Busy Bee Lawn Care Service and Sprinkler Repair - Lexington Columbia South Carolina

Lawn Care Service, Columbia S.C.

2023-06-09T08:39:00.004-04:00

Busy Bee Lawn Care, Columbia S.C. is celebrating 18 seasons of lawn mowing service in Greater Columbia, Irmo and Lexington! Over the years, we have perfected a system of lawn maintenance that brings a timely, affordable product to customers in Columbia while employing only the best yard employees available. Our lawn care system has three critical components that make it the best in town. We have a super simple "set it and forget it" billing system, we have a recurring scheduling system that customers have come to love, and we insist on sharp lines, smooth cuts, and more than just a mow and go.

Our billing system is super easy. You don't have to worry about mailing a check or meeting some yard guy at your doorstep who is looking to get paid. Once you are in our system, everything takes care of itself. You can cancel at any time, but we do try hard to only bring on customers who would have us for the majority of the year, not just a "one time" service.

Scheduling can be tricky! But we've got it down pat to where your lawn service is done within 24 hours of a certain day. The factors that change the target day can include weather, but is hardly ever due to staffing issues. We never miss a beat! Also, your profile is kept up to date with any specifics about your yard that you desire.

We're more than just a mow and go! We keep your bushes shaped nicely, we keep weeds in the beds sprayed and we deliver a nice tight yard for you to enjoy. Our lawn technicians are highly skilled in edging with a weedeater, carefully operating a mower to minimize scuffing and scalping, and take the time to blow areas like your porches and patios. Why settle for a halfway kept yard? We deliver that nice crisp well kept yard that is soothing to look at and a true enhancement to your property time after time.

So give us a buzz in 2023! We have openings in Irmo, Columbia S.C., Lexington, West Columbia, Cayce and more. (803)331-5323

lawn mowing service, Columbia S.C. https://busybeelawncare.com/lawn-care/

#1 Lawn Mowing Service in Lexington S.C.

2019-01-27T09:22:00.001-05:00

Busy Bee Lawn Care has been the #1 Lawn Mowing Service in Lexington S.C. since 2006. There's alot of competition out there in 2019, but let me break down the reasons why we are the best landscape management company in the Lexington County Area. It has alot to do with our management structure, our billing and pricing, and of course our level of professionalism and craftsmanship.

Both of the owners (Mr Ashley Brooks and Joy Brooks) come from a Corporate background, having worked in professional environments for a significant part of their career prior to opening Busy Bee Lawn Care and Sprinkler Repair, Inc. in 2006. We understand what it means to exercise candor and integrity when it comes to a business transaction. We also have extensive experience in properly pricing lawn services for our area having successfully managed and grown our business over the past 13 seasons with consideration to long term sustainability in the green industry.

Our lawn maintenance packages are priced properly because we realistically take all things into account including labor time, seasonal considerations, growth patterns of the various plants that are unique to each yard, as well as company expenses. We are fully insured and licensed. Our billing is what makes it super easy to do business with Busy Bee. Our lawn customers don't even have to write a check or deal with any invoices because we do direct bank transfers, making it seamless. We take all the headache out of managing your yard!

The product we deliver includes well shaped bushes, sharp edges on lawns, super clean areas when its fall leaf cleanup time, and timely fertilization and weed control in beds. We keep our blades sharp and our lawnmowers running perfectly. Our employees are vetted and tracked electronically and frequently briefed on the dynamics of each yard. Each customer has their own profile that we keep updated as to any specifics. In short, we do our very best to bring the finest in lawn maintenance to Lexington and surrounding areas.

So what are you waiting for? Give us a Buzz at (803)331-5323 and get on our route for 2019 and beyond!

Lawn Service, Columbia S.C.

2017-12-12T06:30:00.001-05:00

Lawn Service, Columbia S.C. hasn't changed much since we started professionally mowing lawns in 2006. It all started with a few residential yard customers who needed a reliable service to mow their grass. Since then, we have grown to be The Columbia South Carolina goto lawn service. What makes us different is our reliability, our simple billing system, and our professional eye for a well maintained yard.

Busy Bee Lawn Care is as reliable as a lawn service can get. The owners/operator, Mr. Ashley Brooks and his Wife Joy are both masters degree educated, well rounded professionals former involved in the corporate workings of business management in Columbia S.C.. Each customer's profile is kept in a calendar in their specific day of the week. We strictly adhere to servicing customers on their day unless weather his prohibitive. In the case of a total rainout, we would do the grass mowing on the day before or the day after the target day.

Ashley Brooks, Owner - Busy Bee Lawn Care Service

Our billing system is bank draft for residential accounts. We have been thoroughly vetted by Bank of America whereby we had to be incorporated to participate. Each time we draft, we have to have a special code generated to use the system through BOA. Customers never have to write or mail a check, never have to wonder where the bill is or when its coming and never have to even think about lawn service.

Our professional lawn maintenance service takes extreme pride in having an eye for detail. One main difference in our product is that we use a string trimmer to do the edging. This produces that sharp edge on the turf where it meets flower beds, walkways and driveways. Looking back at a lawn when its finished and knowing whether it is complete takes an artful eye and a high level of skill. Not all yard services are alike. We know when to bevel a grassy area for smooth transitions, how to tastefully shape bushes, and what constitutes a job well done.

