If you are lucky enough to have no watering restrictions then yes, different zones on different days is a good approach. Two hours to reach 0.5" seems like a really long time though. I have some of the lowest precipitation rate heads out there (Hunter MP Rotators) and even their precipitation rate is 0.4" an hour, do the heads seem to pop up and spray their full distance (head-to-head)?

For my yard, I spray the front two days a week, then the back on two different days.

 

Starting early—mine is set to start at 3am. Depending on your controller you can run different zones on different days also.

 

I echo this! I have 8 zones and on a well with a pump that only produces 10-12 GPM. I start at 3am and manage to even get a day off with watering. Check my journal if you want the details from my irrigation audit and watering schedule.

 

When you have multiple sprinkler zones that each require a long watering time (like 2 hours for 0.5 inch), it’s common and practical to run different zones on different days rather than running all zones every day. This way, you don’t have to run sprinklers all day, and your system can deliver the right amount of water without wasting water or overloading your water capacity. For example, with 7 zones, you might run 2 to 3 zones per day, rotating through them over the week to meet your watering goals and accommodate high temperatures like 90+ degrees. Also, consider grouping zones by similar water needs (lawn, shrubs, shade vs sun exposure) so you can tailor the watering schedule more efficiently. Running sprinklers early in the morning (between 4:00 and 10:00 AM) helps reduce evaporation. Using “cycle and soak” methods—watering part of the time, pausing to allow water to soak in, then continuing—can also prevent runoff and waste. Smart irrigation controllers and rain sensors can further optimize scheduling by adjusting for weather conditions. Overall, staggering zones on different days and times is the most typical and water-efficient practice for multi-zone systems with long run times per zone.


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Thanks all I moved my water guages around to test other areas of the lawn but this makes sense to me in staggering. My irrigation controller came with the house and seems older, I may invest in a new one next year!

 

How big is your yard and what sprinklers are you running?

 

36,000 SF Mostly Rainbird 5000’s