When Should I Water My Lawn, and For How Long? | Hi Tech Irrigation (2024)

FAQs

When Should I Water My Lawn, and For How Long? | Hi Tech Irrigation? ›

Whether you water with a hose or an irrigation system, a deep watering, less frequently is ideal. Place a coffee can or Tupperware out on the lawn to determine how long it takes to collect 1 to 1 ½ inches of water. It is recommended that you water the lawn 2 to 3 times per week.

It is ideal to water lawns about one inch of water per week. To determine how long you need to water to get one inch, place a plastic container in your yard and set a timer. On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. So, 20 minutes, three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water.

In the late spring, rotor irrigation zones typically need to run 30-45 minutes per zone, and spray irrigation zones typically need to run 8-12 minutes. We recommend watering 2-3 days a week during late spring. In mid to late summer with extreme heat, your lawn will need more water.

The best time of day to begin irrigation is after nightfall. The irrigation cycle should end early enough before sunrise to allow excess water to soak into the landscape so that the leaves will dry normally. Nighttime temperatures and wind speeds are much lower, which means lower evaporative losses during irrigation.

Cool-Season Grasses

These grasses have a shallow root system that makes them more susceptible to drought. As a result, they need to be watered more frequently than warm-season grasses. Watering the standard three times per week for 20 minutes is usually necessary for these grasses.

Watering your lawn early in the morning is tremendously better than watering it at night, for completely opposite reasons. While watering during the day causes water to evaporate too quickly, watering in the evening allows water to cling to the grass for too long.

You should run your sprinkler system for as long as it takes to apply a half inch of water to your lawn. You will need to water for at least 10 minutes per week for most systems. Measure your sprinkler system's output to ensure you're not using too much water or underwatering.

Most lawns need to be watered no more than three days a week in the spring as well as in the summer and two days a week in the fall. This watering schedule is recommended under normal water supply conditions.

The best time to water is in the early morning hours. Allow 30 to 60 minutes between watering cycles so water has a chance to soak in the soil. The heavier the soil, the longer the soak time needed. As water needs increase, don't add time to the cycles, or you will get runoff.

Can I run all my sprinkler zones at the same time? ›

Running multiple zones at once is usually not possible due water-pressure and flow limitations at residential properties. As with any standard irrigation controller, you can wire multiple solenoids/valves to the same zone output if you want.

− Schedule your drip system to run one day a week during April, May, September and October. Run it twice a week from June through August, if required. − Set the run time between 45-60 minutes.

Run the sprinklers for 20 minutes and use a ruler to measure (in inches) the depth of water in each can. To determine the average depth of water applied to the lawn, total the water depths for all of the containers and divide the total amount by the number of containers you used.

Watering with a typical sprinkler using a standard 5/8" garden hose for one hour uses about 1,020 gallons of water; if you water three times per week, that's about 12,240 gallons per month.

The average system uses approximately 15-16 gallons per minute, per station. Here is an easy formula to help you calculate the approximate amount of water you are using each month.

Water your lawn between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., whenever possible. Early morning watering reduces loss to wind and evaporation, and allows water to soak in before sunlight heats the soil. Use watering systems that stay close to the ground. Arcing sprinklers waste more water than systems with low trajectories.

Yes, your grass can get too much water. If your grass gets too much water, it doesn't get oxygen and can actually suffocate. Too much water also makes your grass more susceptible to disease. Watering Guidelines for New Lawns:New lawns need to be watered every day and sometimes more than once a day to keep soil moist.