Fall is actually the best time to do so. Not only is your lawn at an ideal temperature for this type of installation, but it'll also give you time to plant new trees or annuals that'll be able to dig their roots in before winter arrives. Here's what to know about autumn and irrigation systems.
Once the spring start-up season is over is the best time to install a sprinkler system. Installation can happen right through fall, until the ground freezes in late October.
It is best to turn on your system during the warmest time of the day when anticipating freezing conditions. Be sure the outside temperature is 40 degrees fahrenheit or above when you run your system. You ABSOLUTELY do not want to run your sprinkler system during a hard freeze as this will cause damage to your system.
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.
Watering 101
Your lawn needs 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week. A typical in-ground sprinkler system provides ½” of watering, per zone, in a half an hour. This would mean that you need to run each zone of your sprinkler system for 30 minutes, 3 times a week to sufficiently hydrate your lawn.
Best Time To Turn On Sprinklers
Typically we don't suggest that our customers start up their systems until the end of April or the first of May. Some years, we may even be a bit later than that. Usually, the forsythias are blooming by the end of March; some years, they just start to bloom in April.
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.
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.
The “Four Times Rule” is really just an extension of the “three times rule” however it covers extended coverage sprinklers and the maximum clearance is 36 inches (0.9144 m).
During really hot weather, water your vegetables at least two to three times a week. Watering the garden deeply is critical. The water must go down, down, down to encourage deep roots and get away from the hot soil surface.
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.
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.
Running the sprinkler system when it is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below is cause for concern. Let's take a look below at the best ways to protect your sprinkler system in the winter months.
Sprinklers provide a 2 to 5-degree temperature difference, which is just enough to protect the plants. As long as water is constantly wetting the plant, the system should successfully protect them from severe damage. The ice should appear relatively clear.
If your home's water capacity was 10 GPM, you could place 3 heads per zone. Consult the Performance Charts on or inside the box your sprinkler head came in for your head's exact performance data, or locate the performance data in the Support area of this website.
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.
Check your system's design.
Keep the spray at least 2 feet away from the house.
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. When it's hot and dry, double the water times while still trying to water just 2 or 3 days a week.
1 of NFPA 13, which states that the distance from the sprinkler to the wall can be no more than one-half the allowable distance between sprinklers. The max distance between standard spray sprinklers in light hazard settings is 15 ft. (4.6 m) (with exceptions for light-hazard, combustible concealed spaces).
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.
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.
1. Water Thoroughly: Rotor zones should run for about 30-40 minutes per zone and spray zones 10-15 minutes per zone. 2.