So when you are considering lawn service, Columbia S.C. give us a buzz at (803)331-5323! We are Columbia's Reliable, trustworthy professionals who will take the guesswork out of your lawn care.

Repairing Broken Sprinkler Heads

2016-01-10T12:43:00.001-05:00

You are Inspecting your yard and you have noticed that there are lots of broken sprinkler heads, especially at the edges of the lawn. If you have a lawn mowing service, your initial reaction might be to go after them as the culprit, but a little understanding of how yards develop and weather over time shows that this problem is the result of erosion, improperly installed irrigation, or a combination of both.

When the landscaping contractor installed your sprinkler system, they set the depth of the heads according to the lay of the land at that particular time. The ground was likely softer and it settled. The sod was likely more full and lush as it just came from the sod farm. The top of the rotary or pop up sprayhead where the nozzle sprays the water particles was likely covered in part by loose top soil. What happens over time, particularly on slopes, is the topsoil erodes away and it exposes the top of the sprinkler head, leaving it vulnerable for lawnmower blades and riding mower tires. Although your yard service could be a little more careful, it is often difficult to avoid broken sprinkler heads in the situation.

If loss of topsoil in the lawn does not seem to be the explanation for broken sprinkler heads, another plausible explanation is that the sprinkler system installation was done improperly. It is important to bury the PVC mains, the flex pipe tubing and the sprinkler heads to a certain depth. The tops of the heads should typically lay just under the roots of the turf.

In either circumstance, managing the situation could call for a combination of solutions. One solution is to bring in a layer of more top soil. In addition, burying the sprinkler heads deeper in the ground could be necessary as well. The end result should be that the top of the sprinkler head recedes deeper than the turf line down into the ground.

For this and more tips on groundskeeping, Lawn Care and Sprinkler repair Columbia S.C. Lexington and Irmo, visit us online at http://www.BusyBeeLawnCare.com or give us a buzz at (803)331-5323

Toro Sprinkler System Repair

2015-01-03T08:25:00.000-05:00

If you have a Toro irrigation sprinkler system that needs repair in the Greater Columbia South Carolina Area we can help. Toro is a very common type of sprinkler control panel that we see mostly in residential yard applications. We usually see The Toro Lawn Master II Timer, the ECxtra, or the TMC 212 in use. Most problems the user encounter stem from a proper knowledge of setting the control panel for proper water times and frequency. One of the most common problems is when 2 programs are enabled resulting in overwatering. It is important to pay attention to what programs are enabled, for example, if program A and Program B are both set to come on. Other issues with the Toro Timer occur when the current time and date are not properly set. Setting the timer is one of the items covered with an annual system startup in the spring.

Give us a Buzz at (803)331-5323 or visit http://www.busybeelawncare.com/sprinkler-repair-columbia.htm if your Toro Sprinkler System needs attention!

Outdoor Fireplace and Water Feature

2014-10-01T08:38:00.001-04:00

What you need is a nice outdoor fireplace with a small pond feature and a waterfall or a simple water feature to peacefully enjoy the cool weather and extend your outdoor enjoyment with friends and family. Call Busy Bee at (803)331-5323 – we are the professionals! http://busybeelawncare.com/water_features.htm

Rain Bird sprinkler system irrigation repair, Columbia South Carolina

2014-05-29T07:54:00.001-04:00

Is your Rainbird sprinkler system malfunctioning? Rain Bird is one of the most common irrigation brands that we repair.  Service calls for this brand include issues related to valves, rotor or spray head replacement or control panel issues.

One common repair we do is replacing the Rainbird DV Valve. This is one of our favorite zone valves because the replacement parts are common and readily available (as opposed to Nelson Sprinkler Valve for instance).  Common malfunctions include bad "o-ring" seals where the solenoid threads into the body of the valve and debris in the system causing sticking in the open position.

Other issues we see with Rain Bird have to do with the sprinkler head themselves. Many old systems (we see a lot in Spring Valley, Columbia S.C. area) used the popup impact Maxi paw type rotary sprinkler heads. These heads are nowhere near as efficient as modern heads and after years of service they will stick in the upright position or not turn at all. Another problem we see is with the wiper seal on popup and spray heads where water will leak out of the shaft of the head wasting water. Lastly, a more common issue is that rotory heads stop turning and popup spray irrigation heads will stick in the up position requiring replacement.

Another common issue is the cheaper Rain Bird Model ESP control panels going bad.  We usually see problems related to the timer not functioning the way it was designed. For example, related to turning on the zone, sometimes the panel will not turn on the zone in manual mode. We also see the digital display lock up disabling functionality altogether. We suspect that these problems are related to lightening or perhaps power surges...either way, usually its time to replace the control panel.

Call Busy Bee Sprinkler Repair at (803)331-5323 today!

Sprinkler system spring startup and irrigation tune up

2014-04-29T11:29:00.001-04:00

A professional sprinkler repair service would first open the bleeder valve on each of the zones. This would require that you know where the irrigation valves are located.

