Keeping your lawn and garden healthy and vibrant requires regular watering, and sprinkler systems make this task much easier. However, it's essential to understand the different types of sprinklers and their watering run times to ensure your plants receive the right amount of water without wasting this valuable resource.

Different Types of Sprinklers

Before we dive into run times, let's first understand the different types of sprinklers:

• Dripline: This type of sprinkler is ideal for watering garden beds and trees, delivering water directly to the roots. Driplines have a low flow rate, which allows for deep watering and reduces water runoff.
• Micro Spray: Micro spray sprinklers are best for watering small, targeted areas like flower beds, shrubs, and groundcovers. They have a higher flow rate than driplines, delivering a fine mist that's ideal for delicate plants.
• Pop-up/fixed spray: These sprinklers have a fan-shaped spray pattern and are ideal for watering small to medium-sized lawns. They are also useful for irrigating narrow or odd-shaped areas, as they can be adjusted to deliver water in a specific direction.
• Rotary: Rotary sprinklers have a rotating head that delivers water in a circular pattern, making them ideal for larger lawns and gardens. They have a lower flow rate than pop-up or fixed spray sprinklers, which allows for deep watering.
• Gear drive rotor: Gear drive rotors work similarly to rotary sprinklers, but they have a gear-driven head that can cover a larger area with a single sprinkler head. They have a higher flow rate than rotary sprinklers, making them ideal for large lawns and gardens.

Watering Run Times

Each type of sprinkler has a different watering rate and recommended run time to ensure your plants receive the right amount of water. Here's a guide to the suggested run times for each type of sprinkler to apply a standard drink of 10mm:

• Dripline: With a watering rate of 15-20mm per hour, dripline sprinklers require a suggested run time of 30-40 minutes to apply a standard drink of 10mm.
• Micro spray: Micro spray sprinklers have a watering rate of 35-45mm per hour, requiring a suggested run time of 13-16 minutes to apply a standard drink of 10mm.
• Pop-up/fixed spray: These sprinklers have a similar watering rate to micro spray sprinklers, with a suggested run time of 13-16 minutes to apply a standard drink of 10mm.
• Rotary: With a lower watering rate of 10-15mm per hour, rotary sprinklers require a longer run time of 40-60 minutes to apply a standard drink of 10mm.
• Gear drive rotor: Gear drive rotors have a higher watering rate of 10-20mm per hour, requiring a suggested run time of 30-40 minutes to apply a standard drink of 10mm.

Seasonal Adjustment Settings

As the seasons change, so do the water needs of your lawn and garden. The table below shows the adjustments that should be made to your irrigation controller's 'Seasonal Adjustment' setting to avoid over watering.

No matter the season, your controller should always be turned off when it's raining. It is highly recommended that you have a rain shutoff fitted to your irrigation controller.

Soil Types

The type of soil in your garden can also affect your watering schedule. Here are some general guidelines for different soil types:

• Sandy soils: Because sand doesn't hold water well, a single application of 10mm per watering day is sufficient.
• Loam soils: Loam soils hold water better than sand, but not as well as clay. Therefore, it's recommended to apply two applications of 5mm per watering day.
• Clay soils: Clay soils hold water the best but can also be prone to waterlogging. To prevent overwatering, it's recommended to apply three applications of 3mm per watering day.

For any questions, contact our in-store team who are Waterwise certifed and ready to assist Monday - Saturday.

Image credit to Irrigation Australia.