Watering schedule

[Kdharley07@gmail.com]

What should be a good schedule for our sprinklers so we don’t get hit with a big water bill while we are back up not for the summer. Thanks Ken

[photo1902]

What should be a good schedule for our sprinklers so we don’t get hit with a big water bill while we are back up not for the summer. Thanks Ken

No one can give you any more than a WAG guess without knowing your lot size, type of grass you have, how many zones cover plants, shrubs, etc.

[Toymeister]

I suggest getting a WiFi irrigation controller, such as Rachio (Amazon). With this you select the type of plants, soil, and slope. It uses your address to get the weather including temp, rainfall and humidity to determine the evaporation rate and your lawns needs. Also a neighbor or home watch who can text you in case there is a lawn problem.

Rachio is 169.00 with no monthly charge.

[retiredguy123]

What should be a good schedule for our sprinklers so we don’t get hit with a big water bill while we are back up not for the summer. Thanks Ken
You can view your monthly water bill and historic usage online at districtgov.org. You can also view your neighbors' usage and compare it to yours.

[Bill14564]

What should be a good schedule for our sprinklers so we don’t get hit with a big water bill while we are back up not for the summer. Thanks Ken

Check out the Villages Water Wisdom (http://www.thevillageswaterwisdom.com/) page and especially the Irrigation Schedules.

My home is set to water two days per week. About 20 minutes for lawn zones and 12 minutes for plant zones gives a total of about 90 minutes runtime. My controller has the SolarSync sensor connected which adjust times based on date, sunshine, and rain.

My lawn stays green except for the dry period from May into June when some brown areas appear. Right now it has returned to green. I seem to be using about as much water as my neighbors but more than some have reported in other threads. I may be able to tweak mine a little but it seems pretty good right now.

[Michigan Farmer]

What should be a good schedule for our sprinklers so we don’t get hit with a big water bill while we are back up not for the summer. Thanks Ken

Rather than the two or three days a week I run mine one day, two days off, which works well for me. This time of year at least an inch a week as much as two.

I'd be happy to help, drop me a message.

[rjm1cc]

You are in the rainy season so I would go to one day a week. Probably cut back my time by 25%.
Can you get a neighbor to just turn on your system when the grass needs the water. My system is off most of the summer.

[Garywt]

The 2 days that you should water should be listed on your time clock. I only have 2 zones and I upped the time to about 14 minutes for the grass zone and 12 minutes for the bushes. I think they come on about 6 AM.

[RobertWR]

I concur, the Rachio can save much irrigation water.

We have a large corner lot with many landscape beds. Our system was scheduled to run almost 36 hours in June but actually ran 12 hours due to the Rachio device.

Easy to install and program.

[DARFAP]

Yep. I replaced my Hunter controller with a Hunter wifi controller. I can control it from my phone, and it also will use the weather forecast to water or not water per your set schedule. Best option.

[thevillages2013]

What should be a good schedule for our sprinklers so we don’t get hit with a big water bill while we are back up not for the summer. Thanks Ken
Set your irrigation to run twice a week but make sure your sensor is operating properly so it will shut your system off automatically so you won’t water after a good rain. Just because it is there doesn’t mean it is working properly and it has to be switched on to “active” in the control box

[Annie66]

Make sure your rain sensor is set to "ON" or "ACTIVE".

[Altavia]

Another vote for an internet WIFI controller.

B-Hyve is another option for less than $100.

Orbit b•hyve (https://bhyve.orbitonline.com/)

A water monitoring systems like Flume can be helpful monitor water usage real time, detect leaks and broken heads.

