http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/rss/feedsFrom the design phase to the installation of irrigation, hardscape, landscape, and LED landscape lighting let Mike Ball Irrigation, Landscape and Lighting be your turn key landscape contractor.Tue, 05 May 2026 04:43:58 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/how-to-prepare-your-plants-for-tonights-freezehttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/how-to-prepare-your-plants-for-tonights-freeze Bundle up Houston! The Greater Houston Area is expecting the incoming arctic blast to begin the big freeze tonight! ABC13 Weather is predicting temperatures to reach nearly 36 degrees tonight and even dipping below 20 over the weekend! In anticipation for this drop in the temperature, here are a few tips to keeping your plants safe. While some hardy plants should fair well, it is still a good idea to cover them. Your more tender plants will definitely need protection. Here are a few examples of tender plants: Azaleas Begonias Bougainvillea Canna Citrus trees & edibles Elephant Ear Fuchsia Geraniums Succulents Palms & Tropical varieties Water: I know it sounds crazy, but water your beds this afternoon. During the night, the soil\mulch will release the moisture into the air, raising the ambient temperature around your plant. Ensure that you ONLY water the soil or mulch, and NOT the leaves of the plants themselves. If you water the leaves of the plants, the water that is held within could freeze. This would cause the cells to rupture, damaging the plant, and could be potentially fatal. Cover: Drape your tender plants and shrubs with bed sheets, or blankets. You can add a plastic drop cloth to add extra insulation to help retain heat, but make sure that it is on the outer layer, not coming into physical contact with your plant. Be sure to do this BEFORE nightfall! Draping your plants during the day will help ensure that they retain as much heat as possible. Secure: We are expecting some winds, so make sure that the coverings you drape over your plants are securly in place. If you purchaed plant drapings, secure them with ground stakes. If you used bed sheets or blankets, place some small to mid-sized rocks along the edges to make sure that they don't blow away during the night, leaving your plants exposed. Do NOT tie them around the trunk or base, because then the heat of the soil will not be able to reach your plant. Bring Potted Plants Indoors: Gather your plants that are in pots or hanging planters and bring them indoors. The soil within is not sufficint to generate enough warmth to ensure their survival during a freeze. Wrap Trees: Wrap your citrus or other fruit bearing trees with burlap or tree wrap, and secure it with rope or bungee cords. The thinner bark of fruit bearing trees can crack when the temperatures experience extreme fluctuations. Wrapping them like this will help to prevent them from "frost crack". Wrap Palms: Cover the root ball of your palms with mulch to provide insulation. Then wrap the center spear and the first 3-6 fronds with water pipe insulation. If you don't have any available, pool noodles left over from the summer will work. Fold over the tops of the insulation to prevent excess water from being trapped between the insulating layer and your plant. Secure your wrap with tape. The Morning After: Remove all coverings and wraps first thing tomorrow moring, after the remaining frost has thawed. Failing to do this early in the morning could lead to future plant damage in two ways. First, during periods of continual freezing temperatures, the buildup of condensation within the covering or wrap could freeze, causing damage to your plants. Secondly, the insulated heat during the day could cause your plants to break thier dormancy, which would trigger an out of season active growth period. This would leave them more vulnerable, as the energy they contain would be diverted from storage to growth and would leave them more susceptible to frost damage in the future. We here at Mike Ball Irrigation hope that this will help you prepare for not only tonights freeze, but for any freezes we anticipate in the coming months. Stay warm Houston! Thu, 11 Feb 2021 08:20:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/what-sets-mike-ball-irrigation-apart--spray-nozzle-selectionhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/what-sets-mike-ball-irrigation-apart--spray-nozzle-selection What sets Mike Ball Irrigation apart? Well, one thing is our selection in spray nozzles. Here at Mike Ball Irrigation, Landscape, & Lighting, we exclusively use the Hunter MP Rotator spray nozzles in our irrigation systems. They are high efficiency, low flow spray nozzles that improve coverage and soil absorption. With a low precipitation rate, MP Rotators even help decrease the potential for soil erosion and runoff. Take a look at this article that Hunter put out about the MP Rotator. There is not only an abundance of information on this page, but metrics, infographics, and a couple of really interesting videos as well. One of these videos pits the MP Rotator nozzles against 3 to 4 of the competitor brands "high efficency" nozzles! MP Rotator - Smarter, Faster, and Better | Hunter Industries Call us today to learn how we can help you with a new