Next, the Water main or the irrigation backflow control valve should be turned on slowly and carefully. Too much water pressure at one time where there is an abundance of air in the pipes can cause the pipes to rupture or the valves to break.

As the air escapes the sprinkler heads each zone should be turned off at the bleeder valve one at a time. The irrigation water main control valve can then be turned completely to the on position.

Doing a sprinkler system restart in the early spring can ensure that you get a jump on Properly maintaining your lawn. It also helps to identify if you have any problems with your system that May need to be scheduled by a professional sprinkler repair service.

Happy Easter! Peace be With You

2014-04-20T10:16:00.001-04:00

All the doubt and grief and fear that robs us of our joy in life; that causes anxiety and stress or causes envy, that makes our lives seem useless no matter what we do instantly goes away with the power of Jesus Christ and his Resurrection. Where o death is thy sting? Where o death is thy Victory? Be happy and confident in every challenge...because you know the end of the story. Peace be with you and Happy Easter!

Landscape Lighting Repair, Columbia S.C.

2014-01-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

Landscape Lighting Repair in Columbia, S.C. should be done by a professional contractor. Your path lights, uplights, control box and wiring all need to work together efficiently and with safety in mind while giving that special touch to your landscaping that outdoor lighting brings.

One of the main problems with older landscape light systems is that the halogen or LED lights were incorrectly connected to the copper wiring that connects them to the power supply. Improper connections can lead to corrosion, which travels down the wire, creating voltage loss and lost connectivity.

No matter how old your outdoor lighting system, we can safely and professionally repair or replace your system to bring the beauty back to your garden. We can also install landscape lights on your deck, shine them up to feature your palm trees, or install the latest energy efficient LED lighting to make your house the gem of the neighborhood.

Start Sprinkler System By Bleeding Valves

2013-02-17T19:31:00.001-05:00

Starting up your sprinkler system for the spring lawn watering season Should be done carefully and professionally Especially if your irrigation system was winterized and evacuated of all of the water in every zone.

A professional sprinkler repair service would first open the bleeder valve on each of the zones. This would require that you know where the irrigation valves are located.

Next, the Water main or the irrigation backflow control valve should be turned on slowly and carefully. Too much water pressure at one time where there is an abundance of air in the pipes can cause the pipes to rupture or the valves to break.

As the air escapes the sprinkler heads each zone should be turned off at the bleeder valve one at a time. The irrigation water main control valve can then be turned completely to the on position.

Doing a sprinkler system restart in the early spring can ensure that you get a jump on Properly maintaining your lawn. It also helps to identify if you have any problems with your system that May need to be scheduled by a professional sprinkler repair service.

Broken Sprinkler Head Repair

2013-02-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

Broken Sprinkler Head Repair

http://www.busybeelawncare.com

Apply Pre Emergent Forsythia Bloom

2013-02-13T10:04:00.000-05:00

Its almost time to apply Pre-Emergent to your Lawn to prevent weeds. The key is to look for the Forsythia to bloom and to switch active ingredients year to year...don't use the same chemical from the same company every year and be patient to not apply pre emergent until just the right time. Also, consider a post emergent instead of a pre emergent and target the greenery in your dormant grass. Applying a post emergent is simply an alternative strategy to using pre emergent year after year.

If you're in Columbia, for more lawn care pictures, visit us on Instagram!

Columbia Mom and Pop Business Now Official

2013-01-23T14:48:00.000-05:00

Busy Bee Lawn Care & Sprinkler Repair is now officially a "Mom and Pop" business - Joy Brooks recently joined The Company Founder, Ashley Brooks in the role of managing this local landscape maintenance business. Located just west of Columbia, S.C., Busy Bee has been professionally serving The Midlands with the finest in Lawn Mowing and Fertilization Service, Sprinkler system repair, light landscaping and groundskeeping since 2006.

Joy Brooks complements the Busy Bee team with decades of management and leadership experience, impeccable communication and customer service industry expertise! She holds Masters in Health Administration received from Adams and Washington University, and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Columbia College. She served as the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Division for 6 years and as the Patient Relations Manager for Palmetto Health Richland for over 10 years.

Both Ashley and Joy extend their gratitude and appreciation to the current customer base and network of other local business owners and individuals that have helped refer businesss and build the business to its current state. Give them a Buzz sometime or keep up with Ash and Joy and the goings on of Busy Bee on The Facebook Fan Page or Twitter.

Busy Bee Lawn Care & Sprinkler Repair Earns Esteemed 2012 Angie’s List Super Service Award

2012-12-13T15:05:00.003-05:00

Busy Bee Lawn Care & Sprinkler Repair Earns Esteemed 2012 Angie’s List Super Service Award

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

BusyBee Lawn Care & Sprinkler Repair has earned the service industry-coveted 2012 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor awarded annually to approximately 5 percent of all the companies rated on Angie’s List, the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service companies.

