In this episode of The Sprinkler Nerd Show, Andy Humphrey is joined by Scott Allison from Hunter Industries to talk about My Design Landscape Beta, Hunter's new contractor-focused design platform for irrigation and landscape professionals.

Scott shares how Hunter has been building digital tools for contractors for years, from runtime calculators and site recommendation tools to lighting design software. Now, with My Design Landscape, Hunter is bringing that experience into irrigation design with a tool built to help contractors create better layouts, proposals, hydraulic plans, as-builts, and customer-facing presentations.

This conversation is about more than software. It is about helping contractors communicate value.

For many irrigation contractors, the biggest challenge is not just designing the system. It is helping the customer understand why proper head-to-head coverage matters, why one system costs more than another, and why professional design can protect water, landscapes, and long-term performance.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why irrigation design is becoming a stronger sales and communication tool.
• How My Design Landscape can help contractors create plans faster.
• The value of visual design when explaining coverage, zones, valves, controllers, and drip irrigation.
• How contractors may use as-built drawings as an added service.
• Why beta users have a chance to help shape the future of the software.
• How better visuals can help justify price, professionalism, and system quality.
• Why technology may help level the playing field for everyday contractors.

Scott also walks through the beta version of My Design Landscape, including image upload, scale setting, hydrozones, sprinkler placement, drip layout, controllers, valves, sensors, project summaries, bill of materials, and PDF exports.

If you are an irrigation contractor, landscape professional, designer, distributor, or anyone interested in where irrigation design software is headed, this episode is worth watching.

Learn more about My Design Landscape from Hunter Industries:
https://www.hunterirrigation.com/my-design-landscape

Subscribe to The Sprinkler Nerd Show for more conversations about irrigation, water, technology, contractors, and the future of the green industry.

What if the most important action is no action at all?

In this solo episode of The Sprinkler Nerd Show, Andy explores the idea that patience is not something standing in the way of the process… patience is the process.

From wanting to get ahead when you are young, to waiting for a customer to sign a proposal, to standing in front of a 150 zone 2-wire system that just will not work, this episode is about the moments when doing more is not the answer.

Sometimes the grass does not need more water. More fertilizer. More adjustment. Sometimes, it simply needs time.

This episode is a reminder that not all growth is visible, that roots are growing beneath the surface, and that sometimes the wisest thing we can do is step back, trust, and let the grass grow.

What happens when you try to answer one simple question: Where is all the water going?

In this episode of the Sprinkler Nerd Show, Andy sits down with longtime friend and collaborator Paul Bassett from ENVOCORE to tell the story of one of the most complex irrigation and water management projects they have ever worked on—a massive retrofit at a government military base.

What began as an irrigation upgrade quickly became something much bigger: more than 1,000 water meters, 225 irrigation controllers, 7 million square feet of irrigated landscape, and over 25 million gallons of monthly water use.

Together, Andy and Paul share how they used wireless technology, LoRaWAN gateways, smart irrigation controls, weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and utility-grade water meters to build a system capable of tracking every drop across an entire military base.

But the real challenge was not installing the hardware. It was learning how to trust the data.

They discuss:

• How to discover and estimate a project of this size
• Why some properties are unknowingly use twice as much water as they need
• How missing meter data, duplicate reporting, and underground leaks complicated the project
• Why "gallons per square foot" may be the most important number in irrigation
• How water bills can reveal more about a property than most people realize
• Why contractors should start with the math before they start replacing sprinklers

Paul also shares practical advice that any contractor can use immediately, whether they manage a military base or a five-zone residential system.

If you want to understand how data, water, and technology are reshaping the future of irrigation, this is an episode you will not want to miss.

At the Hunter Industries Contractor Training Event hosted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Andy sat down with irrigation contractors and technology leaders to explore one big question:

What is the future of irrigation going to look like?

In this documentary-style episode, you'll hear from contractors with decades of field experience, including three generations of Grapids Irrigation, contractors adapting to smart controllers and cloud-based monitoring, and the people building the next generation of tools at Hunter.

Featuring conversations with: Aaron Katerberg of Grapids Irrigation, Brandon Dietrich of Garpio Group, Jason from Smith Lawnscapes, Hector Avalos of Pro-Mow Landscaping, Tony Tiscareno of Grapids Irrigation, and Scott Allison from Hunter Industries.

Topics include:

• Flat-rate pricing and running a more profitable service business
• Smart controllers, Wi-Fi, flow sensors, and remote monitoring
• Why water savings and technology matter more than ever
• New cloud-based design tools like Hunter's My Design Landscape
• The differences between irrigation in Michigan and Florida
• Why, after 20–30 years in the business, contractors still love what they do

The tools are changing. The technology is changing.

