Hi soccer_dad, no experience with that product at all. I think I understand better now - you are able to use the border areas but want the sprinklers to be flush to the ground when not operating, with only the hose attachments extending above the grade. I'm no engineer either, but if that's right I imagine the plumbing fittings required (whether or not enclosed in a ready-to-install box) would include some sharp angles to get the hose-end fittings above ground, and I wonder whether this would cause some kind of loss in pressure or volume. Maybe it wouldn't make a difference, I really don't know, though I suspect that it would. I imagine the folks on the irrigation board here would know better. Anyway, if it does turn out that that would be a problem, maybe you could try buying the fittings necessary to run the sprinkler heads with a garden hose, and then buying an extra hose and a bunch of regular hose connectors (male and female as necessary) in order to make a bunch of mini-hoses that could be attached to each sprinkler and then gradually brought up to grade say a few feet away. Then just be sure to cap off those exposed hose ends every time you remove the water hose. I'm just thinking out loud, and have never done anything like this. And I'm starting to feel like MacGyver.... Very curious to hear what you do! P.S., I've seen it recommended often that sprinkler heads like this be set to overlap almost 100% in coverage due to the way they put down water (most closest to the head, least at the edge of the spray pattern. When you say you can almost reach all of the lawn from the edges, do you mean with overlapping coverage like that? P.P.S., I'm not familiar with the climate in NVA, does the ground freeze in winter? I'm thinking it would be a royal PITA to winterize a system like this if that is necessary where you are.

L :) I'm sure it's not a pressure problem. Our pressure is 80psi. We cleaned/flushed the heads when we reworked the station but will check it again. HOWEVER, something I just discovered shortly after I asked this question, is we DO have a broken line or sprinkler head, but not on that station, and all the other stations pop up within 3 seconds....that trouble station takes about 18 seconds to get going. I just discovered a popup that was standing in water all around it. We've turned the water off to the system till my husband has time to track down the leak/break. The station was taking a long time to startup before the lleak. Thanks, M

Here are the "rules" as I have written them. This is based on lots and lots of reading and analysis and arguments and then simplification so the everyday person can water their lawn. There are too many factors to take into consideration but it boils down to this for a baseline: Temps above 90 degrees F => water deeply once a week Temps above 80 => water deeply once every 2 weeks Temps above 70 => water deeply once every 3 weeks Temps below 70 => water deeply once a month The whole idea is to try and mimic the best of Mother Nature. This pattern of watering ensures the surface of the soil is try most of the time. When the surface is moist most of the time, then all the weed seeds will germinate and you'll get into weeds/herbicide cycling. It also ensures the grass roots grow down deep to help carry the plant through hot and dry periods. Deeply means to water a full inch as measured by filling up cat food or tuna cans. Set some cans out and time how long it takes YOUR sprinkler system to fill the cans. That's your watering time every time.

Well I guess this sounds about as good (better) than anything I can come up with ;) We've had so much rain this spring, I haven't even used the system this year. Thank you for your reply.