“We were thrilled to learn that Busy Bee was chosen, a very special thanks to our customers and staff for a great year…looking forward to working with you in 2013. Also I want to thank our hard working staff for their reliability and high level of craftsmanship, their accountability, and the pleasure that they bring in a working relationship” –Ash Brooks, Owner

“It’s a select group of companies rated on Angie’s List that can claim the exemplary customer service record of being a Super Service Award winner,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “Our standards for the Super Service Award are quite high. The fact that Busy Bee Lawn Care & Sprinkler Repair earned this recognition speaks volumes about its dedication providing great service to its customers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2012 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, including earning a minimum number of reports, an excellent rating from their customers and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Members can find the 2012 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

Angie’s List helps consumers have happy transactions with local service professionals in more than 550 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. More than 1.5 million paid households use Angie’s List to gain unlimited access to local ratings, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine, and the Angie’s List complaint resolution service.

How to set your sprinkler control panel

2012-11-07T12:02:00.000-05:00

Setting your sprinkler control panel should be something that you at least do every season. In the summer, you should set your watering schedule for more duration and frequency. In the winter, you should set your panel to the "off" position or greatly diminish the watering frequency. Generally speaking, you should set your control panel to turn on each irrigation zone for about 15-25 minutes. The exact settings, however, should be set uniquely for every yard.

The first setting is the amount of time you want each zone to water your lawn. Some areas of your yard may call for more water, some may call for less time on the timer. In the case of a slope where the water runs off more easily, you may want to increase the watering duration and/or frequency. Alternately, where you have a more shady area, you may want your sprinkler heads to irrigate less because there is less evaporation in shady lawn areas. Drip zones on the other hand may need to have more time allotted to that zone depending upon the gallons of water per minute (gpm) that each drip emitter is putting out.

Another important setting is the time at which the first zone in your system comes on. In most cases, you want that first watering of the day to begin just before the crack of dawn. This allows the water to soak into the turf a while before evaporation might occur. One thing to avoid is irrigating your yard too late in the evening. This can encourage root rot, fungus, and oxygen starvation in the root system. In hot summer days or if germinating new grass seed, you may want to consider having your system turn on more than once a day...perhaps one time around 5am, and another time around 2pm.

Thirdly, you want to set the days that the system is to water. Consider avoiding peak water usage times like weekends, consider when you would like your lawn to look its best and when you don't mind it looking a bit dry (like the days you have to work). Consider the general rule of thumb: water as infrequently as possible, but when you do water let it run for a long time as to get down to the deepest roots. Some cities regulate when you can water...this should also be a consideration of course (in Columbia, S.C. there are no water usage restrictions).

When considering how to set your sprinkler system control panel, consider that as a general rule, you want the dirt in the area that you are watering to be just slightly damp to the touch. Your goal is to keep the plants watered at the right amount, which depends greatly on the layout of the irrigation installation, light or shade, water pressure and volume, and types of sprinkler heads.

Sprinkler Heads Not Popping Up

2012-11-06T09:38:00.002-05:00

How do you fix a low pressure situation in a lawn irrigation sprinkler system where your sprinkler heads are not popping up?

First, you have to figure out what is causing the low pressure...check for leaks. You are looking for a major leak which may manifest itself by way of a vigorous spray that is obvious or by way of a large leak that can sometimes be less obvious. Large pvc leaks can be less obvious because they do not emit water at as high of a pressure so the water more gently flows out of the breach as opposed to spraying out of the break. If the location of the leak is not evident, one way to find it is to either cap off the heads or turn the heads off at the head (this is a feature of The Newer RainBird Sprinkler Heads). By capping off the heads, you then send all of the available pressure to the weakest point which is the water main leak you are looking for. This additional pressure will hopefully make the leak more evident.

One cause for low "output" which can sometimes be perceived as a low pressure situation is trash or sludge in the pvc pipes, the valves, or at the head. Before the gunk gets to the nozzle, though, there are small filters that can be cleaned out or replaced to achieve better spray flow:

Another cause for low pressure on a lawn irrigation system zone is having too many heads on a zone. Zones are only rated for a finite number of heads. You can only use as many sprinkler heads as your pressure and water volume will accommodate. These factors should be taken into account when designing the layout of the system. If there have already been heads erroneously installed (too many to a zone), one option would be to reduce the amount of water that is emitted by changing the spray nozzle to a lower gpm rate nozzle. For instance, you may be able to get away with replacing a 2.5gpm nozzle with a 1.5gpm nozzle. In regards to popup spray heads, there is an option for a water saving nozzle. Below is a video showing how water saving nozzles work - enjoy!

For more tips on lawn stuff keep checking back here on my blog, follow Busy Bee on Twitter, or lets be friends on Facebook...until next time, your yard boy ash signing off!

Should Leaves be Mulched or Bagged

2012-10-30T13:24:00.003-04:00

So if you're like me, you can't stand to look at the leaves and pine straw in the lawn for too long. Don't get me wrong, I do love the fall season, maybe most of all, but after that first few weeks that the deciduous trees local to Columbia, S.C. start to lose their leaves and litter our lawns, I am ready to do something about it. So a question I often get is: "should my yard service mulch the leaves with the mower or remove them from the lawn and bag the debris?".

