The more extreme heat we have, the more stress it can have on a lawn. As a homeowner with an irrigation sprinkler system, you might be considering increasing your water budget. It would be natural to think that. You might even be thinking to increase your zone run times or set up additional start times on your clock. IÂ see it all the time particularly this season when the heat has been so extreme.
Before you change anything, we encourage you to first consult with a licensed irrigation contractor. If you decide not to go that route, here are a few things you should really consider.
First, do not run your irrigation system in the middle of the day. I can’t believe it when I drive by a property (sometimes even commercial properties) that are running their sprinklers in the heat of the day. Really? While you might think this is a good idea, the amount of water that actually hits the target area (your lawn) is far less than you might think. The evaporation in the humid air is higher during this time period. Plus, your lawn becomes susceptible to diseases which can be difficult to detect at first and can destroy an entire lawn if left untreated.
If you do increase the water budget remember you are affecting every zone. That’s fine if your entire property is in full sun. However, if you have zones in the shade you will be overwatering. Again, allowing diseases to permeate your lawn.
The best course of action is to water after the sun comes up but before 9:30 a.m. Evening watering should be done between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. In doing this you may avoid potential disease that is lurking in the dark.
Lastly, to insure you are getting the correct coverage on all your zones and that you are maximizing the best water efficiency, you should have a licensed contractor go over your system design. An inefficient system can be very costly to a homeowner.