These recommendations are updated weekly during the watering season; we use local weather data, combined with plant water needs, to develop a general weekly watering guide to assist the community with scheduling their sprinklers throughout the watering season.
Tip of the Week for the week of July 22nd-July 28th
Install a drip irrigation system for efficient and targeted watering.
Weekly Watering Recommendations for the Week of July 22nd-July 28th
Overview
It’s going to be sunny all week, though expect the weather to be slightly cooler than it has been. Temperatures should stick to the mid 90’s all week.
If you are unsure whether your landscape needs water, try using a soil moisture meter to check to see if there is still water in the soil; you can pick one up for FREE in our office! If you find that your soil has dried out and you didn’t receive any rain, then follow the recommended watering schedule below for watering during this time of year.
Weekly Watering Needs
1.79 inches/week for lawn and 0.9 inches per week for water-wise plants. To apply this amount of water, follow the sample watering guide below. This is also known as evapotranspiration (ET), the water consumed by plants over a period of time.
Lawn Watering with Sprays or Rotors
Standard pop-up sprays: 72 minutes for the week*
Standard rotating sprinklers: 172 minutes for the week*
Multi-Stream Rotors (aka MP Rotators): 269 minutes for the week*
Shrub Watering with Sprays or Rotors
Standard pop-up sprays: 36 minutes for the week*
Standard rotating sprinklers: 86 minutes for the week*
Multi-Stream Rotors (aka MP Rotators): 134 minutes for the week*
Shrub Watering with Drip & Micro-sprays
Low Volume Drip System: 170-180 minutes per week*
Micro-Sprays & Bubblers: 100-110 minutes for the week*
*Divide the total time per week by the number of watering days. Example: 60 minutes per week divided by three watering days is approx. 20 minutes per watering day. If runoff occurs, break up the 20 minutes into two cycles of 10 minutes each.
PLEASE NOTE: The above watering times are based on weekly water need for areas in full sun. Decrease these times by 20% for areas that are in shade.
If you are just trying to keep your landscape alive this year, reducing the recommended time by 30-40% will likely be sufficient. Most lawns and landscapes can handle reduced watering times, they will just not be as lush.
NOAA Weather for the Week of July 22nd-July 28th
For current Medford conditions and a 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), click here.
Additional Information
Questions? Contact our Water Efficiency Team at conserve@medfordwater.org.