Spring Startup Lawn watering?

10 years ago

This is our first spring watering startup in our 1 year old house for our grass.
Irrigation company coming out on April 11th to turn on sprinklers.

Central VA Zone 7.
Fescue grass.
Aerated last October & Watered for 30 days after.
Snowing & wet winter.
Rainbird watering controller.

How much watering should I be doing to kick things off?

Is there such a difference between a spring watering program vs. a summer?

Comments (2)

dchall_san_antonio
10 years ago
There are some differences and one similarity from spring to summer. The similarity is that you should water a full inch every time you water. When the sprinklers are running, put out some empty cat food or tuna cans and time how long it takes to fill them. That is the time to set your sprinklers to run in each zone (unless they overlap). This time might be different for every zone if you have zones. It will be different if you have different sprinkler heads. I have one hose sprinkler that takes 8 full hours to get an inch. My neighbor's automatic system takes 20 minutes. You need to do your own homework on this. Your sprinkler guys WILL NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS. You'll have to test it. Your water pressure, your piping, your sprinkler heads, and your sprinkler head settings are different from everyone else's.

The biggest difference between summer and spring is frequency of watering. When the temps are below 70 degrees you only should have to water once per month. Above 70 and you can go to every 3 weeks. Above 80 go to every other week. Above 90 go to every week. Above 100 go to every 5 days. These are general, but very popular, guidelines. Other variables include sunlight, shade, clouds, humidity, wind, grass type, grass height, soil type, and soil depth. In no case, including recent aeration, should you water every day or even every other day. If you live in Las Vegas and you're having a normal summer with humidity around 5% and temps above 110, then you might water more frequently than every 5 days.
pbx2_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Posted by dchall_san_antonio 8 San Antonio (My Page) on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 14:56
There are some differences and one similarity from spring to summer. The similarity is that you should water a full inch every time you water. When the sprinklers are running, put out some empty cat food or tuna cans and time how long it takes to fill them.

Filling one of those cans is equivalent to how many inches of watering?

Posted by dchall_san_antonio 8 San Antonio (My Page) on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 14:56
That is the time to set your sprinklers to run in each zone (unless they overlap). This time might be different for every zone if you have zones. It will be different if you have different sprinkler heads. I have one hose sprinkler that takes 8 full hours to get an inch. My neighbor's automatic system takes 20 minutes.

Yes, we have automatic sprinklers. & using the technique above after we moved in last year, it took about 30 mins with overlapping heads in our 9 zones (give or take a few mins in each).

Posted by dchall_san_antonio 8 San Antonio (My Page) on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 14:56

You need to do your own homework on this. Your sprinkler guys WILL NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS. You'll have to test it. Your water pressure, your piping, your sprinkler heads, and your sprinkler head settings are different from everyone else's.
Boy, I realized this last year right away!

Posted by dchall_san_antonio 8 San Antonio (My Page) on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 14:56
... In no case, including recent aeration, should you water every day or even every other day.

I am very surprised at these comments. It contrast to what my lawn company suggested instruction for post aeration care was last fall where we actually watered for 30 straight days.

please see below link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Post Aeration Maintenance