Fall is back to school for smart gardens.

It’s back to school for the kids and back to basics for your garden.

Late summer is an ideal time to plant to get your landscape ready for the season ahead and improve the health and appearance of your garden.

Weeds and pests are less of a problem this time of year and plants are in a phase of intense root growth which makes fall the right time to nourish them – ideally with all-natural fertilizer.

To grow lawns and garden plants that resist drought and disease you need to foster a strong root system and healthy soil.

One of the best ways to do that is to ensure your irrigation system is set up to water less frequently and more deeply.

Smart irrigation controllers, which work like wireless garden thermostats to water proactively based on weather and landscape conditions, can be used instead of conventional clock and timer systems. They can be programmed to run virtually, and there is no worry about wasted water and money going down the drain.

According to Weathermatic, a Dallas, Texas, water-conserving technology firm, only 50-70% of the water used via conventional systems will go to irrigating the landscape, the remainder either pools or runs off.

Homeowners who have installed Weathermatic’s SmartLinkTM irrigation control systems are reaping the benefits.  Lambert’s saved one customer 15,000 gallons in just one night by remotely shutting the network down before it rained.

Lambert’s is a big believer in the cloud-driven technology and says the return on investment can pay for itself within the first year. A bonus is the system’s flexibility and ability to practice “cycle and soak.”

Dallas’ clay soils have a hard time absorbing water.  Lambert’s adds surfactants to make the soil more porous and is able to cycle the SmartLinkTM systems to water for a shorter period of time, let it soak in, and water again.  This allows the clay to absorb the water more efficiently and ensure that the plants are kept hydrated during our hottest months.

Lambert’s also uses nutrient-rich and non-toxic compost tea, a high-quality brew of molasses, fish emulsion and seaweed steeped in harvested rainwater to encourage a healthier soil.

It’s a fall tonic for summer-weary gardens we stand behind.

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