In my opinion, the leaves should be removed from the lawn. Not just the leaves, but the pine cones, pine straw, sticks, nuts...all debris. In my experience, this debris does 3 things: it is unsightly and you're neighbors are indeed wondering when you will be cleaning it up, it invites fungus and other diseases, and it can squelch out the grass in the spots where the hard debris lies.

Now I'm not advocating filling our landfills with plastic trash bags that are going to remain there for a thousand years. If your town or city allows for it, I think you should leave the debris loose at the curb for city pickup. Otherwise, you can blow or rake the leaves into wooded areas of your property or blow them into your beds to help suppress weeds (unless you have "pretty", freshly mulched beds of course).

I think, though, if you are talking about purely "leaves", that when properly chopped up into fine particals with a true mulching blade fall back into the turf and break down then, sure...mulching could be of benefit. But what this translates to for many people is running a loud, dust creating riding mower with a standard blade over anything and everything in the lawn...which supposedly saves time and is good for the soil.

ALSO - lol - playing in leaf piles, although quaint and picturesque, can lead to bringing wolf spiders, mites, ticks, lice, and who knows what other creatures into your home *cringe* :)

This is your yard boy Ash, over and out...

Sprinkler System Rain Sensor

2012-06-11T08:39:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen someone's sprinkler system on during the rain or just after a rain and thought about how wasteful that is or how that might negatively affect the lawn that is being oversaturated? With all the rain in Columbia, S.C. that we've had lately, chances are you have. Sprinkler System Rain Sensors are a great solution for this problem and can be installed on just about any modern lawn irrigation control panel.

If you do not have a more modern irrigation control panel timer, installing one would be the first necessary step in having a completely automated landscape watering system. There will be a circuit inside the control panel where you can connect the new rain sensor wires.

The purpose of a rain sensor shutoff for an automatic irrigation system is to temporarily shut off the regular watering schedule of your system. This is achieved by way of small, round leather discs that are inside the sensor that expand when they are wet. This expansion trips the sensor and opens the circuit which shuts off the system.

Rain sensors can be adjusted to turn off the system from as little as 1/8th of an inch of rain to 1" of rain depending upon the product. They can also be adjusted to dry out quicker and allow the regular watering schedule to begin sooner by way of the vent sleeve.

Depending upon the situation, you can have wired or wireless sensors installed. One consideration when looking at wireless rain sensors is battery life. Consider that you will have to replace the batteries now and then which could be counterintuitive to the convenience factor of this upgrade.

In conclusion, if you are searching for an environmentally friendly way to save money, water, and the health of your turf you may want to look into having one of these sensors installed. The cost depends upon the situation but can often be done in the $150-200 range by a qualified, local irrigation repair service.

Post Emergent kills weeds not grass

2012-06-07T09:38:00.000-04:00

Do you have weeds in your grass and you're looking for a good solution to kill weeds in Lexington, Irmo or Columbia South Carolina? Although the subject of weed control is very broad, I will attempt to address the question of what product to use at this time of year (summer) and what outcome to expect. Weed controlling post emergent spray should be a part of your annual lawn weed control treatment plan.

Post emergent spray, not to be confused with PRE emergent (which we put down in granular form in the fall and in February) is a topical spray that when sprayed on many lawn weeds will yellow out and kill the weed to the root. Some types of weeds like clover require 2 applications of post emergent. As the name of the product implies, it is formulated to kill the weeds AFTER they have germinated as opposed to before they have germinated (pre emergent).

Here is a centipede lawn that has been treated with post emergent, spray on application, 10 days after the chemical was applied. Note ththat the weeds are yellowing out while the grass remains unaffected.

Post emergent is only one component of a comprehensive annual weed control program. It should not be considered to be the "silver bullet", but, in my opinion, is one of the more effective spot treatments with nearly immediate results. The timing of the application is critical - many post emergents should be applied well after the grass has come out of dormancy or it will affect the new, tender grass growth.

To apply this product, you basically just hook the hose-ready fitting on the bottle to your garden hose and apply as directed on the bottle. Spray it on evenly and let it dry. Be careful when using where there might be dogs or cats present as it can make them sick. Don't get it in your pool. Just use common sense, use enough to do the job, and that's it!

Sprinkler System Control Panel Not Working

2012-06-01T07:01:00.003-04:00

If you live in the Columbia S.C. or Lexington Area, you may wake up to find that your Sprinkler System Control Panel is Not Working this morning. This is likely due to the lightning thunderstorms we had last night in our area. Lightening can affect not only your irrigation controller, but also your wiring and your zone solenoids.

Some symptoms that your lawn irrigation timer is bad are as follows:

Every zone you put the dial on turns the same zone on
There is a red indicator light on at the top of the controller
There doesn't appear to be any power to the panel
The control panel is obviously damaged by lightening (blown off the wall, charred, yes this happens!)
Some irrigation zone valves do not turn on

Landscape wiring related to your sprinkler system can also be affected by lightening or power surges. These phenomenon affect the wiring sometimes by shorting the wires at the connection points. To repair low voltage sprinkler wiring, you must first locate the fault with a wire tracer. Another sure fire way to repair faulty sprinkler system wiring is to run new wire, digging it under the surface of the sod by using a trencher.

