Water up to 25 minutes for rotors, rotary, and impact sprinklers. Tips for new seed: Keep the top 2 inches of soil moist watering daily, morning would be best to get it through the heat of the day.
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.
Be sure that they are evenly space in each section of grass that you want touched by your sprinkler. After your containers are evenly placed about your lawn, turn your sprinklers on for 15 minutes. Running your sprinklers for 15 minutes gives your sprinklers enough time to cover your entire lawn at least three times.
You can operate 2 or 3 sprinklers at one time with 'Y's and extra hoses, depending on your water pressure. To run more than one sprinkler off the same faucet, attach a 'Y' to your faucet and run a hose to each sprinkler.
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.
The high volume pressurised water stream gets harder to be distributed evenly. Thus, that size of impact sprinklers have another small (4-6 mm) nozzle to water the area for the closer area to the sprinkler. The main stream will start spreading in the air after a certain distance to the sprinkler head.
Sprinklers generally cover up wider ground and spread out water at a slow yet steady pace, which makes all the soil moisturized evenly and soaked underground. A watering hose takes time to cover space and can clutter the soil if there's too much water.
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.
The amount of water you need is generally 1 to 1.5 inches per week, but it can vary depending on your grass type, the climate you live in, your soil type, and the age of your lawn. In general, you want the top 6-8 inches of soil to be moist, but not soggy—which translates to 1 to 1.5 inches per week.
Typically, though, a sprinkler system zone will boast 5 to 6 rotor heads and/or 8 to 10 spray heads.
We're Talking PSI
The optimum operating pressure for most residential sprinkler heads is between 30 and 50 pounds per square inch (PSI).
The impact sprinkler's long spray radius and uniform water distribution re-creates the effect of natural rainfall. The device provides an above-ground alternative to furrow irrigation, in which trenches are dug between rows of crops and flooded.
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.
Shallow root systems require frequent watering to keep the surface wet, creating an ideal environment for weeds and diseases. Although some grasses have less extensive root systems than others, deep, infrequent watering that allows water to penetrate the top 6 to 8 inches of soil will promote healthy root growth.
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.
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.
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.
Uses less water
Sprinklers project water into the air and over plants, allowing some of it to drift in the wind or evaporate from leaves. But hand watering allows gardeners to direct water precisely where it's needed, minimizing drift and evaporation.
Drip irrigation is the most water-efficient way to irrigate many different plantings. It is an ideal way to water in clay soils because the water is applied slowly, allowing the soil to absorb the water and avoid runoff. Drip devices use a fraction of the water that overhead spray devices use.
The fresh fallen rain can be a benefit to the grass because the water helps to flush the roots which may allow the roots to take up this fresh nitrogen and tap into the nitrogen that was already present.
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. However, watering at any time of the day is better than not watering at all.
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.