Watering tips
•Timed irrigation systems or methods save time and water
•Check spray heads and patterns regularly to ensure the system is working properly
•The best watering time is between midnight and 9 a.m.
•Avoid watering when it is windy because the water will evaporate quickly and blow onto areas where it is not needed
•Set sprinklers so that they shut off before puddles form or runoff begins
•Plant drought-resistant trees, plants and grasses that require less water
•Consider drip irrigation systems around trees and shrubs to put water where it’s needed.
•Keep lawns free of weeds.
•Aerate lawns regularly
•Don’t put on more fertilizer than the plants need
•Mow as infrequently as possible and cut your lawn higher than normal to reduce drought stress on the lawn.
•Catch water coming off roofs and driveways in barrels or a cistern, or redirect downspouts into planting areas
•Spot-water in perennially dry areas
•Watering for longer periods several times a week is better than watering for a short time every day. Watering for longer periods puts more water deeper in the soil and encourages deep root development and a steady moisture level in the soil
Sprinkler running times
•To determine how long to run your sprinklers, first buy two or three inexpensive rain gauges and place them evenly across your lawn. Tuna cans also work.
•Run your system for 30 minutes, making sure the gauges or cans stay upright.
•After 30 minutes, measure the inches of water in each container and average the number. Multiply this number by two to determine the inches per hour that your sprinklers are delivering.
•Divide the quantity of water you need to apply by your sprinklers’ output in inches per hour. For example, bluegrass requires at least an inch of water a week (1-1/2 inches in July and August).
•If your sprinklers deliver 0.8 inches in an hour, then you will need to run them for 1 hour, 15 minutes to get the required amount. (Divide one inch by 0.8 inches which equals 1.25 hours).
•To get the inch of water your lawn needs, you would need to water for 25 minutes, three times a week. People with sandy soil should probably water every other day as water drains quickly through sand.
Source: Tom Salaiz, University of Idaho turf grass specialist