Irrigation systems have separate zones for the various parts of your lawn and flower beds. These zones are controlled by valve solenoids that tell the valve to open and close. If the solenoid has been affected by lightening, that zone will not open OR it will stay on.

All diagnistics on lightening related irrigation problems should be addressed by a qualified technician working for a licensed sprinkler repair company. Many years of experience can mean the difference between shoddy workmanship and an inordinately long repair process and a quick, efficient, quality repair job.

Lawn Sprinkler Valve Won't Turn Off

2012-03-13T06:25:00.000-04:00

So you've started up your irrigation sytem and your Lawn Sprinkler Valve Won't Turn Off. Now what do you do! Why is it doing that? Here is some insight into what is going on and what you or an irrigation contractor might be able to do about it, at least for the time being until you can get the system repaired.

Before you move on to calling a sprinkler repair service, see if you can turn off the backflow control valve. What you're looking for is a green rectangular box that is about 14" x 18". Inside this box you will usually find your backflow control valve. The backflow control valve prevents back siphonage of hazardous waste into your drinking water (if you don't have one, you should consider having one installed). If you can locate this valve, simply turn the valve to the off position.

Another valve that might be in the vicinity of the water main meter would be an emergency shutoff valve, which is a ball valve style shutoff point to isolate the entire sprinkler system water supply. It is often installed in a circular valve box with a green lid, about 5.5" in diameter. If you have a ball valve, it is likely to be located close to the water meter where the lawn irrigation system taps into the pvc or galvanized piping that is your water main. If you have an emergency shutoff ball valve, simply turn it to the off position. If you do not have a provision such as a ball valve to shut off your irrigation in an emergency or for winterization purposes, you may want to consider having one installed.

A third valve, which is actually the zone valve that is malfunctioning and staying stuck in the "on" position, is your zone valve. These are often located in a round green box or in one rectangular green box in what is called a valve manifold setup. If you can figure out where this valve is located, you can manually work the valve on and off to see if it seats and allows the system to shut down. What is causing your problem is the fact that the valve is either old and faulty or it has debris in it which is not allowing it to seat and seal properly.

After trying all of the above, as a last resort, you can opt to turn off your water main. I say last resort because you want some water pressure to your sprinkler system to see if you can get by without totally shutting down your water supply...don't you? So to turn off the water main, locate your meter then turn the key to the off position.

Tuning up your irrigation for your yard in the spring can help to prevent system failure, particularly to prevent or preemptively diagnose issues where a zone valve that won't turn off. Precautions should be taken in case of such failure, such as the installation of emergency plumbing water main shutoff ballvalve or a back flow preventer (which can be shut off). Lastly, excercise caution when working around pressurized pvc pipes, faulty valves and wires as they may be hazardous.

Lawn Fertilization Service Needs Differ

2012-01-23T11:23:00.000-05:00

Often times where a customer is seeking a ”better" lawn fertilization service company there are similar complaints that I hear and the grass is often literally greener on the other side. I think the #1 complaint is “they are feeding my weeds”. Another one is the more general statement that “there have been no improvements in my grass”. The question then is why can’t the more commonly known treatment services in Columbia, S.C. address these issues with every customer? This question boils down to suitability where one service might be fine for one customer but not for another. In addition, I believe the answer is that the more commercial treatment services in many cases:

· Are not the correct fit for every customer’s lawn or every customer’s personality or style of communication. Some accounts call for a more personalized, unique approach.

· Have become “Price” driven in the minds of the customer and not quality driven. The current market cost of service is roughly half of what it should cost for an effective long term program.

· They have a better marketing program than the actual physical service. If they were to effectively go over the laundry list of items below it would result in less sales.

· Are employing low paid, unskilled workers who do not take stock in the outcome.

· Have caused the customer base in general to lower their expectations as to the definition of high quality service and outcome.

· Taken true personalization of service to you and your lawn out of the equation. Timely, constructive, thoughtful consultations are needed (and that costs more money, which is a tough sale).

· Fallen short in advising of the necessary, comprehensive regimen that is needed for any plant to grow. It takes more than just a sprinkle of chemicals.

An effective lawn fertilization schedule and weed control treatment program should include the treatments that these companies provide, but equally as important, should advise of the need for proper lawn mowing service, a regular fall cleanup schedule, serious consideration to the type of grass that you are trying to maintain, core aeration, and a routine lawn sprinkler system watering regimen.

Fit, suitability and communication are other important fine points – Some yards are so personalized and unique that some treatments will work in some places, but not in others. Take the slopey yard that is shady in some areas but sunny in others where the dog is allowed in the back yard but not the front for instance…here is an example of how anything short of the resident taking care of the yard on a highly personalized level would almost always be ineffective. It is nearly impossible to delegate this out to any service other than a grounds keeper. Suitability where one company’s cookie cutter approach works on the standard lawn but not on the more garden-like grounds is a consideration…does the service suit your unique needs? Sometimes, retaining a service that will communicate with you on the level that you and your yard require should cost you more. Sometimes, the company should refer you to another company that would fit your specific need better instead of accepting your business, knowing logically it will probably end up in failure…but hey, they’re not worried about it because you just signed a contract with them and you’re on the hook to pay them for the duration.

