I'm currently about to have a sprinkler system installed and need some
recommendations. First, what height should I use for the pop-ups? My
installer said he generally uses 4" pop-ups, but I'm concerned because
others have told me to go with 9" because the 6" are too short and end up
getting blocked by tall grass. However, my installer said he likes 4"
because they don't lose as much water to the air/wind being closer to the
ground.

Also, what brand is good, both for the sprinklers and the timer? I'm
looking at rainbird or toro, but basically he would be willing to install
any brand of timer/sprinkler I'm sure if I tell him to, or if I purchase the
supplies he needs.

Thanks,
Dustin

I keep my grass fairly tall, but mow frequently, and have no problems
with the 4 inch popups. I think people who have trouble with tall grass
probably are not mowing frequently enough.

I have rainbird and am happy with them, but I imagine other brands are
also good. My concern is with the grade. The manufacturers all make a
very low grade product for selling at the big box stores, and a much
better grade that is sold through irrigation supply houses. I would
only use an installer that gets his components from an irrigation supply
house, and he can probably get them at a discount. I had one rotary
popup head act up, and I knew I had seen rainbird at Home Depot, but
when I went there to get a replacement, their inventory was
inconsistent, and the head they had was plainly less sturdy than the one
I was replacing; I asked about the inventory, and they said they were
discontinuing rainbird to go with another brand. I ended up going to
the rainbird website and found an irrigation supply house where they had
knowledgeable people, the superior components, and prices that were not
much more than for the stuff at Home Depot.

I would suggest you have the installer put in one or two extra control
valves. That makes it much easier if you decide to add more zones, such
as a drip irrigation system for a flower bed. Also, be very certain of
your landscaping plan; I had to dig up and relocate a couple of heads
when I extended a flower bed a few years after putting in the
sprinklers. Finally, have him give you a map of where he runs the lines
so, years later, you will know where not to dig. I have to get out my
map every late spring when I turn on the sprinkler system, as some of
the grass spreads over the heads and keeps them from popping up, and
they are not easy to find.

Dustin D. wrote:

I'm currently about to have a sprinkler system installed and need some
recommendations. First, what height should I use for the pop-ups? My
installer said he generally uses 4" pop-ups, but I'm concerned because
others have told me to go with 9" because the 6" are too short and end up
getting blocked by tall grass. However, my installer said he likes 4"
because they don't lose as much water to the air/wind being closer to the
ground.

Also, what brand is good, both for the sprinklers and the timer? I'm
looking at rainbird or toro, but basically he would be willing to install
any brand of timer/sprinkler I'm sure if I tell him to, or if I purchase the
supplies he needs.

Thanks,
Dustin