler heads for her lawn because they are reasonably priced, reliable and it’s what I use at my house. Since I have done this a few times I figured installation would be quick and easy. It is amazing how the hot Florida sun affects your memory. Frustrated, hot and soaking wet I ran back over to my home so I could quickly research how to set them up so they sprayed exactly the direction and arc that she wanted. Here is the problem, the guys at the store explain how to do it and is sounds easy, but easy to forget too. There are also instructions right on the sprinkler head but they are lousy. I went to the K-Rain site and found great instructions on their FAQ page and 15 minutes later her sprinkler heads were set up and working great. If you happen to have a Toro Irrigation timer and you are missing the manual you can go here to view the original manuals for easy set up.
An irrigation system in Florida is a necessity. It can be a little dry in the spring and that is when the plants and yard need it the most. As I sit here watching the pouring down rain I can tell you it isn’t as necessary in the summer as it rains a little more often. These retention ponds that are used for our irrigation systems are a just another “Green” environmental practice the developers incorporated to keep Lakewood Ranch residents like myself very happy.