How Long Should I Water at a Time? A watering session should be long enough to soak the area sufficiently so all the roots receive a beneficial drink. Sprinklers should be set to run for about 30 to 35 minutes at a time twice a week.
On the other hand, watering longer but less frequently, “deep watering,” produces deep roots that mean lawns can better survive periods of drought. The ideal watering schedule is once or twice per week, for about 25 to 30 minutes each time.
1. Water Thoroughly: Rotor zones should run for about 30-40 minutes per zone and spray zones 10-15 minutes per zone. 2.
If your sprinkler output is 1½ inches per week, your sprinklers should run for only ⅓ hour or 20 minutes that week (½ divided by 1½). On a twice-weekly watering schedule, run your sprinklers 10 minutes each time.
Water Wisely
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.
Between irrigation and natural rainfall, your grass should receive between 1 and 1.5 inches of water each week during the summer. Water deeply every other day for the best results.
Watering every day is not advised. It should be done 2 to 3 times per week only to prevent a shallow root system. If possible, water during the early morning hours to ensure that the lawn dries entirely before nightfall.
A common rule that is followed for obstructions within 18 inches of the sprinkler deflector is the “three times rule”. This requires sprinklers to be positioned away from obstructions a minimum or three times the maximum dimension of the obstruction.
Avoid watering grass on a hot afternoon when it's 95 degrees or higher. The best time to water grass is at dawn or in the early evening. Water deeply three times a week instead of a little water daily. Test whether your sprinkler system is watering your lawn evenly.
If the plants pull out from the ground easily, they're probably dead. If the roots hold fast when pulled, the plants are dormant. You will also see the difference when you start to water or when rain returns as moisture will revive brown grass. However, it will not bring dead grass plants back to life.
It is ideal for watering your lawn about 1 inch of water for every single application per week. On average, it takes 30 minutes to disperse 0.5 inches of water. Therefore, you must water your lawn in hot weather three times per week, for about 30 minutes each, to get an inch of water on your lawn.
Don't water everyday.
The more shallow your grass roots are, the less hearty it will be in hot weather. Instead water about two times per week for longer periods of time. The local lawn companies I have spoke with around my area (North Central Texas) recommend about 20-30 minutes per watering cycle twice a week.
A related question is how often to water your lawn. You do not have to provide the required 1 inch per week all at once. Instead, you can water for 30 minutes twice a week. But some experts advise against extending irrigation sessions beyond that (for example, watering for 20 minutes three different times a week).
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.
Watering in the morning (before 10 a.m.) is the best time for your lawn; it's cooler and winds tend to be calmer so water can soak into the soil and be absorbed by the grass roots before it can evaporate.
Check the leaves for wilting and test the top inch of soil with your finger to see if it's dry enough to need a drink. Test Garden Tip: You're more likely to overwater indoor plants than underwater. Too much water will drown your plants. A good rule of thumb is to let the top inch of the soil dry out between waterings.
Watering in the morning also helps your lawn stay cooler throughout the hottest parts of the day, decreasing the amount of heat stress for the turf. If you are unable to water in the mornings, early evening (between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM) is the next best time.
Nothing should be in that area between the bottom of the sprinkler heads and the imaginary horizontal plane parallel to the ceiling that is 18 inches below. This is done to allow an even and unobstructed spray pattern from the sprinklers when triggered to extinguish the fire.
At different pressures, the sprinkler head and nozzle will consume different amounts of water. For example, at 35 pounds per square inch (PSI) the 5000 Series Rotor using the 3.0 nozzle will use 3.11 gallons per minute (GPM). If your home's water capacity was 10 GPM, you could place 3 heads per zone.
Sprinklers should be set to run for about 30 to 35 minutes at a time twice a week. Your goal is at least 1″ of water a week for your lawn.
But life happens and sooner or later the running sprinkler is forgotten – even overnight! Not only does this waste water, it's also tough on the water bill – and can cause irreparable lawn and plant damage. In fact, over-watering can cause just as many problems as under-watering.
Normally each sprinkler head can deliver anywhere from I to 6 gallons per minute. A typical residential water meter can deliver 30 gallons per minute. With this in mind; 5 sprinkler heads can use 30 gal/min.
However, most professional gardeners would agree that between 8 AM and 10 AM is the best time of day to cut your grass. The reason for that is that lawns need time to heal before evening. Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles.