When it comes to watering, one of the most effective ways to improve the health of your landscape during the summer months is to use the seasonal adjustment features of your irrigation controller. When we have the opportunity to show clients this option on their controller, we're always intrigued by how many people are unaware of this option on their controller.
Almost all controllers have a seasonal adjust option, whether you knew it or not. Initially in the spring your controller should be set for an ‘average’ watering cycle, say, 30 minutes for rotary sprinklers in the lawn and 10-15 minutes for spray style sprinklers in the gardens. A controller’s default setting will automatically have these settings at the 100% threshold.
As the seasons change however, so too should the quantity of water that we use. Rather than changing each zone individually and losing track of what was the ideal run time for that particular zone or area, we advise using the seasonal adjust or watering percentage options on your controller.
As we say, most controllers have this option and the newer smart and Wi-Fi controllers have an option to turn on automatic seasonal adjustments. During our next site visit please ask your technician to show you how to locate this option on your controller to both save you water and improve your plant life during the summer months.
Our average recommended seasonal adjustment settings:
April: 70%
May: 80%
June: 100%
July: 120%
August: 120%
September: 80%
October: 50% or OFF