Flume Water | Smart Home Water Monitor | Water Leak Detector (https://flumewater.com/)

[J1ceasar]

Most landscapers will tell you the most you should water is twice a week depending on your watering heads typically 15 to 20 minutes per zone if they're putting out the correct amount of water. That's all you should need under any circumstances. If there's a lot of rain obviously there's no need to water it the day after. By the way the average home on our depending on their lot size typically found around here I E 50/100 is about 8:00-10,000 gallons a month when you're living in the home, roughly half of that it's put on your lawn and the rest is used by your washing machines and toilets etc and yes the more you use the higher the rate goes up per a thousand gallons great system huh! That's why so many people try to put in Florida friendly landscaping

[J1ceasar]

PS grass looks great until you get the bill, and you really only need grass if you walk your dog

[KRMACK55]

You can view your monthly water bill and historic usage online at districtgov.org. You can also view your neighbors' usage and compare it to yours.
How is your meter read in TV?

[DAVES]

Watering is confusing at best. First of all the Northern Sections use potable water, drinking water on their landscape. The Southern sections use recycled water, not fit to drink.

Aside, I asked the other day at cooperative extension if it is ok to water things you are growing to eat with that water and the reply was they will get back to me. They don't know either. Anyone growing vegetables, fruit trees they are obviously getting hit with this water.

As to lawn watering. People are saying stuff like time per zone etc. That is almost meaningless. Different heads, systems will put out more or less water per minute.
You want to measure the amount of water hitting each area. Easy to do place shallow
cups, like clean tuna cans around your lawn and measure it.
Your water bill-each address has a meter. The more you use the more you pay per gallon. If, you have a larger property not only do you use more water but you pay more for every gallon you use. Like income tax, you go through the lower brackets and then pay a higher rate above each section.

That rain sensor we all have on the side of your home. Many people have clipped the wire because of issues. Many others have failed, they are simply cork and they do not last.

Right now, it is rainy season, my automatic watering system is manually shut off. I also
manually shut it off most of the winter.
Fertilizer. More is not better. Fertilizer causes the grass to grow-forces it to grow. The more your lawn grows the more water it needs and the more often it needs to be mowed. If, you hire a person to mow your lawn they will only mow once a week.
You are not supposed to remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade when you mow.
When your lawn is really growing it may well need to be mowed twice a week

[DAVES]

How is your meter read in TV?

I think in the older sections they have a conventional meter. In the newer sections the meter is under one of those plastic plates in your front lawn. The meter reader does not remove the plate to read it, he/she has an electronic device that reads through the plate.

[Billy1]

Thanks J1Caesar, now I know why people bring their dog to my lawn.

[Proveone]

Turn the sprinklers off during the rainy season. If we go through a week with no rain, turn it back on.

[PugMom]

Thanks J1Caesar, now I know why people bring their dog to my lawn.

:1rotfl:

[Ski Bum]

I have been in lawn irrigation for 40+ years. The Orbit B-Hive is amazing. By WiFi it receives weather updates and will skip watering during cool or wet weather.

[Phil_Linda]

Yep. I replaced my Hunter controller with a Hunter wifi controller. I can control it from my phone, and it also will use the weather forecast to water or not water per your set schedule. Best option.
Is the Hunter Controller available to buy locally and can one install it themself?
Seeing it takes the weather into account is this all one needs to water lawn efficiently?
Thank you.

[Earlride]

Yep. I replaced my Hunter controller with a Hunter wifi controller. I can control it from my phone, and it also will use the weather forecast to water or not water per your set schedule. Best option.
It is best to use Hunter wife replacements as they can be installed in five minutes without any wiring changes. It just replaces your current controller going into the same box.

[mrf6969]

So get yourself a good neighbor that watches your home. I watch some neighbors homes while they are away for months. At this time I have the water off for obvious reasons. Back on if we get in a dry spell.

[JMintzer]

It is best to use Hunter wife replacements as they can be installed in five minutes without any wiring changes. It just replaces your current controller going into the same box.

Wait, Hunter has a WIFE replacement?

How am I just learning about this and how much does it cost?:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[JMintzer]

So get yourself a good neighbor that watches your home. I watch some neighbors homes while they are away for months. At this time I have the water off for obvious reasons. Back on if we get in a dry spell.

One of my neighbors does that for me.

Bumps up the time when the lawn browns out, reduces the time when it looks better...

[vinnyfla]

There should be a guide card on the inside door of your clock, or ask your lawn service