Repairing Lawns Around Sprinkler Heads

In-ground sprinkler systems have been a great asset to gardeners, especially in lawns. If the system has been installed properly, then your lawn should receive an even watering in one application compared to single sprinklers that have to be moved on a regular basis. If there is one problem with in-ground sprinklers it is the fact that the area close to the sprinkler head can receive too much water. This can cause problems with your lawn requiring frequent repairs.

Repairing your lawn around a sprinkler head can be difficult. Traditional lawn repair tools can cause damage to the sprinkler head while manual methods can be laborious. The Grass Stitcher is an excellent tool for making these repairs, however, it won’t solve the long term problem of too much water laying close to the sprinkler head.

The simple solution is to improve the drainage in the soil around the sprinkler head. While it may sound simple, achieving that extra drainage can be difficult. If you have a Grass Stitcher, then there is one suggestion that is well worth trying. Before using the Grass Stitcher, add a quarter of an inch of course river sand to the area close to sprinkler head. Rake the sand so it has an even cover, then use the Grass Stitcher to perforate the lawn. You will need to perforate through the sand and the thatch and into the soil below.

Once you have perforated through to the soil, over sow with good grass seed and water lightly. Keep the area moist for a week to ten days until the grass seeds have germinated, then cut back on the watering. When watering, use a fine light spray – too much pressure will cause the sand to wash away.

The sand cover will slowly incorporate into the soil below and help to increase drainage.  It will not totally resolve the problem and you may need to repeat your efforts in early fall. However, that extra sand will help with drainage and it will help to reduce the amount of damage caused by too much water.