I am new to the group, and I hope that after looking at nearly 3,000
messages that I am asking something that I did not see or recognize in any
previous posts.

I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall, my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized?


Thanks in advance from a 'non-green-thumbed person.


Frank Rosenbaum
in South Western Michigan

"I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall,
my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized? "

First thing I would suggest is that you talk to the company that
installed your sod. They should have told you how/when to water it and
you should follow their directions, so that if there is any problem,
they can't say you didn't follow their instructions.

Clearly at 3 weeks, new sod still needs water, though with declining
temps, the amount needed is decreasing. Whether that comes from
nature or you depends on how much rain you get in the weeks ahead.
You can never tell when it will not rain for an extended period. I
would find out what the latest date your sprinkler company can do your
system, which should still be about a month or so from now. If they
can't accomodate, there are other guys that can blow it out for $50.

If you're worried about it suddenly dropping below freezing, I wouldn't
get too concerned. It would have to go well below 32 for many hours
before the typical system will freeze. And if the temps did drop
before u get it winterized, you could still prevent freezing by just
setting the system to go on for 5 mins per zone every few hours.

Thanks for the quick response. I have called my sprinkler co and they will
be out to shut the system down at the end of October. They try to have all
systems shut down by the first week in Novmber.


wrote in message
ups.com...
"I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall,
my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized? "

First thing I would suggest is that you talk to the company that
installed your sod. They should have told you how/when to water it and
you should follow their directions, so that if there is any problem,
they can't say you didn't follow their instructions.

Clearly at 3 weeks, new sod still needs water, though with declining
temps, the amount needed is decreasing. Whether that comes from
nature or you depends on how much rain you get in the weeks ahead.
You can never tell when it will not rain for an extended period. I
would find out what the latest date your sprinkler company can do your
system, which should still be about a month or so from now. If they
can't accomodate, there are other guys that can blow it out for $50.

If you're worried about it suddenly dropping below freezing, I wouldn't
get too concerned. It would have to go well below 32 for many hours
before the typical system will freeze. And if the temps did drop
before u get it winterized, you could still prevent freezing by just
setting the system to go on for 5 mins per zone every few hours.

Frank Rosenbaum wrote:
I am new to the group, and I hope that after looking at nearly 3,000
messages that I am asking something that I did not see or recognize in any
previous posts.

I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall, my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized?


Thanks in advance from a 'non-green-thumbed person.


Frank Rosenbaum
in South Western Michigan

Frank,

I live in Muskegon and won't be blowing out my system until the end of
Oct. I try and wait until it gets frosty in the AM and then blow it out
myself.

I would try to keep watering for another 3 weeks if you can. You won't
have any freeze problems, but you do want to get the sod rooted before
you cut off the water.

I did the sod thing late in the year and it had a tough first winter,
but looks great after taking good care of it since (2nd summer).

Kirb

Thanks, Kerb. That is what I am doing. The sprinkler company will be here on
Oct 27 in the afternoon.


Frank

wrote in message
ups.com...

Frank Rosenbaum wrote:
I am new to the group, and I hope that after looking at nearly 3,000
messages that I am asking something that I did not see or recognize in
any
previous posts.

I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall, my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized?


Thanks in advance from a 'non-green-thumbed person.


Frank Rosenbaum
in South Western Michigan

Frank,

I live in Muskegon and won't be blowing out my system until the end of
Oct. I try and wait until it gets frosty in the AM and then blow it out
myself.

I would try to keep watering for another 3 weeks if you can. You won't
have any freeze problems, but you do want to get the sod rooted before
you cut off the water.

I did the sod thing late in the year and it had a tough first winter,
but looks great after taking good care of it since (2nd summer).

Kirb

On Tue, 11 Oct 2005 12:57:03 -0400, "Frank Rosenbaum"
wrote:

Thanks for the quick response. I have called my sprinkler co and they will
be out to shut the system down at the end of October. They try to have all
systems shut down by the first week in Novmber.

It seems to me you should have called the sod company first and
worried about the sod.

And what do you care what the sprinkler company's schedule is?

Especially when trader4 gave such great discussion of how to avoid
damage to the sprinklers, etc.. I'm sure his ideas would prevent
damage, but just to be devil's advocate, if there were damage, I'll
bet it would cost a lot less than another set of sod.

And the end of October might end up being the 25th of October.

P&M


wrote in message
oups.com...
"I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall,
my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized? "

First thing I would suggest is that you talk to the company that
installed your sod. They should have told you how/when to water it and
you should follow their directions, so that if there is any problem,
they can't say you didn't follow their instructions.

Clearly at 3 weeks, new sod still needs water, though with declining
temps, the amount needed is decreasing. Whether that comes from
nature or you depends on how much rain you get in the weeks ahead.
You can never tell when it will not rain for an extended period. I
would find out what the latest date your sprinkler company can do your
system, which should still be about a month or so from now. If they
can't accomodate, there are other guys that can blow it out for $50.

If you're worried about it suddenly dropping below freezing, I wouldn't
get too concerned. It would have to go well below 32 for many hours
before the typical system will freeze. And if the temps did drop
before u get it winterized, you could still prevent freezing by just
setting the system to go on for 5 mins per zone every few hours.




Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:03:10 -0400, "Frank Rosenbaum"
wrote:

Thanks, Kerb. That is what I am doing.

No you're not. The 27th is only 16 days beyond the day you posted,
and Kerb said 3 weeks.

The sprinkler company will be here on
Oct 27 in the afternoon.

I figured that "the end" wouldn't be *the end*.

Frank

wrote in message
oups.com...

Frank Rosenbaum wrote:
I am new to the group, and I hope that after looking at nearly 3,000
messages that I am asking something that I did not see or recognize in
any
previous posts.

I have a new sod lawn that is about 3 weeks old. Now that it is fall, my
sprinkler company wants to winterize the system.

My questions are; does my lawn still need to be watered?

If yes, when should the system be winterized?


Thanks in advance from a 'non-green-thumbed person.


Frank Rosenbaum
in South Western Michigan

Frank,

I live in Muskegon and won't be blowing out my system until the end of
Oct. I try and wait until it gets frosty in the AM and then blow it out
myself.

I would try to keep watering for another 3 weeks if you can. You won't
have any freeze problems, but you do want to get the sod rooted before
you cut off the water.

I did the sod thing late in the year and it had a tough first winter,
but looks great after taking good care of it since (2nd summer).

Kirb




Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

mm wrote:
On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:03:10 -0400, "Frank Rosenbaum"
wrote:

Thanks, Kerb. That is what I am doing.

No you're not. The 27th is only 16 days beyond the day you posted,
and Kerb said 3 weeks.

It's Kirb, actually.

I wouldn't cut off the water unless I had the sod down for a good 6
weeks.

Kirb

I apologize for mis spelling your name, Kirb.

wrote in message
oups.com...

mm wrote:
On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:03:10 -0400, "Frank Rosenbaum"
wrote:

Thanks, Kerb. That is what I am doing.

No you're not. The 27th is only 16 days beyond the day you posted,
and Kerb said 3 weeks.

It's Kirb, actually.

I wouldn't cut off the water unless I had the sod down for a good 6
weeks.

Kirb