Adjusting Valve Run Times

It’s time to adjust your irrigation controller settings.  Cooler weather means less watering.

Reset your controller run times to a less frequent interval. For a sprinkler system that is running three days a week, reduce the start time to two days or even one day depending on the temperature and recent precipitation. Don’t adjust the amount of time the valve is on (run time).

We still want to delivery enough water to penetrate the soil properly.  In the fall the evaporation rate is lower so the ground will stay moist longer. For raised beds or gardens that have gone dormant or died off, turn off that valve station. Reset the run time for any drip or bubbler valves to one or two times a week as well. As temperatures continue to cool, reset valves to run only when the soil looks dry.