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How often should I water my lawn/garden? I have an ground sprinkler system with 7 zones.
Some have told me 20 min a zone EVERYDAY. Others told me 45 min per zone every other day?
I guess there is no write or wrong answer, just looking for opinions on the +/- of either.
My next door neighbor just had sprinklers installed weeks ago and they followed the advice to water everyday for 20 minutes each zone. Their grass never looked better. I am jealous!
Three zones. I do every other day and skip a day if it rains. 20 minutes for front lawn (sod), 10 minutes shrubs (mulch bed), 30 minutes backyard (seeded). The grass looks great - especially the front yard.
I've heard that every day watering discourages the grass to grow deeper roots. New lawns do however require daily watering.
Also, watering times depend on the soil condition and how much sun the grass gets.
I also water at night - not sure if that is the best time.....
Really depends on how good/bad your lawn is. If your lawn is drying up, and dying...then it needs more. The opposite if it's fine.
15 mins for flower beds, and 20-30 mins for lawns every other day.
Some towns have water restrictions, and will only allow you to do this anyway. You get to water on odd or even days, it depends on your house number.
Also, set your timer for around 4:30/5:00. This way it's done right around sunrise. It's a waste to water during daytime hours. And watering late at night can cause a fungus (from what I've heard) by having the water sit on top of the lawn all night. Also, most lawns get wet from the dew of night time.
Three zones. I do every other day and skip a day if it rains. 20 minutes for front lawn (sod), 10 minutes shrubs (mulch bed), 30 minutes backyard (seeded). The grass looks great - especially the front yard.
I've heard that every day watering discourages the grass to grow deeper roots. New lawns do however require daily watering.
Also, watering times depend on the soil condition and how much sun the grass gets.
I also water at night - not sure if that is the best time.....
Pretty spot on. You should water a new lawn or any new planting daily. For established lawns, you want to give them at least 1/2 inch of water weekly. The best way to do this is to buy a rain gauge and measure it, so you'll know how long your system takes to put down the amount you want.
Watering longer fewer times per week will force your grass to develop deeper roots. I like to put down at least 1/4" every time I water, so I usually water for an hour once or twice a week, depending up rainfall.
If having a good looking lawn is important to you, remember to raise your mowing deck in hot, dry weather.
Watering your lawn early in the morning is best, but watering in the evening or at night is preferable to watering during most of the day. A lot of water is lost through evaporation with mid-day watering.
Its not about time its about how much water each zone coverage is getting and the area its covering. Some zones have 360 degree heads as some are only 180 degrees and watering twice as much in the same time frame. Some zones have over lap from another zone and get hit twice. You really have to sit and watch and use common sense.
We do 30 minutes front zones/20 back zones and beds every other evening. Also install a rain sensor and replace discs when needed. My landscapers love my lawn when they cut 8am Sunday mornings.
45 min every other day for my zones in the front and 30, 20 for my smaller zones in the back. This will vary wildly depending on your sprinkler coverage, type or soil, grass etc. There is no magic number.
For established lawns, you want to give them at least 1/2 inch of water weekly. The best way to do this is to buy a rain gauge and measure it, so you'll know how long your system takes to put down the amount you want.
Watering longer fewer times per week will force your grass to develop deeper roots. I like to put down at least 1/4" every time I water, so I usually water for an hour once or twice a week, depending up rainfall.
If having a good looking lawn is important to you, remember to raise your mowing deck in hot, dry weather.
Watering your lawn early in the morning is best, but watering in the evening or at night is preferable to watering during most of the day. A lot of water is lost through evaporation with mid-day watering.
This is what I've read too (and almost seems like you copy/pasted)
Since most systems are easier to program even vs. odd days, we do every other day anyway. We don't have a rain sensor, but Rainmachine has made this easier. It also reads the weather forecast and skips a schedule if rain is coming. It also has the added benefit of letting me turn them zones on via smartphone when I see undesirable creatures roam the lawn.
One other thing - watering at night may promote fungus growth, which I've witnessed in the past (shrooms!).
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