To water or not to water?

[MJinAustin]

Originally Posted by Indigoblue

Thank you for all the advice Just a note that when I spoke to the Home Depot person I didn't yet know what type of grass it was.

For those recommending watering, how long and how often should we water the grass? And how do these amounts change seasonally? Thanks We've never had to set about having a schedule for watering grass.

A good 30 minute soak on each section should be adequate, perhaps 10 min longer in sections that get full sun, perhaps 10 min shorter on fully shaded sections. We normally don't water anytime except summer. Last summer we had so much rain, I never turned my sprinkler system on at all.

If you are in the city of Austin, we have water restrictions. Here is the website: City of Austin - Summer Watering Info
Basically, you can't water between 10a and 7p with auto sprinklers...and really it's just plain dumb to water between these hours anyway. Go to the website for your days (based on your address). You get two per week.

[Indigoblue]

Thank you I am on Austin city water so that's good to know! I love all the rain lately So good to see after it was so dry the last several weeks.

Originally Posted by MJinAustin

A good 30 minute soak on each section should be adequate, perhaps 10 min longer in sections that get full sun, perhaps 10 min shorter on fully shaded sections. We normally don't water anytime except summer. Last summer we had so much rain, I never turned my sprinkler system on at all.

If you are in the city of Austin, we have water restrictions. Here is the website: City of Austin - Summer Watering Info
Basically, you can't water between 10a and 7p with auto sprinklers...and really it's just plain dumb to water between these hours anyway. Go to the website for your days (based on your address). You get two per week.

[Indigoblue]

I hope this isn't an embarrassing question, but what is it that you can do from October to April between 10 and 7 that you can't do from May to September? Water your yard with above ground sprinklers, but not via an underground sprinkler system? And if so why the differentiation? Do people with above ground sprinklers tend to use less water than those with installed sprinkler systems? Thanks

Year-round: No watering with automatic irrigation systems between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
May 1 - Sept 30: No watering between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. except with hand-held hose.

[MJinAustin]

Originally Posted by Indigoblue

I hope this isn't an embarrassing question, but what is it that you can do from October to April between 10 and 7 that you can't do from May to September? Water your yard with above ground sprinklers, but not via an underground sprinkler system? And if so why the differentiation? Do people with above ground sprinklers tend to use less water than those with installed sprinkler systems? Thanks

Year-round: No watering with automatic irrigation systems between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
May 1 - Sept 30: No watering between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. except with hand-held hose.

My guess is that if you have an auto system, you should be able to time it for off-peak water usage, and maybe they just want to regulate that. With our heat here, it doesn't make sense to water during the day as more evaporates than at night. There's no watering in the daytime at all in the summer because of the evaporation.