Best Grass Types For Central Florida
Keeping your lawn lush and green year-round in central Florida comes down to proper irrigation, fertilization and choosing the right grass type based on your…
Read more
Lawn Mowing 101
Besides proper watering and fertilization, lawn mowing practices can affect the health of your lawn. If you want a green, lush yard that is the…
Is It Time For An Upgrade?
Like any part of your home, residential irrigation systems need an eventual upgrade to perform optimally. With advances in irrigation technology or changes you’ve made…
Fresh From The Garden
Wouldn’t you love to be able to go into your own yard and pick a fresh tomato off the vine for your salad? Have you…
Why Only The Best Will Do
We understand that you have many options to choose from when it comes to installing and maintaining your sprinkler or irrigation system for your home…
Backflow Testing: An Annual Checkup
We are often asked by customers why they need their backflow prevention assembly tested on a yearly basis. If it’s working and there’s no issue…
Think Spring When It Comes To Lawn Care
Now that it’s spring, you might want to freshen up on your lawn care maintenance to ensure you have a lush, green lawn heading into…
Lawn Care Maintenance 101
With proper care, the average lawn mower should last 10 to 12 years. If it’s not maintained properly, however, you can cut that number in…
Eco-Friendly Irrigation
Caring for the environment is on many people’s minds these days. Recycling bins are everywhere and composting is growing in popularity. There are ways you…
Over-watering Your Lawn
While the amount of water you use each time you irrigate your lawn shouldn’t change from season to season, the irrigation frequency should. Certain seasons…
Get To The Bottom of Your Leaky Irrigation System
With hundreds of yards of underground tubing in a typical yard, what do you do when you suspect a leak in the system? Not only…
Creating a Wildlife-Friendly Yard
If you enjoy watching beautiful butterflies, birds and other small animals frolicking in your yard, then you might consider creating a welcoming habitat for these…
The Difference Between Commercial and Residential Landscaping
While the goal of both commercial and residential landscaping is to create an aesthetically pleasing outdoor experience to compliment the building, there are slight differences…
10 Facts About Your Lawn
At Challenger Irrigation, we know how much value and enjoyment a properly maintained lawn can create for homeowners. Since we love our job of caring…
Sprinkler Repairs
When installed and maintained properly, your lawn sprinkler system should last a long time. Due to normal wear and tear, however, your sprinklers may need…
Prepare Your Irrigation System for Winter
While we don’t get snow or bitter freezing weather like our friends up north, it is important to winterize your irrigation pipes to protect them…
October Lawn Care
We don’t usually have to prepare for deep freezes or heavy snow in our area of Central/Southern Florida, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore…
Are You Looking Forward to Florida Snow?
The heat of summer is a thing of the past. Are you looking forward to Florida snow? If you are a homeowner with a yard,…
Prepping Your Lawn for Cooler Weather
You might think that in the land of sunshine that is Florida you don’t need to prepare your lawn for cooler weather. Even though our…
Latest Trends in Irrigation Systems
No matter your location, water is an issue when it comes to landscaping and lawns. Some areas are getting too much water, many are in…
Lawn Repair for Summer Heat
Florida is called the Sunshine State for a reason. Most of us in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area have been enjoying the summer sun for a…
How to Make Your Irrigation System Work for Lawn and Landscaping
Lush lawns and aesthetically pleasing landscaping make the outdoors a pleasure to enjoy. Well-kept lawns and landscaping do more than just look good, however. Grass,…
Start Planning Your Fall Garden Now
In Florida, gardeners can grow vegetables year-round. You just need a plan of what you’d like to grow and when to plant. Different parts of…
What’s the Story on Palm Trees
For many, images of Florida involve the ubiquitous palm tree. From the panhandle to the Keys, you’ll find palm trees swaying in the breeze. Here’s…
Year-Round Florida-Friendly Plants and Landscaping
Even though the state of Florida averages over 50 inches of rain annually, there are times during the year when drought is an issue. Moreover,…
How to Use Plants and Lawns to Control Mosquitoes
There are over 3 million residential lawns in Florida. Keeping those lawns and ornamental plants well-maintained and healthy reduces leaching and surface water runoff and…
Establishing Your Summer Lawn
Spring is already upon us, so it’s not too early to start thinking about what you need to do to prepare your lawn for the…
Types of Florida Grass
A well-manicured, green lawn is as American as apple pie — nearly 80% of all homes in the U.S. have a lawn. Installing an irrigation…
The When, How, and How Much Guide to Watering Your Lawn
The National Association of Landscape Professionals did a survey recently to see how much Americans know about maintaining lawns. It found that 74 percent felt…
It’s National Lawn Care Month!
