Do you offer free estimates?
How long does it take to schedule landscaping and irrigation installations?
How do I schedule seasonal irrigation service?
How much do you require as a deposit on work to be performed?
How are seasonal property maintenance contracts paid?
Do you sell landscaping supplies to the homeowner?
Do you offer delivery?
What forms of payment do you accept?
How Do I Care for My Newly Installed Plants?
How do I care for my new hydro-seeded lawn?
Frequently Asked Questions about a new irrigation system.
Spring and Fall Irrigation System Check List

Do you offer free estimates?
Yes we do. Please call our office to schedule an appointment or contact us through the contact form on this web site. Back to Top

How long does it take to schedule landscaping and irrigation installations?
It depends on the time of year. Early and late in the season we are more readily available. Otherwise, once a contract is signed and deposit received, we will put you into the queue and get to your job as soon as possible. A delay of one to three weeks is not unusual during the busy season. Back to Top

How do I schedule seasonal irrigation service?
System startups in the spring and turn offs in the fall can be scheduled by calling our office. We will log you into a day when we will be in your neighborhood and when we can find you at home. Back to Top

How much is required for a deposit on work to be performed?
Generally, a 50% deposit is required on landscaping and irrigation installations. Back to Top

How are seasonal property maintenance contracts paid?
Seasonal property maintenance contracts for mowing are billed out in eight equal monthly installments beginning in April and ending in November after 1/3 deposit is received. All other services such as spring clean ups, mulching, pruning, seaonal enhancements, and fall clean ups, etc. are billed when services are performed.
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Do you sell landscaping supplies to the homeowner?
Yes, Landscaping by J. Michael carries mulch, loam, 3/4" crushed stone, stone dust, pea stone, crusher run, and mason sand. We also carry a variety of stone including, cobblestones, fieldstone, bluestone, granite and a variety of wall stone. Back to Top

Do you offer delivery?
Yes, we deliver within a ten-mile radius of our Marshfield facility with a nominal fee. Deliveries outside of this range would be charged a higher delivery fee. Back to Top

What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept personal or business checks, cash, Visa, Mastercard and Discover Card. Sorry, but at this time we do not accept American Express. Back to Top

How Do I Care for My Newly Installed Plants?
WATERING INSTRUCTIONS
Basically, the single most important factor affecting your plants is water. Lack of water or improper watering practices can quickly determine the life or death of a plant.

When plants are put into the ground, they will sometimes show shock. This can be seen by browning of leaves, drooping of leaves or a general stunted appearance. One reason this happens is because of the root system of the plant is undergoing an adjustment period. Roots die back or die altogether. Since you can only have on top what the roots can support, you can see leaf browning or droop.

To help avoid this, proper watering procedures should be followed. During the first year following planting, new plants should be watered every 2-3 days during the growing season. This is especially important during long periods of hot, dry weather in the fall for evergreens.

The length of time for watering should be long enough for the ground around the roots to become soaked. The water should saturate the soil to at least the bottom of the root ball.

Do not water for short periods of time. This will develop a shallow root system. A shallow root system will not allow the plant to survive drought periods as all of the roots will be close to the soil surface. You need a deep root system for the plants to survive.

Keep the mulch layer at approximately 2.5 inches deep. Mulch aids in retaining soil moisture, keeping down weeds and improving the soils’ organic content. We recommend the use of shredded hardwood bark mulch.

Follow these basic instructions and you will be able to enjoy your landscaping for many years! Back to Top

How do I care for my new hydro-seeded lawn?
How to Care for Your New Hydro-Seeded Lawn - PDF 219k. Back to Top

Frequently Asked Questions about a new irrigation system.
1. How can I be sure I will get a good system?
A good lawn sprinkler system is one flexible enough for your watering needs. It will put the right amount of water in each area and it will keep operating year after year with minimal maintenance. Your satisfaction with the system will depend ultimately on:

1. the quality of the system components
2. the craftsmanship of the installation

We use all components that are of professional grade and engineered, manufactured, and tested to give years of trouble free service. We standby our products for two years and our workmanship for one year.

2. Why do I have to have a back flow device and does my installation contractor have to be licensed?
Lawn sprinkler systems, as most are connected to your city water supply must meet local codes regarding backflow devices. These devices prevent water from being siphoned back into the water supply. The type of device required and the necessary building permits licenses and certifications required by contractors vary for city to city. Currently Massachusetts does not require irrigation contractors to be licensed. However, the local (IANE) and the national (IA) trade associations have established proficencies certifications. Landscaping by J. Michael believes in certifications for its team and the promotion of higher standards for the industry. Most importantly, request to see both a general liability and worker's compensation certificate from your contractor. These certificates are mailed directly to you from your contractors insurance agent. This will ensure that you are protected, should someone get hurt while on your property or damages occurs before or after the job is done.

