Landscaping Tips
Lawn watering uses nearly half of the water around most homes. Most of us tend to water too often and leave the sprinklers on too long.
The steps outlined below will help you determine how long to leave your sprinklers on if you water three times a week. Proper lawn watering can save a lot of water - and that saves you money!
How to Figure Out What Your Lawn Needs
A simple way to determine your lawn watering needs:
- Set three flat bottom cans or coffee mugs at various places on your lawn.
- Turn on your sprinkler(s) for 15 minutes.
- Measure the depth of water in each can with a ruler and determine the average water depth in the cans.
- Find your average water depth on the top line of the chart below.
- Read the number of minutes you should water and record the times for future reference. Water only three times per week (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday).
| Average Water Depth in Can in Inches | 1/8" | 3/16" | 1/4" | 5/16" | 3/8" | 1/2" | 5/8" | 3/4" | 1" | 1-1/4" | 1-1/2" |
How long you should water on each of your three watering days (in minutes): |
|||||||||||
Spring |
44 |
29 |
22 |
18 |
15 |
11 |
8 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
Summer |
69 |
46 |
35 |
28 |
23 |
17 |
14 |
12 |
8 |
7 |
5 |
Fall |
32 |
22 |
16 |
13 |
11 |
8 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
Winter |
Water in winter only during prolonged warm or dry periods. |
||||||||||
Example: Suppose the average depth of water in your cans is 1 inch. To determine how long to water your lawn during the summer months, find 1" on the top row of the chart. Follow the column down to the "summer" row, where you will find your watering time... 8 minutes.
Use these watering times as a guide only. Your lawn may need more water when it's extra hot or less when it's cool. Watering can be skipped when it rains. Avoid watering on windy days or midday when evaporation is higher.
Landscaping Tips
Get to know how plants signal for water. Grass tends to lie flat after being stepped on if moisture is low. Some plants lose their gloss and start to droop a little before wilting. The time to water is when the plants need it - rigid watering schedules waste water. - Adjust sprinklers to avoid watering the sidewalk or driveway.
- Train your plants to develop deep roots by watering thoroughly but infrequently. Deeper roots will enable plants to utilize moisture deep in the ground, making them healthier and stronger.
- Prevent runoff by watering for shorter periods at half hour intervals.
- Shrubs and trees need only half the water your lawn needs. Drought tolerant species need even less.
We also have a variety of booklets and informational packets available to help you conserve water all around your home.
Please contact Cindy Mejia at cmejia@ylwd.com or 714-701-3024 for more information
Monthly Watering Guide
The Watering Calculator is intended to be used with zip codes for urban Southern California. It was developed by the city of San Diego and is a tool that estimates the correct amount of water to give your landscape or garden every week.
It has been designed to give you a schedule for the maximum amount of water which your plants may need each week of the year. For example, in January, your plants may need to be watered for a total of six minutes per week. Come July, they may need 24 minutes per week. The calculator has been simplified by using average numbers for weather, plants, and soils within the urban Southern California area, and should be used as a guide only.
To access the Watering Calculator, click on www.bewaterwise.com/calculator.html