Did you know?
- You may lose 50% of water to evaporation when watering during the hottest part of the day (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.).
- Small leaks may waste hundreds or thousands of gallons of water. Inspect and repair your system regularly or hire a professional to fix leaks.
- Adjust nozzles to spray only the lawn. For hard-to-water areas, consider planting something that doesn't need irrigation.
- A "rain-sensor" signals the irrigation box to turn off when it's raining. These units are available where many watering systems are sold.
- Irrigation with a "drip" system is efficient, minimizes evaporation, overspray, and runoff. Systems are available at many garden centers.
- Our drinking water, which is also used for irrigation, comes from aquifers through wells ranging from 300 to 800 feet deep.
Smart irrigation tips
- A healthy lawn will be okay with 1" of water per week (via rain or irrigation). Measure rain with a simple gauge or your irrigation with a small container on the ground.
- Water in the early morning or late evening and when it's not windy. Avoid watering between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to reduce loss by evaporation.
- Avoid irrigating too much, which causes shallow roots, lawn disease, and stress. You can check soil moisture with a simple moisture meter.