3. How can I tell if I have enough water pressure to have a sprinkler system installed?
Our technicians will do a pressure test and design your system to insure your sprinklers will operate at the optimal pressure effectiveness. Should a larger water meter or pump be required, we will advise you ahead of time about the specific details involving them.

4. How often should I check my irrigation system’s performance?
It’s a good idea to check it frequently during the peak watering season to make sure that everything is functioning correctly and water is being applied as needed to the plant material and lawn areas. It is very easy to add a remote device to use as you walk around your property. We do offer this service of inspection during the summer months if you choose. As part of our Gold Service Plan, we offer two mid-season service checks to ensure your system is working and performing at its optimum.

5. What should I look for during my system performance check?
Turn on each zone and observe the operation to make sure the spray from each sprinkler is going where it’s needed. Make sure all rotary sprinklers are rotating in their intended arc. Look for any wet or dry spots and see if there is an obvious reason why that is occurring. Also, be aware that sometimes the controller may need to be adjusted if temperatures are extremely hot or cold, or if there was recent precipitation.

6. How much time do I run my sprinklers to water my lawn effectively?
Our technicians will set the time on each zone according to your soil and site conditions after installation. Typically, rotary heads in full sun should run between 30-45 minutes per zone. Spray zones for lawn and shrub can vary, but a 10-15 minute run time would be average. During warmer weather, all new controllers have a seasonal percentage button to increase the time without changing the entire program individually.

7. How long does it take to install a system and what about my existing lawn and landscape?
The average system will take one to two today’s to install. We use state of the art equipment to pull the pipe through your lawn. After a few weeks, the seams in the turf will disappear. Our crews are trained to protect your existing landscape and plant material. When digging in shrub beds, our crews take special care not to disturb the roots of your valuable trees and shrubs. They are trained on how to lift existing brick walkways and have the necessary equipment to saw cut or bore underneath driveways if needed.

Spring and Fall Irrigation System Check List
Spring Opening:

1. Before turning on any water to the system, make sure all manual drain valves are returned to the “closed” position.
2. Open the system main water valve slowly to allow pipes to fill the water gradually. If these valves are opened too quickly, sprinkler main lines are subjected to high surge pressures, uncontrolled flow and water hammer.
3. Verify the proper operation of each zone valve by manually activating it from the controller.
4. Walk through each station on the controller, checking for proper operation of the zone. Check for property operating pressure (low pressure indicates a line break or missing head), proper rotation and adjustment of sprinkler heads, and adequate coverage. Check and clean filters on poorly performing sprinklers. Adjust heads to grade as necessary.
5. Reprogram the controller for automatic watering. Replace the controller back-up battery if necessary.
6. Inspect the rain sensor, if applicable.
7. Finish and clean any in-line filters for drip irrigation zones.
8. It is recommended that our qualified irrigation technician perform this type of service in order not to void our warranty.

Winter:
It is recommended that our qualified irrigation technician perform this type of “Winterization” in order not to void our warranty. The blow out method utilizes an air compressor with a Cubic Foot per Minute (CFM) rating of 80-100 for any mainline of 2” or less. The compressor is attached to the mainline via a quick coupler, hose bib or other type of connection, which is located after the backflow device. Compressed air should not be blown through any backflow device.

To start the “blow out”, shut off the irrigation water supply and, with the compressor valve in the closed position, attach the air compressor hose to the fitting. Activate the first zone via the controller. Slowly open the compressor valve to allow the air to flow to this zone. Make sure the compressor does not exceed 80 PSI when blowing out the system. Once the station/zone is dry, you should not continue to blow air through the pipe. Compressed air moving through dry pipes can cause friction, which will create heat and the heat could cause damage. Go to the next zone once you start seeing mist from the furthest head on the zone. Repeat the above step for all the zones on the system. Sometimes it is a good idea to run through the system a second time to ensure all water is gone. Lastly, unplug the clock and remove the back up battery. This will help in the event there are any power outages or voltage spikes.

Additional Steps:
Once the water has been removed form the irrigation system, turn the ball valves on the back flow device at a 45 degree angle. In addition, open and then close the isolation valves on the backflow to relieve any trapped water.

The Do NOTS of “BLOW~OUT” Winterization

1. Do not allow the air pressure to exceed 80 PSI for systems with PVC piping and 50PSI for systems with polyethylene piping.
2. Do not stand over component parts while the system is pressurized with air.
3. Do not leave the air compressor unattended.
4. Do not blow the system out through a backflow or pump. First blow out the system, then drain the backflow or pump.
5. Do not leave the manual drain valves open after the blow out.
   

I hope you find these tips are helpful for those who wish to do this work themselves. Our experienced technicians are willing to handling any of these items if you find yourself not able to do them.