Maintaining a lawn properly requires attention to the plant as a living breathing organism. Treatments do matter, but of equal importance are the intricacies of how the lawn is being mowed, how often, with what type of equipment and at what height. Does your landscape maintenance service mulch mow or do they bag? Often times, bagging the clippings is literally the same as taking a little of your lawn’s health away every time they mow. It robs the ground of micronutrients and will eventually lead to the declination of the turf. Bagging is necessary sometimes, especially when you are planning an event where it needs to “look” its best, but definitely not on every mowing. Of equal importance is the height of mow, which should not be any more than 1/3 of the height of the grass. This is a price driven item...most people here in South Carolina opt for bi-weekly service which often times causes that 1/3^rd cut rule to be broken. To achieve the goal of optimal turf grass, you must consider whether to have your service done weekly or bi-weekly. Refraining from cutting at all is also a consideration. Here in South Carolina, we tend to have droughts for 5-7 week periods of time. It is during those dry/hot times that your service should refrain from cutting in some cases. This is another money driven item – if your service is being paid a flat monthly fee, then they are going to try to mow no matter what on a set schedule to “make their showing” and earn their keep. This is often the case where the person doing the work is the owner of the company who’s income is directly affected. Alternately, some companies employ hourly paid workers who are trained to “pass” on the mowing. The company then does not charge for that particular day’s service. The company owner’s income is affected by this non-mowing, but the worker’s pay is not as affected. In the end, the goal is to look out for the grass as a living organism, not a commodity.

At about the time that everyone is putting their lawn mower away around October 15^th, it is actually time to switch gears and think about the fall cleanup schedule. This applies to your yard if you have deciduous trees or pine trees, gumball trees, or any other tree that will lose its leaves or sticks in the fall. All this debris coming down on the ground can wreak havoc on the root systems of the turf. Instead of waiting until all the debris has fallen, it is best to have this fall cleanup on a regimen just like the mowing schedule.

Some plants grow well in some places, but not so well in others. The biggest problem I see is where people expect the chemicals to remedy situations where there is very little sunlight or too much shade. This would call for a different type of grass altogether, not a different treatment service. This is a tough pill to swallow for most people because its one of those situations where the building contractor threw down a general type of grass, often centipede or Bermuda, in an area that called for Zoysia. Or in the case where initially, the type of grass they used was great because the trees were new and small, but over time the trees grew large and shaded out the ground below. The hard and fast truth of the matter is that you would then need to either cut down the trees or rip up the sod and start with a new type of lawn. No treatment in the world will do this.

Core aeration is another costly item that is needed to complete the circle. This applies mostly to areas that have high traffic or the underlying topsoil area is thin. It also applies if you use heavy riding mowers as opposed to push mowers which are light and don’t affect the compaction of the soil. If your yard needs core aeration badly enough, you would be completely wasting your money if you were to treat it and expect a positive outcome. Aeration is another extremely labor intensive item that has fallen victim to recessionary lowballing trends. For the labor and equipment involved, an effective aeration service should be in the hundreds of dollars for the average yard.

Do you have a sprinkler system? If not, there’s a fly in the ointment. Modern grasses require controlled irrigation on a set schedule unless it is raining for us. If you want a positive outcome from your lawn fertilization service, it is absolutely necessary that you water your lawn regularly. Not only regularly but effectively – is that water reaching the necessary root system depth? If not, you need to saturate it more. If you have sandy soil, you may need to water more often. All of these things should be addressed on a professional level. The end result of your watering in most cases should be that the dirt, to the touch, is ever so slightly moist and seldom let to dry out completely. Its an art though! At times, especially when fungus is a threat, you should let it dry out a bit more than usual.

So, in defense of the more widely known treatment services out there, don’t hold it all against them if your yard doesn’t look any better. Do consider, though, that they should be advising you on all levels (and charging you) and that you get what you pay for. Comprehensive lawn care overall (unless you have some really intricate chemical balance issues) is done by companies that not only treat the yard but also do the physical maintenance on the yard.

Managing Crape Murder

2012-01-20T09:59:00.000-05:00

A while back, I did an article on how to prune crape myrtles. Since here in Columbia and Lexington South Carolina it is best to take care of these tree like bushes in February, before they begin to bud for the spring, I thought I'd post an update and some fresh thoughts on how to manage crapes...particularly, crapes that have been previously hacked on improperly.

One finer point that goes deeper on the subject than the usual "prune to train, prune off the spent pods only, don't hack on the large limbs" is what to do if the tree has simply gotten too big for the area or for your taste. These things grow very fast and before you know it you do have a big tree to deal with. Even if your crape myrtles have been perfectly manicured every February and it is now just too big, then what? No level of perfect cut is going to remedy the fact that you are now forced to either remove the tree altogether (gasp!) or go against all principles and commit crape murder (egad!). This situation is similar to camellias, where the bush has gotten so large that it is starting to look like a popsicle. So how to make the best of the situation.

