Planning Stage

Understanding the site parameters and the owner’s desired outcome always shapes our approach and the design of the new system.  In this case 90% of the lawns are in full sun and the owner, coming from an agricultural background already knew subsurface irrigation was the best irrigation method for his home.

The owner also indicated that low maintanance was a priority.

Grass type: Empire Zoysia 
The owner originally had Soft Leaf Buffalo which grows faster with a thicker leaf, prefers sprinklers and shady areas. This explains why it was dying – it wasn’t suitable for the site.
The new grass Empire Zoysia thrives in full sun with subsurface drip irrigation. It also requires much less mowing!

Controller: Hunter Industries Wifi Enabled
The controller is a key component in this system because it solved the localised problem of low water pressure and provides automisation of the system. The owner can access it via an app on their phone and as the installer we are able to monitor the condition of the system from afar.

Temporary sprinklers – time is of the essence

Prior to laying the reticulation and new lawn all weeds and remaining roots of the grass must be removed. By laying temporary sprinkles, any roots and seeds will germinate and grow, thus revealing themselves. They are then killed or removed so they don’t grow back in the new lawn. 

Installations

The drip irrigation is laid systematically and tested before lawn is laid on top. People often feel that subsurface irrigation isn’t as effective as sprinklers because you cannot visibly see the water distribution. In these pictures you can see how water dispersion works with with drip.

Sprinklers tend to be inefficient as they lose water through immediate evaporation, this is especially true in a hot city like Perth.

Because plants and grasses have a root system that spreads out, they will absorb soil moisture far beyond what is in their immediate soil area.

Establishing Roots

To maximise turf rehabilitation, soil improvers were mixed into the soil so water retention is maximised. We flatten the soil and finally lay the new lawn.

The chosen turf; Empire Zoysia always has an initial settling period due to a shallower root system. In the following weeks the lawn is flattened out as the high spots are trimmed during mows and the lows are filled with sand.

The temporary sprinkler system is relayed and the lawn is left to settle.

Automation & Water Pressure

The area is too large and the water pressure is too low to irrigate the entire garden at once. The Hydrawise Industries controller we installed is capable of 12 zones that run separately to each other and customised to suit the area each zone is watering.

We only allow one station to turn on at a time so water pressue is not compromised across the property.

In this case the zones are preset to turn on at 4am twice a week because this is when home water consumption is at minimum. This is the optimal time to wet the soil so plants and grass have access to water throughout the day.

Seasonality means less irrigation is required in winter. We are able to change watering times and lengths remotely, the owner is also able to check and manage this from their own device. 

In larger irrigation systems like this we embed sensors that alert us if there is leak or a blockage. Instead of waiting for turf to die or a leak to make a puddle we are able to identify and fix these problems before they become to big.

Contact us

We are water specialists that are familiar with all of Perth’s common water problems. Please use the form at the bottom of the page to contact us.