# Covering Sprinkler Heads During Winter



## ftres (3 mo ago)

My sprinkler system was just winterized. 

I have several heads that are hard to find in the spring when I turn the system on, because the grass grows around the heads and fills in by the time I turn it on. 

I had an idea to take empty vegetable and bean cans to cover the heads from the time I winterize until turn-on in the spring. 
My goal is to keep the grass from growing around the heads so I can find them in the spring (and hopefully I'll still find the tops of the cans). 

Would this work? Is there any reason I should NOT do this? Would it damage the heads?

Thanks.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

ftres said:


> I turn the system on


So they dont pop up?


ftres said:


> because the grass grows around the heads and fills in


This usually means the heads are below dirt level and need to be reset. Are these heads in the middle of the yard? Are you digging up the ones that are sinking and reseting them? Overtime the bodies sometimes sink down due to foot traffic, mowing tires and the like.


ftres said:


> Would it damage the heads?


Maybe.
I dont think the cans would hurt unless the got impacted with grass and the stem can not shoot up with water pressure applied.


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## Idaho Turf (8 mo ago)

@Factor


> Overtime the bodies sometimes sink down due to foot traffic, mowing tires and the like.


Do they ever! I'm always amazed how much they sink down. I have a couple right now that must be down 1-1/2 to 2 inches. Raising them was on my to-do list this year, but battling poa annua and creeping bentgrass took the #1 precedence, so that job didn't get done. Maybe I'll get it done in the next few days before the sprinkler blow-out guy comes.

You might want to consider commercial "sprinkler donuts" on Amazon and elsewhere which keep the grass from encroaching onto the sprinkler head. You can buy plastic or concrete ones. You can even buy a mold to make your own concrete ones. They also make half-donuts for putting on heads by streets, drives or walks. The best product name has to be "GrassHole" which is right up there with PoaConstrictor. I've never used these, so can't vouch for their effectiveness, but they look promising.


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## ftres (3 mo ago)

Factor said:


> So they dont pop up?


They do pop up. This past spring, I had a leak so a few heads wouldn't pop up. I had a hard time finding the heads and the leak. So to avoid this again, I'm just looking for ways to be able to find the heads without having to run the sprinklers.



Factor said:


> This usually means the heads are below dirt level and need to be reset. Are these heads in the middle of the yard? Are you digging up the ones that are sinking and reseting them? Overtime the bodies sometimes sink down due to foot traffic, mowing tires and the like.


Yeah, some of mine are definitely kinda low. The problem is that if I raise them, the gardener lops them off with the mower. 



Factor said:


> Maybe.
> I dont think the cans would hurt unless the got impacted with grass and the stem can not shoot up with water pressure applied.


Let me clarify. The cans are still closed on one side. So my intent is to completely cover the heads only during the off season. I'll remove them before I turn the system on. 
I'm just thinking the cans would make it easy to know where the heads are in May when I turn the system on.


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## ftres (3 mo ago)

Idaho Turf said:


> @Factor
> 
> Do they ever! I'm always amazed how much they sink down. I have a couple right now that must be down 1-1/2 to 2 inches. Raising them was on my to-do list this year, but battling poa annua and creeping bentgrass took the #1 precedence, so that job didn't get done. Maybe I'll get it done in the next few days before the sprinkler blow-out guy comes.
> 
> You might want to consider commercial "sprinkler donuts" on Amazon and elsewhere which keep the grass from encroaching onto the sprinkler head. You can buy plastic or concrete ones. You can even buy a mold to make your own concrete ones. They also make half-donuts for putting on heads by streets, drives or walks. The best product name has to be "GrassHole" which is right up there with PoaConstrictor. I've never used these, so can't vouch for their effectiveness, but they look promising.


Thanks. I'm going to look into these. 
They'd solve my problem but at $37 each, the concrete ones are more than I can spend though. And I'm afraid the plastic ones won't last long before they get cracked by the lawnmower.


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## Idaho Turf (8 mo ago)

ftres said:


> Thanks. I'm going to look into these.
> They'd solve my problem but at $37 each, the concrete ones are more than I can spend though. And I'm afraid the plastic ones won't last long before they get cracked by the lawnmower.


Yeah, the price on thos concrete ones is absolutely obscene. Did you check to see if maybe that’s for a five-pack?


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## ftres (3 mo ago)

Idaho Turf said:


> Yeah, the price on thos concrete ones is absolutely obscene. Did you check to see if maybe that’s for a five-pack?


Yep. It's for one piece.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Idaho Turf said:


> I'm always amazed how much they sink down.


I find putting a layer of large (quarter size) rocks under the base at the bottom of the hole helps. They also are still forgiving if you run over it.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Idaho Turf said:


> commercial "sprinkler donuts" on Amazon


I have heard these sink too over time. Also you should not place the head (picture) that close to the Concrete edge. The need to be inset about 2".


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## Idaho Turf (8 mo ago)

Factor said:


> I find putting a layer of large (quarter size) rocks under the base at the bottom of the hole helps. They also are still forgiving if you run over it.


Great tip. Thanks. I'll give it a try.


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