The people who make irrigation work are still the story.

If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend in the irrigation industry.

Behind every irrigation controller, valve, and system component is a team of engineers and product managers working to improve the tools contractors rely on every day.

In the final episode of this three-part series from the Rain Bird Irrigation Pro Summit, Andy Humphrey talks with members of the Rain Bird team about how irrigation products are designed and how contractor feedback shapes the future of irrigation technology.

Steve, a Rain Bird product manager, shares insights into the development of modern controller platforms, two-wire systems, and connected irrigation management tools.

Maggie and Matt from Rain Bird discuss valve technology, integrated valve modules, and how product innovation happens within one of the irrigation industry's most recognized manufacturers.

This conversation highlights how collaboration between contractors and manufacturers continues to drive innovation in irrigation.

In This Episode

• How Rain Bird develops irrigation controllers
• Two-wire technology and system diagnostics
• Valve innovation and integrated valve modules (IVM)
• How contractor feedback influences product development
• The future of irrigation technology

Featured Guests

Steve Barendt— Rain Bird Product Manager, Controllers
Maggie Saulsby — Rain Bird Product Manager, Valves
Matt Cooper — Rain Bird Contractor Account Manager (CAM), Mid Atlantic

Today's irrigation contractor does far more than install sprinklers.

Modern irrigation companies are managing water, integrating technology, and running sophisticated service businesses that combine field expertise with connected systems and data.

In this second episode of the Rain Bird Irrigation Pro Summit series, Andy Humphrey speaks with several contractors working in the field today about how the role of the irrigation contractor is evolving.

Steve from Quench Irrigation discusses water management, smart controllers, and the growing role of sensors and connected technology.

Travis and Andy Childs share practical insights from decades of experience installing and troubleshooting irrigation systems.

And Alex from Morgans Irrigation talks about how modern irrigation businesses are using automation, CRM systems, and new service models to improve customer communication and operations.

Together, these conversations paint a picture of the modern irrigation contractor — a combination of technician, water manager, and technology operator.

In This Episode

• Smart controllers and cloud-connected irrigation systems
• Water monitoring and irrigation management
• Two-wire troubleshooting and electrical diagnostics
• Training technicians and improving system reliability
• Using CRM systems and automation in irrigation businesses

Featured Guests

Steve Pereira — Quench Irrigation
Travis Childs — Morgans Irrigation
Andy Childs — Landscape Maintenance Services

Danielle and Denise - Landscape Maintenance Services
Alex Morgans — Morgans Irrigation

In the first episode of this three-part series from the Rain Bird Irrigation Pro Summit, Andy Humphrey sits down with Walter Mugivan, owner of Aqua Mist Irrigation, who has more than 50 years of experience in the irrigation industry.

Walter installed his first irrigation system in 1968 — digging trenches by hand and working with early hydraulic valves long before modern irrigation technology existed.

In this conversation, Walter shares how the industry has evolved over the decades, from early sprinkler systems to today's advanced controllers, flow management systems, and large-scale pump stations.

He also shares advice for contractors entering the industry and explains why understanding the fundamentals of hydraulics and system design still matters today.

This episode is a reminder that irrigation innovation didn't happen overnight — it was built through decades of learning, experimentation, and improvement.

In This Episode

• What irrigation systems looked like in the late 1960s
• The evolution of controllers and sprinkler technology
• Pump stations and stormwater irrigation systems
• The importance of hydraulics in irrigation design
• Lessons from more than 50 years in the industry

Featured Guest

Walter Mugavin
Owner, Aqua Mist Irrigation

In this episode of The Sprinkler Nerd Show, Andy Humphrey sits down with Justin Wilson, founder of American Irrigation in Georgetown, Texas. With nearly three decades in the irrigation service business, Justin shares how he built a company that now runs 17+ service trucks and completes thousands of irrigation jobs each year.

Justin explains why "the service business is the people business," emphasizing that successful companies must care for both their customers and their team members. The conversation dives into practical lessons from the field—how quality inspections and training help maintain standards across a large team, why many irrigation problems come down to simple issues like poorly installed sprinkler heads, and how contractors can build long-term customer trust.

Andy and Justin also explore the future of irrigation, including smart controllers, the challenges of managing thousands of different systems, and the growing pressure on water resources. Justin argues that contractors will need to shift toward more efficient irrigation methods, better system design, and prioritizing which landscapes truly need water.

The episode wraps with advice for contractors: stop searching for the "perfect technician" and instead invest in training the next generation of irrigation professionals.