or retrofitted irrigation system. Save Water. Save Money. Mike Ball Does It All.713-818-1354 Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:12:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/how-to-winterize-your-pressure-vacuum-breakerhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/how-to-winterize-your-pressure-vacuum-breakerHOW TO PROTECT YOUR PRESSURE VACUUM BREAKER FROM FREEZE. Winter is just around the corner. With a cold front on the way, the temperatures in Houston are dropping fast. Midland experienced a 30 degree drop in temperature in a 24 hour period! In this article we will provide you with step-by-step instructions on you how to protect (winterize) your Pressure Vacuum Breaker in prepareation for freezing temperatures. We originally posted this article last year, but this is a issue that will need do be addressed each and every winter. So we care putting it back out there to make sure that the information is readily available, so everyone can make the appropriate preparations. STEP 1: LOCATE YOUR ISOLATION VALVE If you have an irrigation system, chances are that you have an isolation valve. In January 2009, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality mandated that all new irrigation systems were required to have an isolation valve installed. So unless your sprinklers were installed before 2009, you have one. The purpose of an isolation valve is to separate the flow of water for your sprinkler system from the domestic line, the tap water that flows into your house. There are two possible locations for your isolation valve. The first place it could be located is in front of your water meter near the street or sidewalk. The other place your isolation valve could be is close to your home, near where your domestic water main line enters the house. This will be the hardest part of this entire process. The isolation valve cover is usually green and looks just like other valve boxes that you have with your system. It can often be hidden by soil or grass growth, so you may have to poke around a bit with a shovel locate it. We recommend locating the isolation valve a few days or even weeks ahead of a coming freeze, so you're not out in the cold weather looking for it in a panic. STEP 2: TURN OFF THE ISOLATION VALVE Open the cover of your isolation valve. Turn the handle 1/4 turn so that it is no longer parallel with the pipe. When your valve handles are parallel with the pipe, that is your indication that the valves are open and water is flowing freely through to your irrigation system. When your valve handles are perpendicular to the pipe it is an indicator not only to yourself, but also to your irrigation specialist, that your valves are closed. STEP 3: LOCATE YOUR PRESSURE VACUUM BREAKER Your Pressure Vacuum Braker, or PVB for short, should be located on the same side of the house as your water meter. STEP 4: OPEN THE TEST COCKS ON YOUR PVB With a flathead screwdriver, turn both of the test cocks 1/4 turn. Make sure that the line is parallel with the opening. This will allow any excess water that is in your PVB to flow out. STEP 5: TURN THE PVB VALVE HANDLES 45° Finally, turn both of the valve handles 45°, or 1/8 of a turn. Do NOT close the valves completely. If they are completely closed, whatever water that remains in your PVB will trapped in the ball valve with nowhere to go. When the water freezes and expands, the pressure could potentially cause that ball valve to crack. By keeping the valve handles at a 45° angle, this would provide the freezing water room for expansion, thereby deminishing the risk for damage to your PVB. The image below is an example of what it could look like when the frozen water expands and cracks your PVB. - Don't forget to wrap your pipes leading to and from your Pressure Vacuum Breaker with insulation and seal them tightly with duct tape! I hope that this article has helped you to better understand how to prepare your Pressure Vacuum Breaker for the coming Winter. If you are having trouble locating your isolation valve, feel free to give us a call. For a minimal fee, we will come out and help you winterize your Pressure Vacuum Breaker. We love coming out and helping our clients, current and prospective, in as many ways as we can, but if you do need help winterizing your Pressure Vacuum Breaker, please reach out to us. It is much better to make preparations and prevent damage to your system than risk a leak that would waste water and run up your bill. Call us at 713-818-1354 or reach out via email to save@mikeballirrigation.com! Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:10:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/we-are-now-hiringhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/we-are-now-hiringMike Ball Irrigation, Landscape, & Lighting is seeking skilled individuals who are interested in a career within the landscape industry. We are currently taking applications for Skilled and General Labor positions. We are seeking multiple individuals capable of being apart of a team of people to complete day to day tasks in the fields of landscape, irrigation, drainage, hardscape and structure construction projects. Must have a passion for the industry and enjoy creating new environments. Required Expectations, Skills, & Abilities Must maintain regular and reliable attendance, including the ability to work overtime and weekends as necessary. Must be able to safely operate and handle all equipment and tools. Must be able to lift 50 pounds. Must be capable of working outdoors on a regular basis. Able to perform other duties as assigned. Two (2) years of Landscape industry experience required. Bilingual in English & Spanish is a plus. Please fill out the contact form located on our Careers page, or email your resume to careers@mikeballirrigation.comMon, 26 Oct 2020 12:27:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/front-entryway-before--afterhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/front-entryway-before--afterHere is a project that we recently completed. We removed and replaced the existing iron gate and pergola, as well as removing the old tile for the entryway, replacing it with Belgard Catalina Grana pavers. We really like the way this turned out! BEFORE: AFTER: Tue, 15 Sep 2020 07:02:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/hear-about-us-on-homeshow-radiohttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/hear-about-us-on-homeshow-radioHear about us on Home Show Radio! For the past year, we have been a sponser of the HomeShow Garden Pros with Dany Millikin. You can listen on Sports Radio AM 610 on Saturdays from 7 AM - 9 AM.If you missed the show, you can stream previous episodes here. We are proud to announce that starting this past weekend, we are now also a sponser of HomeShow Radio with Tom Tynan! You can listen on Sports Radio AM 610 on Saturdays from 9 AM - 12 PM and on Sundays from 8 AM - 11 AM.If you missed the show, you can always stream here. Mike Ball Irrigation, Landscaping & Lighting - HomeShow Garden Pros Radio Mike Ball Irrigation - Happy Place - HomeShow Radio Advertisement This is the advertisement for Mike Ball Irrigation, Landscape, & Lighting as heard on HomeShow Radio with Tom Tynan. Listen weekend mornings on Sports Radio AM610 in Houston, Texas! Dany Millikin Tom Tynan Tue, 01 Sep 2020 10:34:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/not-just-irrigationhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/not-just-irrigationDon't let the name fool you, Mike Ball Irrigaition can handle more than just your sprinkler system! Here at Mike Ball Irrigation, we strive to be the all-encompassing stop for you outdoor needs. We design and install landscapes both large and small! Are you looking for a new patio, walk, or driveway? We install interlocking concretes pavers in multiple colors and desings! Looking for a new drainage system or to upgrade your existing drainage? We've got you covered. Speaking of coverings, we can build outdoor structures such as patio covers arbors, trellis', and pergolas! Yes, we also do irrigation systems as well. We specialize in low volume, water conserving designs that will save 30% on water waste. Then add a smart controller and save even more! Call Mike Ball Irrigation today to schedule an appointment! Let us transform your yard into an outdoor living space! Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:12:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/happy-new-yearhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/happy-new-yearWe here at Mike Ball Irrigation want to wish everyone a safe and happy new year!We hope that 2020 will bring you blessings and prosperity! Tue, 31 Dec 2019 22:00:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/mike-ball-irrigation-a-houston-area-top-lawn-service--irrigation-companyhttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/mike-ball-irrigation-a-houston-area-top-lawn-service--irrigation-companyVetted & Approved: Again! Mike Ball Irrigation, Landscape, & Lighting has been recognized as one of the top landscape & lawn service companies in the Houston area!Expertise just released thier list of the best lawn service companies in Houston, and Mike Ball Irrigation made the list! Out of 492 companies within the Houston area, Mike Ball Irrigation were placed among the Top 18! In addition to the recognition of Top 18 in lawn service, Mike Ball Irrigation also was listed among the Top 19 for sprinkler & irrigation, out of 477 companies. While this is the first year that Mike Ball Irrigation has been recognized by expertise in the Lawn Service catagory, we have been listed for Sprinkler & Irrigation for the past 4 years in a row! Take a look at the articles for both lawn service and irrigation and see how we compare! Since 2014, Expertise has been using thier proprietary process of research, analysis, and selection to provide consumers with reliable lists of top tier companies and contractors in over 200 different industries. Read more about them here. Schedule an appointment with us and see what sets us apart from the rest! Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:44:00 -0700http://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/happy-thanksgivinghttp://www.mikeballirrigation.com/blog/post/happy-thanksgivingWe here at Mike Ball Irrigation wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. We will be out of the office until Monday, December 2nd, but in the meantime, enjoy the festivities, time with your families, and all the pie you can handle!Thu, 28 Nov 2019 05:06:35 -0700