Run time per sprinkler zone?

[Kirk]

How long do you normally run your sprinkler zones? When I first moved in they were preset at 7 minutes but our grass started dying.... so then I cranked it up to 30 mins per zone and its nice and green now after 3 weeks... (+ fertilizing)

Is 30 mins per zone overkill?

[XtremeVision]

I guess that would be a reason why my grass is dead. I never remember to turn my system on. When I do, I forget to turn the days off and it comes on all week. lol

I think about 15 min is ok, I wouldnt worry about 30 min, as long as its green somthing is right.

[Guado]

my stations are usually at 20-25, summer. For winter back down to around 10-15

[Charles]

How long do you normally run your sprinkler zones? When I first moved in they were preset at 7 minutes but our grass started dying.... so then I cranked it up to 30 mins per zone and its nice and green now after 3 weeks... (+ fertilizing)

Is 30 mins per zone overkill?

Mine are set around 15 mins each, which will also add an automatic $35 to my waterr bill.... :mad:

I cut them off for awhile, but the grass was hurtin' so I turned them back on

[corey r.]

Did that christmas tree palm come around yet?

[RoadRacer]

30 minutes for each zone is fine. Once summer, rainy season, roles around you may want to bump it back to 20 minutes per zone. Don't forget to put down bug/insect killer. Chinch bugs love green grass.

***edit*** my sprinklers run 2 times a week. If you water more than 2 times per week, cut the time back to 20 minutes per zone.

[TNathe]

how often do your "zones" run? everyday? I'm looking to do inground irrigation in my yard. Right now I run just regular sprinklers once a week in the yard for 4 hours.

[corey r.]

depends on your neighbor hood everyones restrictions are different. Also depends if you have reclaimed water or not.

[TNathe]

oh, no restrictions here. Im on well water outside the city. In that case I guess it would be the same as I do now. I've actually got most of the pvc pipe gathered, now I just need several days so I can tear my yard up with a ditch witch and put in some pipe. Not looking forward to it but it'll be nice to jsut hit the switch or whatever and water the entire yard without moving hoses and sprinklers.

[Unregistered]

my stations are usually at 20-25, summer. For winter back down to around 10-15


Thats how we have our system timed.

[Joe]

two times a week is ALL that is needed. If you overwater you cause your grass to have shallow roots and if you get a small dry spell, the grass will be dead.

One of my rentals is in an area with a high content of clay in the soil. The sprinkers are set to 6mins a zone 2 times a week and the grass is the greenest in the neighborhood.

Fertilizer cycles are what makes the grass really green. :)

[TNathe]

two times a week is ALL that is needed. If you overwater you cause your grass to have shallow roots and if you get a small dry spell, the grass will be dead.

One of my rentals is in an area with a high content of clay in the soil. The sprinkers are set to 6mins a zone 2 times a week and the grass is the greenest in the neighborhood.

Fertilizer cycles are what makes the grass really green. :)

isn't it the opposite? Everything I've read/learned about watering states that you should be watering enough to dampen the soil ~3inches below the surface. Lightly watering doesn't allow the water to seep into the soil much if at all and causes the plants to have shallow roots due to that's where their source of water is coming from.

[corey r.]

isn't it the opposite? Everything I've read/learned about watering states that you should be watering enough to dampen the soil ~3inches below the surface. Lightly watering doesn't allow the water to seep into the soil much if at all and causes the plants to have shallow roots due to that's where their source of water is coming from.


This is what I have always beleived myself. Light watering = shallow roots.

[_Chris_]

mine are set to go twice a week, about 15-30 mins per zone depending on which one.

[neonnight34609]

30 mins per zone at 4 am is what i do .. i find water pressure to be way better later ar night when most people are sleeping also give water time to get down to the roots before sunrise .

[Ford DNA]

I water for an hour per zone, but I only hit each zone once a week. Right now, I'm only watering when I see dry spots. But for the weeks and weeks we didn't have rain, it was one hour per zone. Less than that, and it was still dry/dead looking.

I would imagine it might depend on your type of grass, too.

[J-Dizzle]

u should only water an hour each zone after fertilzing , well that what the Trugreen dude told me ... mines set for 35min each zone...grass couldnt be greener

[Ford DNA]

That's what the guy might have told you about YOUR yard. ;-)

Whatever works for your grass is all that matters.

[J-Dizzle]

well thanks for being all technical > hahahah...yea its st.augustine

[orlando]

I have mine on for 30 minutes per zone, 6 days a week. I also have the greenest grass in the neighborhood, lol

twice a week for 30-40 minutes per zone should do it though. Its better to do it for longer periods of time than often, to an extent ... for example, twice a week for 30 minutes is better than 4 times a week for 10 minutes. You want the water to really soke deep down so that the grass rooms grow deep down into the soil.

Another thing that will help keep your grass green is mowing on the highest setting and mowing it often (once a week now, every two weeks in the winter). The taller the grass, the less vulnerable it is going to be to the heat. Cutting it often is important because you never want to let your grass grow tooooo tall and then chop it all off. Also, make sure your mower blade is sharp. If its not, it wont cleanly cut the grass. Instead it'll tear it leaving brownish tips and making your grass for vulnerable to disease.

Lastly, set the sprinklers so that the last zone ends around 6am-7am (make sure they are off when you have to shower or else your shower will suck). You dont want to water your grass during the day or too early in the evening as with the water just sitting there for too long, your grass can get fungus.

Cliff notes: Mower on highest setting, mow once a week, water twice for 30 minutes per zone, fertilize every 45-60 days = green ass grass

[XtremeSaturn]

20mins, two times a week with a little scott's bonus s mixed in there and I've got a nice green yard :-)

[TNathe]

20mins, two times a week with a little scott's bonus s mixed in there and I've got a nice green yard :-)

obviously you have a backflow preventer in your system or it is a seperate system from your house. Just wanted to note that so people who do not KNOW what they have don't try that and end up killing people because "contaminated" water got in the house and in the drinking water.

I bet that is nice though being able to add the fertilizer right in with your watering system.

[XtremeSaturn]

Didn't mean for it to sound like I mix the fertilizer in with the water. I picked up a bag of bonus s and it was too much to do my yard so did two applications over the past couple months and water 2 times a week.

No weeds and nice green grass is sweet :-)

[TNathe]

oh, :lol: , they do have those systems though, a container built in to your irrigation line that you can add chemicals to and it will disperse them through water.

Oh, and +1 Scotts Bonus S Weed and Feed. It works wonders.