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 calculate the average
water depth in the cans.
- Locate 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 a watering time of 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. Skip watering when it rains. Water
at night, instead of midday when evaporation is high.
Tips for saving water:
Water your lawn three days a week, and only in the morning before the sun
is overhead.
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.
Even though single-family
residences are specifically excluded from the effect of these
guidelines, many of the same concepts may apply. This PDF contains further
information about the City of
San Bruno's Landscape Guidelines. This PDF contains exhibit samples for
landscaping projects.
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