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Landscape Watering Schedule
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Water Budget Calculator
To help determine the total amount of water your garden may need,
use the Water Budget Calculator (Microsoft Excel File), created by The State of California Department of Water Resources.
How Much? How Often?
Visit LACoastalGardens.com
for watering specs appropriate to individual irrigation systems.
Or Visit etwatergnome.com for watering schedules that incorporate local weather data.
You
have three choices to make about your watering schedule:
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1. What time of day to water
[If you have an automatic controller, this is usually called Start
Time or Cycle Start]
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In general, to reduce water loss by evaporation, it is best to water during the early morning hours if you are using a spray system. (Remember that Santa Monica's Municipal Code prohibits watering between 10 a.m. & 4 p.m.) For drip systems, you may choose any time you like. Sometimes, when using watering devices, like spray heads or bubblers, which apply water faster than the soil can accept it; you may need several start times spaced out over a longer period.
2. How long to water
[Run Time or Water Time]
This is the hardest one to figure out. It is the time that it takes to refill the soil reservoir in the root ball of the plants and is a function of the type of plant, its root depth, the type of soil and the current weather. It is possible to mathematically calculate this number but someone has already done that for you. LACoastalGardens.com has resources to establish a beginning controller program for your garden.
After living with this program a while you may want to adjust it, but this will put you in the ballpark and assure that you are not overwatering. (If you have a native plant garden, overwatering is about the only thing that can kill your plants.) Ordinarily, once you’ve figured out how long to water, that number should only be changed to adjust for root growth.
If you are using a watering device that has a high application rate or the planting area is on a slope or you have clay soil that can’t absorb the water fast enough, it may be advantageous to divide this time up into several shorter applications to avoid run-off.
3. How often to water
[Day Interval or Skip-A-Day]
Again, LACoastalGardens.com will help you determine the proper watering schedule.
Unless you have a Weather Based Irrigation Controller (WBIC)  to do the work for you, increasing or decreasing the frequency of watering should be your primary method of seasonal adjustment. The number of days between watering is the best way to think of this. Unless you have a specific need to avoid watering on certain days of the week, you will find this the easiest way to make seasonal adjustments. Some controllers allow frequency to be scheduled only by days of the week. These settings are referred to as Day Settings, Days of the Week or Days On.
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Last updated: Friday, 08/05/2011
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New Landscape Rebates
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Looking for extra motivation to make your landscape water-wise? The City of Santa Monica is now offering Cash Reimbursements for recommended irrigation products, removal of thirsty lawns, or a complete landscape overhaul. These offers are first come, first served--find out all the details here: Rebates
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A Website for Sore Eyes
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Take a gander at some gorgeous gardens, point and click on the plants you like and - voila! - you tap into a wealth of information on that particular plant species. Click again and you automatically compile a printable list of plants that can easily be handed-off to a landscaper or an attendant at your favorite nursery.
This tool will go a long way in helping you overcome some of the most significant hurdles in getting your sustainable landscape project started.
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