When do I want to set the sprinklers to go off?

[Renthead Mommy]

We got some rain this spring, so the drought is lessening a bit, at least in this part of California.  But now the rain is spreading out some so I am going to have to turn the sprinklers on soon. 

 

Last year, they were still set from the previous people, and it was going three times a week for 8 minutes.  But the water people keep saying water deep, but less often. 

 

So do I want to reset it to once a week.  The landscapers come on Monday morning.  Do I want to water the same day as they cut? So Monday night, so the roots are feed after the shock of cutting?  Or a night or two before they cut so the roots are well watered before the shock of the cutting?  Or does it not matter and I can do it any day of the week?

 

 

[Ellie]

Here in Central Texas, where we have also been recovering from drought, we water twice a week around 3 a.m., regardless of when the gardeners are coming. Our grass is marvelous. :-)

[gingersmom]

Mine go off three times a week for five minutes. Also at 3 am.

 

Occasionally later in summer if grass looks dry I will manually put them on for an extra watering.

[Happy]

Water early in the morning. Like Ellie we set ours to start at 3am so the system has cycled through all the stations by the time we are doing showers and such in the morning.

 

Watering then means the grass isn't wet all night. Wet too long can mean diseases.

 

I'd rather water once or twice a week for 20 minutes a station than a few minutes each day. Aim for an inch of water--as long as there is no run off. Put out a few empty, clean tuna or cat food cans (small with straight sides) to measure how much actual water is getting down.

 

I tend to water more after the mowing....but I'm not sure I have a logical reason for that.

[kitten18]

We got some rain this spring, so the drought is lessening a bit, at least in this part of California. But now the rain is spreading out some so I am going to have to turn the sprinklers on soon.

 

Last year, they were still set from the previous people, and it was going three times a week for 8 minutes. But the water people keep saying water deep, but less often.

 

So do I want to reset it to once a week. The landscapers come on Monday morning. Do I want to water the same day as they cut? So Monday night, so the roots are feed after the shock of cutting? Or a night or two before they cut so the roots are well watered before the shock of the cutting? Or does it not matter and I can do it any day of the week?

Where I live in CA watering deep doesn't work. Our soil can't hold the water. We water 2-3x/week for a short time.

When we lived in the Midwest we watered deep 1x/week but it was completely different soil.

 

Oh, forgot to say that our sprinklers go off at 3am. We don't water on the day the gardener comes.

Edited April 21, 2016 by kitten18