How to Plan a Watering Schedule for your Irrigation System - 4 Steps

We recommend planning your watering schedule and writing it down on a Water Scheduling Form before you do any actual programming of your controller (timer). There are so many variables (soil type, sprinklers, drip systems, wind, sunny areas, shady areas, slopes, etc.) that it is impossible for us to give you an exact formula for how to program your irrigation controller. Each watering station (zone) will have different requirements. Spend a little time to understand the water needs of the plants in each zone.

Start by answering these four questions:

1. How LONG should I water each station?

To make sure that you don’t over or under water a particular station, we recommend finding out what the saturation point is for each zone on your system. Using a stop watch or wrist watch, turn on the valve and watch the sprinklers watering. Once the water starts running off of the area being watered, the soil has reached its saturation point. Record the saturation point for this zone, but program a little less time for the station so that you are not wasting water. Repeat this for each station on your system. This is an excellent starting point for determining how long to water each station on your system.

2. How OFTEN should I water each station?

Now that you have determined how long it takes to saturate the soil you will need to estimate how long it takes for the water to evaporate. This will vary throughout the year depending on temperature, wind, shade and sun. You will find that some zones will need water more frequently than others. Making these adjustments is easy with our DMC Controller. It has three different programs and four different start times to accommodate any scheduling requirement.

3. What TIME OF DAY should I water?

It is usually recommended that you water 1 to 3 hours before sunrise, when water pressure is optimal. However, you may be competing with the neighbors for water pressure. Pay attention to your neighborhood watering patterns to determine the best time to begin watering. Early morning watering is best for most plants as well. Less water will evaporate in the early morning hours, and some leaves will burn if watered in the heat of the day.

4. On WHAT DAYS should I water?

During extreme heat you may have to water every day. Regular activities around your house will influence your choice of watering days. Suggestions for non-watering days: The day your gardener comes, the day you do your gardening, weekend barbecues, and children’s play days.

Here's a list of all the parts discussed in this tutorial.

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