Drip irrigation tips
Water less often
Running drip irrigation too many days a week is the biggest mistake most homeowners make. Plants don’t need water as often as grass! We recommend the following frequency:
Summer: Water up to 3 days a week (every other day)
Spring/fall: Water up to 2 days a week
Winter: Water up to once a week or every other week
Remember to avoid Sunday watering and comply with seasonal watering restrictions—or face a water waste fine.
Looking for sprinkler irrigation tips? Find out how to get the most from your irrigation with these water-saving sprinkler tips.
How to water plants with drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is the perfect match for your plants, but running drip too many days a week is the biggest mistake most homeowners make. Drip waters plants long and slow in gallons per hour (gph) and puts water right at the root zone, which means you can water less often.
How long to water
The length of each watering depends on whether you have high-flow or low-flow drip emitters.
High-flow
5 - 20 gallons per hour
- Emitter streams like a water fountain
- Enjoys "long-ish" waterings.
- Run 1 cycle, 20 - 40 minutes
Low-flow
Up to 4 gallons per hour
- Emitter drips slowly
- Likes LONG, SLOW waterings.
- Run 1 cycle, 30 - 90 minutes
If plants look stressed
Adjust run times if your plants appear stressed.
First, check the soil moisture. Wet soil means your plants may be over-watered. Water less often or for less time.
If the soil is dry, check that all emitters are working properly. If they are, increase the watering time or add emitters only near the stressed plants.