# Overseeding large lawn without in-ground irrigation



## MichiganGreen (Aug 7, 2018)

Couldn't decide if this belonged in irrigation or here - but I'll be overseeding my lawn which is about 17,000 total and will require moving sprinklers in both front and back to get full coverage. It won't be easy but I want to get my money's worth on this seed I put down.

My wife and I both work 9-5 M-F and we have a new baby who just started daycare on top of that. I purchased a dual zone sprinkler timer that I thought I would get set up in the back, so that might cover me there, but for the front I don't want to totally set up two sprinklers for fear of somebody walking up and snatching one - probably being a bit paranoid so long as it's not my tripod impact sprinkler and super visible. I'll have to get a 2nd hose for front and back...

So several things to talk about - if anybody has any recommendations on anything I mentioned I'd love some thoughts!


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## XiolaOne (Jul 30, 2018)

I plan on doing the same thing:

Six 50ft hoses
Two 4 zone timers
6 sprinklers

Front
3 sides
2 backs


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## MichiganGreen (Aug 7, 2018)

XiolaOne said:


> I plan on doing the same thing:
> 
> Six 50ft hoses
> Two 4 zone timers
> ...


Feels a bit better knowing im not the only one - fortunatley I'm already hooked up with the long hoses to cover the farthest points I might even be able to get by with a 25 footer for both yards. How do you have them scheduled, and may I ask what brand timer you use? I got an Orbit, haven't had a chance to unpack it and try it out yet though


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

I went through the same with a 19k complete reno. Bought a bunch of the cheap spike type impact sprinklers. These are not good for irrigation because they are very inaccurate but work well for keeping seed moist. Also bought eight cheap 100' hoses and enough replacement end connectors to cut them all in half to end up with 16 50" hoses. Bought a 4 way coupler for the front yard and a 2 way coupler for the back. Water pressure is good enough to run 3 sprinklers at once. Took a while to get everything set up for complete coverage but it worked well for a temporary ******* and had 6 "zones". I think total cost was around $150 for everything. Didn't do a timer as I took care of morning and afternoon watering and my wife did mid day when she went home to let the dogs out. sometimes you just have to be creative.


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## MichiganGreen (Aug 7, 2018)

MichiganGreen said:


> XiolaOne said:
> 
> 
> > I plan on doing the same thing:
> ...


Also if I need to get another sprinkler do you have any favorites? I suppose it depends on the layout of the lawn but curious if you have a brand you tend to lean towards.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

The layout of your yard will impact how many sprinklers, hoses, manifolds, and timers you will need.
Last year, I did 20k with a last-minute set-up, using about 4 sprinklers per 4,000 sq feet, give or take. I did not have perfect coverage, but somehow my outcome was still good (though it took a long time to establish). Note that I did not have to move sprinklers around. Once the seed was down, I had to stay off the lawn.

I also used a variety of sprinklers due to limited time and budget. In my opinion, the next best thing to pop-up sprinklers are Orbit Gear Drives (available at Lowes; maybe other places).

It is great that you are thinking about your irrigation set-up now. It might be a good time to decide whether you are setting something up for seeding only or designing a long-term irrigation solution. The two may not coincide--certainly not in my case.

Here is the Orbit Gear Drive
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-5-000-sq-ft-Rotating-Spike-Lawn-Sprinkler/3678506?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-LawnGarden-_-Watering-_-3678506:Orbit&CAWELAID=&kpid=3678506&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=727&k_clickID=22095114-62d1-4ef9-a3a0-4173fe3303d4&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI98TlnIHe3AIVTFgNCh3j-gzzEAQYAiABEgIl3vD_BwE

I've got two other links that may be of interest.
This is a thread I did last year where I had help working through my temporary seeding set-up.
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1282
Here is a thread describing a more planful approach with an above-ground system
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2775

There are plenty of other great threads with more elaborate designs, but this should help you survey some options.


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## MichiganGreen (Aug 7, 2018)

Thank you this is very helpful. I completely agree with you thinking long term. At this point looking at my situation I would say I don't see it in the 5 year plan so I want to pursue a low cost alternative - not ideal I know but I'm not able to install in ground irrigation right now but I am able to put together funds to compliment my lawn program. I may have made my first mistake by purchasing a 2 way timer - each yard is 8,600 sq ft. Might be able to get by with 2 although 3 is probably more ideal. Of course with that comes another hose, etc etc etc.

If I'm only doing 2 front and back each, do these gear driven sprinklers stil make the most sense? I have a few other sprinklers of differing types - current favorite is the Orbit tripod impact. I also have a standard oscillating, a low sit on the ground impact, and little spinner, with the 3 heads that whirl around.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

MichiganGreen said:


> If I'm only doing 2 front and back each, do these gear driven sprinklers stil make the most sense? I have a few other sprinklers of differing types - current favorite is the Orbit tripod impact. I also have a standard oscillating, a low sit on the ground impact, and little spinner, with the 3 heads that whirl around.


Your current sprinklers may be the best for your situation. However, people who know more about irrigation than me have repeatedly advised against oscillating and impact sprinklers. I'm finally coming around to their point of view and am seeking alternatives for my regular watering needs.
For what it is worth, I really like impacts too. I've always found impact sprinklers to be easy to use and fun, really, to set up.

The issue comes down to coverage. Generally speaking, they tend to water some areas too much and leave other areas under-watered. The ideal is to get equal amounts of water to every part of your lawn. You can always do a tuna can test (audit your set-up, so to speak) to compare how much water is being sent out at various points in the spray. Who knows: You may find that your current sprinklers give you very nice coverage.

Having used impacts, oscillating, and the Orbit gear drives, I can say that I do prefer the latter. They give me better coverage. Period. You can also likely daisy chain at least two of those Orbits together and still have nice streams. I can easily daisy chain two together and get nice coverage from both with my spigots running between 6.5-7.8 GPM and 50 PSI. Importantly, they provide this coverage in addition to giving you quite a bit of distance, which is important for larger lawns.

You can also check out a youtube channel called TommyTester. He examines those Orbit sprinklers and you can see what kind of coverage they provide (He also got good coverage from a Melnor impact sprinkler, so go figure  ).





Having said all of this, in-ground sprinklers are still probably the king. That is the direction I am heading currently. MP rotators and Hunter PGPs have my attention. Note that these kind of sprinklers can be used above ground as well, so I am trying to capitalize on that.


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