As temperatures drop in Fort Myers and SW Florida, your irrigation system needs attention. Watering less often, inspecting your setup, and preparing components now helps prevent damage and keeps your landscape healthy.
Adjust Your Watering Schedule for Fall
Cooler air and shorter days mean your lawn and plants need less water. Adjusting your irrigation schedule now can prevent overwatering and help roots stay strong.
Why make changes in fall:
- Less evaporation means plants retain more moisture.
- Overwatering in fall can lead to soggy patches, mold, and disease.
- Root growth continues in our warm climate; moisture is still needed, just not as often.
How to update your settings:
- Reduce watering frequency: If you watered every other day during summer, scale back to every 3–4 days.
- Shorten run times: Each zone can operate for fewer minutes per session.
- Use smart controls: If your system has a seasonal adjust feature or weather sensor, enable it.
- Don’t stop watering entirely: Keep some irrigation going until winter.
- Watch the weather: If rain is in the forecast, skip that day’s cycle.
Perform System Maintenance Before Winter
Once your schedule is set, inspect your system. Routine maintenance prevents problems from building up. Here is what to check:
- Walk each zone with the system on to spot leaks, broken heads, or dry areas.
- Clean nozzles and filters of sand, insects, or mineral buildup.
- Replace damaged parts: cracked heads, broken risers, or worn seals.
- Tighten loose fittings and test each valve.
- Verify controller settings: make sure date, time, and zones are accurate.
- Check battery backups in your controller.
Winterize the System (Even in Florida)
While deep freezes are rare in SW Florida, a mild winter can still cause issues. Winterization protects your pipes, valves, and system electronics from moisture, corrosion, or pests.
Winter prep steps for Florida landscapes:
- Turn off the irrigation mainline before seasonal shutdowns.
- Drain residual water using manual drain valves or brief cycles.
- Blow out lines if needed (less common here but helpful in shaded or older systems).
- Insulate exposed valves or pipes with foam wraps or covers.
- Switch controller to rain mode or off until spring.
Why Work with Landscape Pros Management
At Landscape Pros Management, we provide full-service irrigation care for residential and commercial properties across Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and nearby areas. Here’s how we help you this fall:
- Full irrigation system installation with smart controller integration and custom zone design
- Irrigation repair service available year‑round to fix leaks, broken heads, and controller issues
- Routine maintenance and seasonal tune‑ups to ensure your system performs optimally
- Landscape and irrigation consulting tailored to site conditions and Florida’s climate
Book Your Fall Irrigation Service Today
Fall is the best time to adjust your irrigation and prevent costly issues. Here’s what you can do now:
- Reprogram your irrigation controller
- Walk your property to check for visible damage
- Schedule a professional winter prep service
Contact us to book your fall irrigation service. We serve Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, and surrounding SW Florida areas.