The start of the spring season is the perfect time to think about irrigation and celebrate all things lawn, so it’s appropriate that April is…
Updating Your Irrigation System
Having an irrigation system in place is essential to keeping your lawn hydrated in the Florida climate. Evaluate the condition of your current irrigation system…
Prepare Your Florida Lawn for Spring
Winter is leaving soon, and spring will make its appearance. There is no better time to prepare your Florida lawn for spring conditions. Proper yard…
Common Florida Lawn Pests
Despite your best efforts to maintain the perfect lawn, you can still experience some significant issues because of insect infestations. Insects can pose a threat…
Florida Lawn Fertilizing Guide
Fertilizing your lawn can be tricky in Florida’s subtropical climate. The weather is constantly changing, and you must pay close attention to have a healthy…
What You Need to Know About Florida Weeds
Weeds are the black sheep of your lawn and garden. The battle to control them seems never-ending. The good news is the weeds can be…
General Maintenance Tips for Your Florida Irrigation System
We rely on our irrigation systems to run like clockwork, keeping our gardens and lawns in spectacular condition. Sometimes the upkeep of the system falls…
How to Choose Your Irrigation System
The Florida sun and heat can be brutal to your landscape. A good irrigation system is essential for our climate. When you choose your system,…
Earth-Friendly Tips for Florida Lawn Care
What’s better than a healthy lawn? An earth-friendly lawn. Using natural methods to enhance your Florida lawn is a great way to help our environment.…
4 Irrigation System Don’ts
Your life is busy. There are too many things going on at the same time. It’s easy to forget about your lawn irrigation system. But,…
5 Tips for Winterizing Your Florida Lawn
True or False. Do you really need winter lawn care in Florida? When you think of the Florida sunshine and blue skies, your answer might…
Lawn Trivia: Sports Edition
It may be October, but it’s still sweltering hot. The rain may be keeping you from having to use your sprinklers, but you’re ready for…
Protect Your Lawn From Trick-or-Treaters
Nobody wants to be the kind of neighbor who constantly yells, “Hey, Kid! Get off my lawn!” Still, when the neighborhood whippersnappers are traipsing around…
Get Rid of Pesky Critters
They’re fuzzy, they’re cute, and they made great Disney characters, but the truth is, some mammals will wreak havoc on your Hernando County lawn. Before…
The Anatomy of Your Lawn
If you thought you were finished with anatomy lessons when you were in high school or college, think again. Your lawn is actually a fascinating…
Keeping Up With Our Research
In Hernando County, you can’t look in a single direction without seeing a University of Florida emblem. From flags and bumper stickers to T-shirts and…
Why You Might Want to Consider Organic Lawn Care
Your pets chase lizards in it, your children roll around in it, and every single week during the summer, you spend hours tending to it…
Hidden Pet Dangers in Your Lawn
Hidden Pet Dangers in Your Lawn Gone are the days when pets were forced to live outside, chained next to a doghouse, with only a…
Natural Ways to Rid Your Yard of Mosquitoes
Natural Ways to Rid Your Yard of Mosquitoes In Hernando County, mosquitoes are a way of life. Some people even joke that they are the…
Mulch Madness
Mulch Madness Mulch is a lawn-maintenance multitasker that we can’t imagine our Hernando County lawns without. In fact, the Challenger Irrigation team thinks you should…
Lawns to Envy
Lawns to Envy As Floridians, we’re used to being envied by others for many reasons: We get to enjoy the sunshine almost every day, we…
Time For a Tune Up
We’ve had a nice break from the heat in Hernando County. We’ve even had a nice break from lawn work. With summer around the corner,…
April Showers Bring May Flowers
April Showers Bring May Flowers Spring Hill may not have had many April showers this year, but because of our trusty irrigation systems, May flowers…
Nervous About Growing Your Own Vegetables? Don’t Be!
