From The Field

How Cold Weather Impacts Your Irrigation System: What’s Normal vs. What’s a Problem

Winter is hard on equipment, and irrigation systems are no exception. From pivots and reels to drip lines and pump stations, cold temperatures create stress across every part of a system. Some of what growers see in January is completely normal: the natural result of metal contracting, hoses stiffening, or lines being drained for the off-season. But other signs point to issues that can linger beneath the surface and turn into costly repairs when spring arrives.

Here’s a clear breakdown of what cold weather typically does to irrigation systems, and how to tell the difference between harmless winter conditions and problems worth addressing.
Pivots: What Frost Tells You and What It Doesn’t
Pivots are built to handle winter weather, and it’s common to see frost buildup on towers, spans, and other components. Cold temperatures also make steel contract, which can cause spans to feel slightly stiffer when moved.

Normal winter behaviors:

Frost or ...

Holiday Downtime? The Perfect Time to Plan Your 2026 Irrigation Upgrades

As another season wraps up and the holidays draw near, many growers finally get the breather they’ve earned. But while the fields rest, your plans for 2026 can start taking shape. Winter is the perfect time to evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and where a few smart irrigation upgrades can make next year your best yet.
At Lee Rain, we know that the most productive seasons start long before the first planting — they start with good planning.
Reflect Before You Restart
Before turning the page to a new year, take a look back at your 2025 season. Did you deal with uneven watering? System downtime? Rising energy or maintenance costs? Those are strong signals that parts of your irrigation setup may be ready for an upgrade.
Our team can help assess your current system and identify improvements that bring long-term value from better control to greater water-use efficiency.
Smart Upgrades That Pay Off
Small changes ...

Why November Through January Is the Best Time for a Pivot Inspection

Now that harvest is behind you, it’s the perfect time to schedule a Pivot Preventative Maintenance Inspection and make sure your system is ready to roll next year.

Just like any piece of equipment that runs hard through the season, your pivot needs regular attention. Over time, wear and tear can lead to small issues: loose connections, aging gaskets, or worn gearboxes; that quietly build into costly breakdowns. And when those breakdowns happen in the middle of a dry summer, they cost more than parts and labor. They cost you time, yield, and peace of mind.

That’s where preventative maintenance pays off. A Pivot Preventative Inspection is designed to catch problems early and keep your system performing like it should, season after season. By going through a detailed checklist that covers electrical, mechanical, and structural components, technicians make sure your pivot—no matter the brand—is field-ready when spring planting arrives.
Why Now Is the ...

Don’t Let Your Soil Become a Graveyard for Next Year’s Crops

This fall, the scariest thing hiding in your fields isn’t Halloween decorations, it’s what’s happening below the surface of your soil. As autumn sets in, Lee Rain wants to remind growers that soil care doesn’t stop when the temperatures drop. Ignoring it now can come back to haunt your fields next spring.

In this article, we’ll uncover the hidden dangers of dry soil, why fall moisture management still matters, the creeping threat of soil compaction, and the tools you can use to protect your soil for the upcoming year.
The Hidden Dangers of Dry Soil
September mornings can be deceiving. Heavy dew may glisten across the fields, giving the illusion that soil is plenty moist. (Check out our September article, The Science Behind Dew, for more on why this happens.)

But here’s the reality: surface moisture from dew doesn’t replace consistent soil hydration. Dry or compacted soil can suffocate roots, limit nutrient uptake, and ...

The Science Behind Dew

How Morning Moisture Impacts Your Crops in September
Early September mornings have a magical feel. The sky glows pale pink as the sun begins to rise, and a crisp breeze hints at the season ahead. Across the fields, a shimmer of water clings to the surface. It didn’t come from rain or your irrigation system — it’s dew.
Why September Brings More Dew
This month is the perfect setup for heavy morning dew: warm afternoons, longer nights, and clear skies after late-summer cold fronts. As nights cool, air loses its ability to hold water vapor. When crop leaves cool below the “dew point,” that moisture condenses into droplets.

September’s dew is often heavier than in midsummer because the nights are cooler and longer, giving more time for condensation to form.
The Benefits of Dew in Early Fall
A Gentle Morning Boost: For shallow-rooted or stressed crops, that light moisture can ease early-day water stress.

Temperature Buffer: Dew ...

Finish Strong, Start Smart: What Your Crops Need Now and Next

August is a pivotal time in agriculture. The month begins with peak summer heat but gradually cools as fall approaches. It’s the perfect time to finish the season strong — and start planning for what’s next.

In this article, we’ll outline what your crops need most right now and share steps to help you transition smoothly into a productive fall season, whether you're managing fields, greenhouses, or nurseries.

Part 1: What Plants Need in August
This is the final — and often most intense — month of summer heat, so it’s important not to ease up on irrigation just yet. Consistent and accurate watering will help your crops thrive through August and set them up for a strong finish.

With temperatures still soaring, reducing plant stress is key — and that includes reducing your stress, too. Sticking to a reliable, automated watering routine can prevent problems later and keep both you and your crops ...

Irrigation Independence: Automate and Liberate

Summer is the season when smart irrigation isn’t just a luxury—it’s nonnegotiable. These next scorching weeks demand constant crop care, attentive watering schedules… and let’s face it, constant stress. But what if you could break free from all that?

