Suggested Weekly Irrigation Schedule

The following chart is a suggested weekly watering schedule for typical spray-head irrigation*, assuming heavy clay soils common to most of the Inland valleys of Riverside County, during normal conditions. These are general times and will vary depending on the application rate and efficiency of your irrigation system. Start with the lowest recommendation and increase the time only if your plants show signs of stress. If stress occurs only in isolated areas, check your irrigation system before increasing the time. Reminder: EMWD’s permanent water use efficiency requirements stipulate that you irrigate landscape only between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Please visit our water use efficiency requirements page to review all requirements.

Month	Cool Season Grass	Moderate Use Trees, Shrubs & Groundcover	% Option **	Notes
January	2 days, 2 cycles*** of 4 minutes	1-2 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	25%	Turn water off before it rains and let soil dry before turning water on again. Better yet, get a rain sensor!
February	2-3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	1-2 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	40%	Turn water off before it rains and let soil dry before turning water on again. Better yet, get a rain sensor!
March	3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	2 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	50%	March/April/May is the most active growth period for most plants. Fertilize plants with a balanced fertilizer like: 15-15-15 or 7-7-7. Mulch! Save hundreds of gallons a year by using mulch around plants to reduce evaporation. Cuts down on weeds too!
April	4 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	55%	March/April/May is the most active growth period for most plants. Fertilize plants with a balanced fertilizer like: 15-15-15 or 7-7-7. Mulch! Save hundreds of gallons a year by using mulch around plants to reduce evaporation. Cuts down on weeds too!
May	5 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	3-4 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	75%	March/April/May is the most active growth period for most plants. Fertilize plants with a balanced fertilizer like: 15-15-15 or 7-7-7. Mulch! Save hundreds of gallons a year by using mulch around plants to reduce evaporation. Cuts down on weeds too!
June	5 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	4-5 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	90%	June is a good time to fertilize your lawn, patch or re-seed if necessary. Better yet, reduce or remove your grass!
July	6 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	4-5 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	100%	Check irrigation systems to make sure that it is working correctly. Add a new layer of mulch or organic matter such as ground bark to keep down weeds and help hold in moisture.
August	6 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	4-5 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	95%	Check irrigation systems to make sure that it is working correctly. Add a new layer of mulch or organic matter such as ground bark to keep down weeds and help hold in moisture.
September	4-5 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	80%	Fall is a great time to plant Water Saving Garden Friendly plants. For more info log onto the following link: Water Saving Garden Friendly
October	3-4 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	2-3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	50%	Most plants go dormant beginning in October, which means the water requirements drop by 50%.
November	2-3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	1-2 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	35%	The days are shorter which means there is less evaporation. Be sure to adjust irrigation times down even if the daytime temperatures remain warm.
December	2-3 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	1-2 days, 2 cycles of 4 minutes	25%	The days are shorter which means there is less evaporation. Be sure to adjust irrigation times down even if the daytime temperatures remain warm.