Nervous About Growing Your Own Vegetables? Don’t Be! You’re standing over the bell peppers in the produce section of your local Publix. Time and again,…
Go Green This Earth Day
Go Green This Earth Day By April, our Spring Hill lawns are already looking pretty green. In the spirit of Earth Day, however, we figure…
The History of the Lawn Sprinkler
The History of the Lawn Sprinkler Not long ago, before pools were plentiful and integrated sprinkler systems were so common, sprinklers meant one thing: Summer!…
Recovering from Frost Damage
Recovering from Frost Damage Our neighbors to the north may scoff when we complain about cold fronts and rant about covering our landscaping during the…
Stop Making These Common Landscaping Goofs!
Stop Making These Common Landscaping Goofs! You take great pride in your Hernando County lawn. You’ve got the fertilizer and pesticide situation figured out, you…
Let’s Get Started! How To Prepare Your Yard For Spring
Let’s Get Started! How To Prepare Your Yard For Spring We may be enjoying moderate temperatures now, but before we know it, our Spring Hill…
Is Your Yard Smart?
Is Your Yard Smart? Let’s be real — technology has taken over most of the world. Much of what used to be science fiction is…
Don’t Touch That Wire!: When to DIY and When to Call a Professional
Don’t Touch That Wire!: When to DIY and When to Call a Professional Sometimes the temptation to tackle a home repair situation is too great…
New Landscaping For Your Hernando County Lawn
New Landscaping For Your Hernando County Lawn December in Florida is breathtaking. The temperature has become more tolerable and the torrential downpour season is over,…
Before You Toss That Tree…
Before You Toss That Tree… You spend hours finding the perfect tree for your home, then you spend additional hours wrapping strand after strand of…
Can Composting Benefit Your Lawn?
Can Composting Benefit Your Lawn? Do you ever look at a neighbor’s lawn and think: What’s their secret? Do you want to have the lushest…
Do You Need a Water Audit?
Do You Need a Water Audit? To say it’s hot in Florida is inadequate. The temperatures, combined with our humidity, make life without air conditioning…
Keep Your Lawn Healthy This Holiday Seasons
Keep Your Lawn Healthy This Holiday Seasons From blow-up jack-o-lanterns to life-sized reindeer, nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a well-decorated lawn. Whether your entire Spring…
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – Your Water?
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – Your Water? Everyone knows about the swamps in Florida, but only natives know that with our daily deluges, even our…
After the Storm: How To Rehabilitate Your Lawn
After the Storm: How To Rehabilitate Your Lawn If you’ve lived in Florida for longer than a year, then you know that we have a…
When To Hand-Water Your Lawn and Landscaping
When To Hand-Water Your Lawn and Landscaping With our daily summer downpours, it’s hard to imagine any circumstance that would require you to hand-water your…
Is It Time For New Sod?
Is It Time For New Sod? Nature can wreak all kinds of havoc on our Hernando County lawns: we experience droughts, floods, funguses from the…
Protecting Irrigation System From Power Surges
Protecting Irrigation System From Power Surges You can count on it every summer. The afternoon thunderstorms roll in and Hernando County is mesmerized by bolts…
Alternatives to St. Augustine Grass
Alternatives to St. Augustine Grass Hernando County and the surrounding areas have unique concerns when it comes to maintaining a lush lawn. Because of our…
How Grubs Can Ruin Your Lawn
How Grubs Can Ruin Your Lawn As Florida residents, we expect insects to be part of our lives. Palmetto bugs, mosquitoes, slugs…they all come with…
Is It Time To Upgrade Your System?
