What you need to know about yard watering systems

Well-functioning watering systems are essential to the health of your lawn, and necessary to maintain water features such as fountains. Keep your watering systems working properly so you can enjoy your yard as you intended.

Pumps are at the heart of garden fountains, ornamental ponds and fishponds. To keep a pump running efficiently, follow these tips:

• Maintain adequate water heights; a pump that runs dry (without water) will be quickly damaged.
• Dirt and debris can accumulate inside a pump and cause it to stop working. Keep this from happening by cutting off a tubelike section of sheer panty hose. Slip the pump inside it and tie the ends.
• Clean pumps regularly, especially if there is high mineral content in your water. Soak the pump for about 10 minutes in a solution of 500 millilitres (two cups) of white vinegar mixed into 7.4 litres (two gallons) of water. Then run the pump for about 30 minutes while submerged in the solution. If your pump has stopped working due to severe buildup on the impeller, use a product specifically formulated for removing mineral buildup from kitchen appliances and dehumidifiers.

• Water can freeze inside the pipe that leads to an outdoor spigot, damaging the line and spigot. Most homes have a valve that lets you shut off the water to each spigot for the winter.
• Typically, you'll find the valve in the basement, near the spot where the spigot is located on the exterior wall.
• After turning off the valve, open the outdoor spigot and leave it open for the winter.
• If your home doesn't have a shut-off valve and pipes freezing are a concern, consider replacing your faucet with a freeze-proof faucet (also known as a freezeless or frost-proof hose bib, sill cock or faucet).

When it comes to keeping your yard green and healthy year after year, there's no one perfect system. You'll probably find a combination is best to meet the particular needs of your yard. Here are your main choices:

• A simple, old-fashioned sprinkler is usually best for large grassy patches of lawn. You can adjust its arc, move it to any location and position it to reach out-of-the-way corners.
• A soaker hose may be best where a more thorough drenching is demanded, or where you want to set the hose down and leave it all season — in your garden, a flowerbed or around new plantings.
• A drip irrigation system permits a slower flow of water and can be altered as your gardening needs change.
• Underground sprinklers are convenient and efficient but are the most costly of the bunch.

• If you live in a cold climate, you can extend the life of your garden hoses for many more seasons by not leaving them outside during the winter.
• On the day you shut off the water to your outdoor spigot, make it a habit to drain your hoses, coil and hang them in a shed, garage or basement — preferably on a hose hanger, not on a damp concrete floor.