The Outback Blog

Worried about how much water you use to keep your landscaping healthy and beautiful?

Here at Outback, we love getting our hands in the dirt, building patios brick by brick and feeling the sun on our faces.

It’s why most of us got into this business in the first place.

But we love technology, too.

Landscape industry tech has exploded lately, and we use it every day. 

Watering your lawn has never been easier — because irrigation system controllers have never been smarter.

No more fixed timers that keep on watering if it starts to rain. These smart systems use data from sensors, weather forecasts and plant-care databases to deliver just the right amount of water to your property at just the right time.

Save water, save money and control it all with a tap on your smartphone.

What’s the best WiFi irrigation controller for your property?

Once a chill is in the air and pumpkins perch on your porch, it’s easy to forget about your property’s summertime needs, including your irrigation system.

But your sprinklers need some critical attention before freezing temperatures set in.

We know — it’s tempting to set that aside and deal with it in the spring. That’ll save you a few bucks, right?

Actually, ignoring winterization could cost you a bundle.

How much does it cost to winterize an irrigation system? And how much could it cost you if you ignore it?

We’re glad you asked.

You know better than anyone that dead, neglected plants have zero curb appeal. If you have green, growing things on your commercial property, they need water to help them thrive.

One of the best ways to protect your investment in your property’s landscaping is to install an irrigation system.

Too much money, you say?

Commercial irrigation services can actually save you money in the long run, in a host of ways. Their water-saving features might surprise you.

Let's take a look.

We all know that feeling of turning something on, only to find out it isn’t working. It’s especially frustrating if you have no idea what’s wrong with it.

So if you turn on your sprinkler system and something isn’t right, you can try to troubleshoot the issue before it gets worse.

A broken or damaged sprinkler system can hike up your water bill and even damage your landscape and home if left unattended. So before summer gets into full swing, take the time to troubleshoot any potential issues.

Here are five things you should look for to figure out if your sprinkler system is faulty and needs repairs.

Any pro will tell you an irrigation system will make your landscape more efficient and sustainable: That’s probably one of the reasons you had a sprinkler system installed in the first place.

But, what if you want to see if there’s a way to up your water efficiency? Then, it’s time to check out drip irrigation systems for certain areas and compare it to your current sprinkler.

We depend on our smartphones for everything from emails and texts to surfing the web. They have really come a long way in the past decade.

While your phone can do a lot, it’s not going to last forever. Every few years, you’re probably going to need to upgrade to a new one if you value efficiency and features.

And sprinkler systems aren’t any different.

They may not be able to play funny cat videos or make calls, but your sprinkler system can make your lawn healthier — and your wallet fatter — if it’s kept maintained and updated.

Sprinkler system upgrades will make sure your lawn only gets water when it’s needed, monitors how much water you’re using and reduces waste.

There are several cost-efficient ways to update your sprinkler system. Plus, the good news about paying for system updates is that you’re going to get your money back (and some) over time with the resulting water savings.

So, how much does it cost to update a sprinkler system? Here’s a look at some popular sprinkler system updates and how much each costs.

It’s hard to believe, but winter is just around the corner.

And with the colder weather comes ice and freezing conditions that can wreak havoc on your landscape and sprinkler system if the right steps aren’t taken first.

Leaving water in your sprinkler system during the colder months can cause pipes to burst and other damage. So, it’s important you winterize the system before the first freeze.

Technology advances so quickly. Think about it.

Do you use the same cell phone you used five years ago? What about that old dinosaur of a computer you once used that seemed to take up the space of the entire desk?

I bet you’re using a smartphone with all of the bells and whistles today and a laptop or tablet that’s not even a fraction of the size of your last desktop computer. Maybe you even have a Bluetooth device in your ear for hands-free calls and a wireless mouse to boot. 

The same can be said for landscape irrigation technology.