I propose that you consider taking the whole tree down to the quick. Leaving a stump about 2" high...high enough to clear mulch but low enough to where it is not obvious. After you chainsaw it down, you then keep it watered and hope for the best. If you have any shooters with leaves you might want to leave those on until you get more shooters out of the stump. Then when those remaining shooters are no longer needed for their sunlight intake, you cull them to the quick. What were hoping for here is that the robust root system of your precious family heirloom firecracker red crape myrtle will quickly send up new shoots out of what is now a stump. The likeliness of this happening is quite high as, again, crapes are like weeds.

After a season or two, you then pick the shoots (4+ feet tall by now) that you like the most. You cultivate them to go in the direction you want and prune off the rest. It depends upon the situation but I recommend cultivating no more than 5 shoots which will one day be large (keep that in mind). So there's a potential solution to crape myrtles that have gotten too large and messy...

Another fine point of crape myrtle management is what to do with the large unsightly knots that have formed on the ends of the limbs as a result of previous crape murder. Speaking as one who's eyes practically burn when I see something like this, I propose that instead of paying somebody an hourly rate to tediously cut off every shoot from last year's growth, that, since you've already entered into the improper management cycle of crape murder, you cut this time just under the large knot area into fresh stump. This leaves a cleaner look; as clean as it can get. And sure, year after year of this will lower that precious, smooth trunk, but it does look better than leaving the knots and eventually it'll be down to the ground as previously proposed as an initial cut.

As always, if I can be of assistance, let me know!
-ash, Busy Bee Lawn Care & Sprinkler Repair

How to install a lawn sprinkler irrigation system

2012-01-14T17:15:00.000-05:00

If you have a large enough yard to where it impractical to water the lawn with a traditional hose and portable sprinkler you may want to consider installing an automatic underground sprinkler system. Sprinkler System Installation in Columbia S.C. includes many steps to take which are outlined below. Generally, these steps include:

Calling PUPS before you dig - especially when you are planning on running pvc pipes near utility junctions, you must call this free service (PUPS) to have them mark the area for gas lines, power lines, etc. Once you have called them, they will mark the site within 3 days or so of your order. Once marked, you will have a more clear idea of where and where not to install your pipes, valves, etc. One tip for locating your water meter is to look on the street curb for a blue marking. Sometimes there is a blue mark that lines up with where the main from the street runs.

Evaluating the areas in your yard that you want to be watered - Some yards have heavy slopes, which need to be taken into account in regards to the layout of the zone. If, for instance, you install a 4 head zone in a straight line going downhill, you will have problems with leak down issues. A better setup on this slope would be a side to side setup where all heads are pretty much at the same level. Another consideration specific to each yard is drip irrigation for the flower beds where careful planning is taken to isolate the beds as a unique zone rather than tapping into what was intended to be a lawn spraying zone. In short, every yard is different and the design of each yard should be unique, not cookie cutter.

Marking the ground where you want the heads installed - careful consideration should be given as to where to place a sprinkler head and exactly what kind of head to install in that spot. You should mark each spot with a flag. Once each zone head location has been planned, you should choose the type of head and decide what you want that head to do. Basically, you need to choose either a rotary head or a popup head. With each head, you then need to choose what type of nozzle to use. Nozzles vary in spray pattern, in gallons per minute output, in adjustability, and in spray angle.

Purchasing the appropriate parts and accurate amounts of piping - This comes with experience in regards to commercial sprinkler repair and installation. The advantage that the contractor has in this regard is #1 it saves time (which is money) if they can go by feel and #2 the contractor gets a discount on the parts. In the case of the do it yourselfer, there is a very good solution though...draw up a general plan of your yard to scale, get a GPM reading of the water main output, then mail that information to your favorite sprinkler parts provider (like Rain Bird). Manufacturers will often professionally draw up a parts list and a blueprint for you to use. You would then take that parts list to your favorite hardware store and begin purchasing. Again, keep in mind that you are paying retail for those irrigation parts where the contractor is buying at a discount (that can be passed on to you at least in part).

Choosing a water main tap-in spot - this is often a deciding factor for do it yourselfers as to whether they will proceed with the installation on their own. Basically, you need to install a "tee" in your water main line that leads to #1 a shutoff ball valve and #2 a backflow control valve (then on to supply the sprinkler system zone valves). Where you decide to tap in is up to you, but optimally it should be at the largest diameter pvc spot and close to the water meter. If you are faced with tapping into a galvanized water main pipe as opposed to the more simple pvc (modern) pipe, then you may want to consider either having a plumber come in and tap in OR tap in in an alternate spot. This is another task that you may want to have a professional do for you.

The items mentioned here are only a few of the many steps you eed to take when considering how to install a lawn sprinkler irrigation system. If you are the do it yourseler type and you are trying to save some money, you may want to call on a paid consultant to at least help you get started and make the initial recommendations such as layout, water main tap-in, water pressure issues, parts needed, where to get the right parts, etc. Either way, you should be careful for your safety, you should consider the environment, and you should practice only the best standard methods in plumbing.