How long should I run my sprinklers for?
Between 5 – 60 minutes per zone
This is a simple question that without some site-specific information is difficult to answer accurately. So my answers will be very general.
Let’s assume a couple of things first
- The irrigation system has been installed with a minimum of head to head sprinkler coverage
- You are trying to get 25mm of water to all of your irrigated areas over a week (25mm is a rule of thumb figure for an established landscape site in Melbourne over a summer period)
- You know that these figures are general and you will have to keep an eye on the landscape to see if you should be increasing or decreasing your watering to suit your site specifics.
A quick lesson on application rates
Different irrigation outlets (sprinklers, nozzles, dripline) all put out different quantities of water.
Driplines literally drip water from the outlet, some sprinklers spray 1 metre and some have a radius of 20 metres.
The application rate is determined by how your sprinklers have been spaced and the amount of water they use, The application rate is one of the most important considerations when determining runtimes for your irrigation system. We a trying to keep this simple so that’s enough about application rates.
If your sprinklers/dripline have been installed to manufacturers recommendations you could try the following runtimes
How long should I run my Hunter MP rotators for?
To achieve approximately 25mm per week try 40 to 50 minutes x 3 days per week if spaced correctly
How long should I run my Rainbird RVANs for?
To achieve approximately 25mm per week try 35 to 45 minutes x 3 days per week if spaced correctly
How long should I run my Hunter PGP, Rainbird 5000 or Toro T5 full circle sprays for?
To achieve approximately 25mm per week try 35 to 45 minutes x 3 days per week if spaced correctly
How long should I run my Hunter PGP, Rainbird 5000 or Toro T5 part circle sprays for?
To achieve approximately 25mm per week try 17 to 23 minutes x 3 days per week if spaced correctly
How long should I run my Rainbird MPR sprays for?
To achieve approximately 25mm per week try 8 to 12 minutes x 3 days per week if spaced correctly
How long should I run my Dripline for?
To achieve approximately 25mm per week try 30 to 40 minutes x 3 days per week if spaced correctly
(Only use this if you installed your dripline at 400mm spacings and your dripper puts out 2.3 litres per hour)
*This advice is general
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