This is the month of independence, so give yourself some too. Switch to automated watering and liberate yourself from the hold your outdated system has over you.
What can Automation do for me?
Key features include:

Soil moisture sensors to monitor when water is truly needed
Weather-based controls to prevent unnecessary watering
Timers and schedulers so your system runs, even when you’re away
Data and analytics that remove the guesswork from your decision'

Whether you're running a nursery, managing a farm, or tending a greenhouse, automation helps you take action with confidence.

In short: less stress, more time and fewer 90-degree afternoons spent searching for leaks or adjusting timers. With automation, your irrigation works while you ...

Irrigation Myths: 5 Things We Get Wrong (and How to Fix Them)

June is peak growing season and irrigation season. But misinformation still circulates across fields, farms, and greenhouses. At Lee Rain, we’ve seen firsthand how the wrong assumptions can lead to wasted water, lower yields, and system failures.

Here are five of the most common irrigation myths — and how to correct them with smarter practices and proven tools.

Myth 1: “It rains enough in June — I don’t need irrigation.”

The Truth: Rainfall in June can be misleading. While it might look like enough on paper, uneven distribution and short dry spells can still stress your crops. Waiting for rain (or assuming it's enough) can set you back during critical growth stages.

How to Fix It: Use a reliable irrigation schedule that supplements rainfall rather than relying on it. Monitor weather trends and soil moisture to ensure consistency across your fields.

Smart Tools to Help:

AgSense by Valley: Monitor irrigation remotely by adjusting scheduling, water ...

Summer Kickoff: Time-Saving Irrigation Tips Every Grower Should Know

Irrigation Tips to Save You Time (and Water) This Summer
Summer will be here before we know it, for most people that means longer days, less stress, and more time to relax. But for our hardworking farmers and nursery owners, the days are never quite long enough to get everything done.

We see you and we want to lighten the load.

That’s why we created a list of the most effective and reliable irrigation tips designed to save you time, water, and give you the smoothest operation- without adding more to your plate.
1. Automated Scheduling
Automated irrigation schedules take the guesswork (and daily adjustments) off your hands. Tailor each schedule to your crop types and field conditions, and let the system handle the rest.The pressure of the constant worry and checking is now out.

Need to adjust for a new season? Just update the schedule once.

Got a rainy day, upcoming drought, or maintenance work coming ...

A Farmers Guide into April

April Showers Bring Healthy Crops… And Some Other Challenges
As April rolls in, farmers across the country look forward to the much-needed rains that mark the season of growth. While rain is essential for healthy crops, it also brings its own set of challenges. Too much rain can lead to waterlogged soil, while not enough can leave your crops thirsty. That’s where Lee Rain comes in. We’re here to help you optimize your irrigation system to navigate the unpredictable nature of April weather.

With the right irrigation practices in place, you can make sure your crops get the water they need without over- or under-watering. In this article, we’ll walk you through four crucial steps to ensure you have a successful season ahead: staying informed about the weather forecast, checking soil moisture levels, fine-tuning your irrigation systems, and setting an up-to-date irrigation schedule.

1. Stay Informed: Track Weather Patterns for Smarter Irrigation
Every April ...

Advancing Agriculture: An Irrigation Guessing Game You Can’t Win

The problem with traditional irrigation management (i.e. manual or pre-set prescription), is that each irrigation timing event requires that you make two decisions, not just one. You must know not only when to stop irrigating (Decision #1), but also when to jump back in (Decision #2). And, assuming you get both calls right, you must repeat the process over and over, while factoring environmental conditions the plant is experiencing (i.e. heat, sun, wind, humidity and stage of growth, etc.).

After taking all this into account, it only takes one wrong irrigation decision to wipe out all of your prior successes, because even the slightest over or under-watering event negatively impacts yields every fifteen minutes. This is why Lee Rain believes that traditional irrigation management is a loosing proposition.

Recently, one of our patrons admitted that Lee Rain’s position on traditional irrigation made sense, but added: “I’m still tempted to stay in control ...

AgMS: Precision is Key in the Plant Empowerment Cycle

What is the basis behind the Plant Empowerment Cycle we employ to deliver Plant to Irrigation (P2i) process?

P2i is all about the interrelationship between translation, communication and implementation to make it all happen in the field. The Plant Empowerment Cycle, which illustrates how P2i works, involves three coordinated elements—Precise Plant Intelligence translating into Precise Evaluation, which is then communicated for Precise Action which is implemented to meet the Precise Crop Needs, instantly. But what are the principles behind this methodology and where do we start?

Precise Plant Intelligence
First, we accept the premise that plants are extremely aware of their environment, and are able to process and integrate information in sophisticated ways. Plants have the ability to adjust and adapt to changing circumstances relative to a particular environment. They accurately compute their circumstances, make sophisticated internal adjustments and take defined actions to mitigate and control diverse environmental situations.

In fact, a plant’s roots ...

Vision: Are You an Irrigation Surfer or Sailor?

Just for fun, since plant health and performance is directly impacted by the environmental conditions (both above and below the soil surface), tell me the amount of rainfall that occurred on June 6 of last year. Wait, I'll make it easier - tell me the total rainfall of any date in June last year?

Stumped? Well, so am I. Who could possibly remember that?

By that notion, you'll soon forget today's rainfall total too. And that's the point: If you are a grower who implements Plant Triggered Irrigation ---as we counsel our clients to use--- there is no need to be concerned with what rainfall occurred or for that matter if the temperature, humidity, wind speed or sunlight intensity is influencing plant health on any particular day, hour or minute because the plant itself tells the irrigation system what it wants or needs every fifteen minutes.

Without Plant Triggered Irrigation, when weather instability ...

(877) 533-7878