Irrigation Schedule

The irrigation schedule on this page is only a starting point. For a number of reasons, some outlined below, it is not possible to develop a single schedule which is applicable to all situations. It is best to understand the general priciples and go from there. The general principles behind irrigation are as follows:

Properly irrigating your plants helps them develop a healthy root system. For plants to develop a healthy root system they need water to be applied deep into the soil.
Newly installed need water more frequently and for shorter periods of time. Over time, water should be applied less frequently and for longer periods of time.
Applying water too frequently encourages plants to develop a superficial root system.
Watering too frequently can all result in the growth of fungus which can damage or kill your plants. The soil near the surface should be given time to dry out between waterings.
Plants show clear signs when they are water deprived - wilting, yellowing of leaves, etc.
Applying too much water does not help your plants, wastes water and is a waste of money. Try cutting back on the water and see how your plants do. If they appear healthy keep cutting back. Experiment until you get it right!
Soil conditions can have a significant impact on the irrigation schedule. For example, rocky soils generally require irrigation to be applied more frequently than clays do.

Below is a suggested watering schedule. We strongly encourage you to closely follow this schedule for the first 30 days. For instructions on how to operate your irrigation timer please click here

Zone	Days 1 - 101		Days 11 - 301		Month 2 - 31		Established2
Zone	Frequency	Time	Frequency	Time	Frequency	Time	Frequency	Time
Spring (Mar - Apr)
Trees	1x per day	90 min	Every 2nd day	150 min	2x per week	180 min	1x per week	240 min
Citrus	Every 2nd day	90 min	3x per week	120 min	2x per week	150 min	1x per week	180 min
Plants3	1x per day	45 min	1x per day	30 min	3x per week	60 min	3x per week	30 min
Grass	3x per day	10 min	3x per day	8 min	2x per day	10 min	4x per week	15min
Summer (May - Sep)
Trees	1x per day	90 min	Every 2nd day	150 min	2x per week	180 min	1x per week	200 min
Citrus	Every 2nd day	90 min	3x per week	120 min	2x per week	150 min	1x per week	180 min
Plants3	1x per day	45 min	1x per day	30 min	4x per week	30 min	3x per week	45 min
Grass	3x per day	10 min	3x per day	8 min	2x per day	10 min	4x per week	15min
Fall (Oct - Nov)
Trees	1x per day	90 min	Every 2nd day	150 min	2x per week	180 min	1x per week	240 min
Citrus	2x per week	90 min	1x per week	150 min	1x per week	120 min	Every 2nd week	180 min
Plants3	1x per day	35 min	1x per day	30 min	4x per week	30 min	3x per week	30 min
Grass	2x per day	10 min	2x per day	8 min	1x per day	6 min	4x per week	12min
Winter (Dec - Feb)
Trees	1x per day	90 min	Every 2nd day	150 min	2x per week	180 min	1x per week	240 min
Citrus	2x per week	90 min	1x per week	150 min	1x per week	120 min	Every 2nd day	180 min
Plants3	Every 2nd day	30 min	Every 2nd day	20 min	2x per week	30 min	1x per week	45 min
Grass4	2x per day5	10 min	2x per day	8 min	1x per day	6 min	4x per week	12min
Print Notes: 1 - Starting from time of installation. 2 - Use the established schedule only after the first summer, post-installation. 3 - Does not include native variety plants (i.e. cacti and ocotillo). We do not install irrigation to native desert plants. 4 - Winter rye only. Dormant grasses do not need to be artificially irrigated in the winter, rain is adequate. 5 - 3x per day for overseeded, winter rye grass.