There's a moment every spring when the lawn starts greening up, the temperatures climb, and you think: okay, it's time to get the sprinklers going. And then you just crank everything on and hope for the best.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. But that "flip-the-switch" approach is how homeowners end up with a broken head spraying the driveway, a zone that never fires, or a soggy mess where water has been pooling unnoticed for a week. A few minutes of inspection at the start of the season can save you from headaches (and a sky-high water bill) all summer long.
Here's a simple, zone-by-zone checklist to get your irrigation system back up and running the right way this spring.
Your irrigation controller (the little box usually mounted in the garage or on an exterior wall) is the brain of the whole operation. After a winter of sitting idle, it deserves a check before you send water anywhere.
Make sure the programming is still accurate, seasons change, and so do your lawn's watering needs. Check that the date and time are correct, especially if there was a power outage over the winter. Most systems should be set to water in the early morning hours, ideally between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., to reduce evaporation and the risk of lawn disease.
If you have a smart controller that adjusts based on weather data, verify that it's still connected to Wi-Fi and pulling current conditions. These systems are fantastic for conserving water in the Southeast's unpredictable spring weather, but they only work if they're online.
This one's important: don't turn the main irrigation valve on all at once. A sudden surge of water pressure into a system that's been sitting dry all winter can blow out fittings, crack pipes, or damage valves.
Instead, locate your irrigation shutoff valve (often near your main water supply or in a valve box in the yard) and open it slowly, about a quarter turn at a time. Give the system a minute or two to pressurize gradually before opening it fully. This protects the pipes and saves you from discovering a geyser in your front bed.
This is the most important step, and the one most homeowners skip. Pull up each zone on the controller one at a time, let it run for a minute or two, and walk the zone while it's running.
Here's what you're looking for:
Broken or tilted sprinkler heads — A head that's been cracked by a lawn mower, a car, or freeze damage won't distribute water evenly. Look for heads that shoot straight up or spray sideways instead of forming a clean arc.
Clogged nozzles — If a head is barely trickling when it should be spraying, the nozzle may be clogged with debris. Many nozzles can be unscrewed and rinsed clean.
Sunken or raised heads — After winter, soil shifts. A head that's sunk below grade won't pop up properly; one that's sitting too high can get clipped by the mower.
Heads spraying pavement instead of lawn — Winter movement can knock heads out of alignment. A quick twist is usually all it takes to redirect them.
Soggy spots between heads — This can signal an underground leak. If part of your yard stays wet even after the zone finishes, have a pro take a look.
In Nashville, Charlotte, and Atlanta, where clay soils are common, settling is especially frequent. Don't be surprised if a few heads need adjustment each spring.
Good irrigation coverage means every square foot of lawn gets an even amount of water, no dry spots, no puddles. Walk your zones and look for gaps where the spray from one head doesn't overlap the spray from the next. This is called "head-to-head coverage," and it's the gold standard for efficient irrigation.
If you're noticing a strip of lawn that always seems to look dry by mid-summer no matter how much you water, coverage gaps from the spring startup are often the culprit. Adjusting spray radius or adding a head can make a big difference.
Spring in the Southeast is a completely different animal than July. Bermuda and Zoysia lawns are just waking up from dormancy in late April, and Tall Fescue is in its prime growing window, but neither needs the same heavy watering schedule you'll use in the heat of summer.
A good starting point for spring: aim for about one inch of water per week total, counting rainfall. Most well-designed residential systems can deliver that with two or three watering cycles per week. Let the lawn tell you if it needs more, if you start seeing a bluish-gray tinge to the grass or footprints that don't spring back, it's time to increase frequency.
In the DFW area, where temperatures can spike quickly in April and May, you may find yourself bumping up your schedule earlier than expected. Keep an eye on the forecast and adjust accordingly.
Read More: Watering Instructions (How Much To Water Your Lawn)
If maintaining a lush, healthy lawn sounds like something you'd rather hand off, we've got you covered. Top Turf's lawn care services include fertilization and weed control, aeration, overseeding, and fungus control, so your yard stays green and thriving all year long.
Whether you've got a small residential lawn or a larger property, our team serves homeowners across Nashville, Charlotte, Greenville-Spartanburg, Atlanta, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Reach out to us and let us handle the hard work — your lawn will be the envy of the neighborhood.