Is It Time To Upgrade Your System? Like anything else associated with your home – your air conditioner, your water heater, your roof – sprinkler…
How to Conserve Water (Without Losing Your Lawn)
We’ve had a pretty dry year, so far. Lawns are dry, brown and crunchy beneath our feet, lakes and ponds are well below normal water…
Beneficial Wildlife: Birds, Butterflies, and Bats
One of the perks of living in Florida is that we get to enjoy wildlife year-round. As our communities grow, however, we encroach on the…
Florida-Friendly Landscaping Pt. 2
Last month, we introduced you to the concept of Florida-Friendly landscaping with the first five recommended steps from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food…
Florida-Friendly Landscaping
Maintaining landscaping in Florida has unique challenges. Between the sweltering Spring Hill heat that has the potential to suck the moisture out of every living…
How to Attract Beneficial Insects to Your Lawn
When we see a bug, our instinct is usually to kill it. Not so fast, though. Some of those insects are actually beneficial to your…
Backflow Prevention at Home and at Work
All Hernando County homes and businesses are connected to a perfectly safe potable water supply. Some buildings, however, are connected to additional supplies such as…
Make Yard Work a Family Affair
You’ve probably heard your kids say it a million times: “You only had us so you could make us do all of your chores!” Why…
It’s Time to Think About Fertilizing!
Floridians know that by February, our “winter” is almost over. In a matter of weeks, we’ll say goodbye to open patio doors and put away…
Get Ready for Spring!
No matter where you live, spring is pretty much everyone’s favorite season. Our neighbors to the north, for example, are delighted to see blades of…
The 3 Most Common Sprinkler Repairs
In Hernando County and the rest of Florida, maintaining our lawns and sprinkler systems are a part of life. Our sweltering temperatures require us to…
Untimely Sprinklers: A Cautionary Tale from Tennessee
Imagine this: Children and their parents scream at the threatening mist. Adults scramble to gather their electronics before they are damaged by the deluge. Beautifully…
History of Lawns – Who Knew?
In the brutal heat of our Florida summers, when you are exhausted and perspiration-soaked from mowing your Spring Hill lawn, you may occasionally ask yourself,…
Winter Pipe Problems? In Florida?
Florida winters are admittedly mild, especially when compared to what our neighbors to the north experience. We may never experience a “snow day,” but with…
Starting Your Own Spring Hill Lawn Care Business
Is your Spring Hill lawn the envy of every neighbor? Is your idea of a good time checking out the new Stihl tools at your…
Winter Maintenance For Your Spring Hill Lawn
If you have friends or family up north, then you know how envious people can be about our tropical weather. Our summers are brutal, though,…
Hernando County Watering Restrictions
During the summer months, when Spring Hill and the rest of Hernando County have at least one daily deluge, it’s easy to forget that regardless…
Meet Challenger Irrigation
In business for over 20 years, Challenger Irrigation is a true family business. In 2004, John Sirvent IV took the business over from his father,…
Protecting Your Lawn and Landscaping During Hurricane Season
There is never a dull moment during hurricane season in Florida. Whether we get hit or not, we are all prepared to put an action…
How to Choose the Right Sprinkler Head for Your Lawn
While the greater-Tampa area – including Spring Hill – receives its fair share of rain in the summer, your lawn takes a beating during the…
What is an Irrigation System?
In locations with hot or dry weather, many trees, plants and grasses struggle to survive without the appropriate levels of water. When rainfall is low…
Tips for Successful Summer Lawn Irrigation
Along with the stunning beaches, the exciting wildlife and the world-famous theme parks, Florida’s famous sunshine draws in visitors from all over the world all…
What To Look For When Hiring an Irrigation Company
When you want to have an impressive lawn displaying a lush green color, consider working with a professional, local irrigation company. A technician installs a…
Tips for a Healthy Lawn
A healthy lawn depends on smart lawn care practices. Beginning as soon as the weather starts to get warm and continuing throughout the year, these…