Sprinkler head donuts, really needed?

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Old 04-23-2024, 04:03 PM
frayedends frayedends is offline
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Default Sprinkler head donuts, really needed?

I have a new house in Lake Denham. I see these concrete donuts are a big thing around here. I live in Massachusetts for my main home and I've had irrigation systems for 30 years. Never had any donuts around the sprinkler heads. I've been using a John Deere riding mower over mine forever and no issues.

Is there something different down there in FL?
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Old 04-23-2024, 04:27 PM
Keefelane66 Keefelane66 is offline
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Grass here is more like a vine eventually it may cover sprinkler and keep it from popping up. Your choice
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Old 04-23-2024, 05:02 PM
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dewilson58 dewilson58 is offline
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For less than $2 per, it's cheap protection for your heads.

Depends if you have walk-behind mower or heavy riding mower.

Depends if you cut out your heads or not.
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Old 04-23-2024, 05:28 PM
Pondboy Pondboy is offline
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I’m thinking some sales / marketing guy did a really good job saying they were needed. Now everyone has them.

I as well have only seen them in FL…..yet St Augustine grass and irrigation systems are all over the south…..without those donuts.

There available at Lowe’s if you feel left out by not having any. There’s also DIY videos on how to make them on You Tube….if you’re feeling fancy and want different designs / colors.
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Old 04-23-2024, 05:52 PM
MrFlorida MrFlorida is offline
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When someone parks in front of your house and runs one over, you'll know why you need them.
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Old 04-23-2024, 06:04 PM
frayedends frayedends is offline
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It’s kind of funny that I see videos of the tool to cut the circle for the donut. The vids say you have to periodically recut the circle and remove the grass because of the st Augustine. So the donuts don’t really stop the the grass overgrowth anyhow.

A properly installed head should be flush with the ground and shouldn’t be damaged by driving over them. None of mine are close enough to the street where a vehicle will hit them. I’ll go without for a while and see if I’m right or learn the hard way.
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Old 04-23-2024, 06:04 PM
Rainger99 Rainger99 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFlorida View Post
When someone parks in front of your house and runs one over, you'll know why you need them.
Exactly!! Contractors and landscapers have a tendency to run over the sprinkler heads. The donuts protect those sprinklers. I only put them along the road. No need for them in the backyard.
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Old 04-23-2024, 06:32 PM
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To each their own, I like the donuts. They establish a perimeter around each sprinkler head that I keep free of grass by removing the donuts a couple of times per year, pulling out any intruding grass by the roots, and replacing the doughnuts. Plus, they provide cheap insurance against damage from mowers and cars/trucks along the road.
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Old 04-23-2024, 08:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frayedends View Post
It’s kind of funny that I see videos of the tool to cut the circle for the donut. The vids say you have to periodically recut the circle and remove the grass because of the st Augustine. So the donuts don’t really stop the the grass overgrowth anyhow.

A properly installed head should be flush with the ground and shouldn’t be damaged by driving over them. None of mine are close enough to the street where a vehicle will hit them. I’ll go without for a while and see if I’m right or learn the hard way.
Which means the irrigation line has to be proper depth.
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Old 04-24-2024, 04:18 AM
MikeN MikeN is offline
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Down here the people who install sprinkler heads put them right at the edge of the lawn next to the road. Cars, trucks, golf carts are always driving over mine It’s the only way to protect the heads. Simple fix would have been to put the sprinkler heads in a few feet but I guess they get more business that way
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Old 04-24-2024, 04:22 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
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Most of my donuts have disappeared. They sunk down into the soil.
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Old 04-24-2024, 04:26 AM
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Ex-cops started the craze for them.
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Old 04-24-2024, 04:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Two Bills View Post
Ex-cops started the craze for them.
LOL, I suppose when Dunkin' stopped making the donuts in house, people needed to find another use for them since they are so stale now.
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Old 04-24-2024, 04:44 AM
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If you have a lawn service and do not have an irrigation contract the donuts are worth it.
These lawn jockeys will usually knock out two of your sprinklers a year.
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Old 04-24-2024, 05:46 AM
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The villages owned property must have thousands of sprinkler heads and not one donut.

Last edited by birdawg; 04-24-2024 at 11:35 AM.
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