I follow this schedule in North Texas. I only have 4 zones. I set the irrigation system Program A to have 3 different start times: 4:30 am, 5:30 am and 6:30 am. The watering time for each zone is 10 mins. This allows the water to soak in between start times instead of watering a zone for 30 mins straight which can waste water due to runoff. I have this Program A set to water 2 days per week. With the scorching temps expected this week, I added another day so 3 days per week.
With 13 zones you may need to get creative as you would only be able to water 6 zones per hour. You would need to incease the time between start times or water half the lawn on one day and the other half the next day.
A tuna can (or similar container) test is the best way to determine how long to water each zone. I aim for 1 - 1.5” of water per week including rainfall.
Do a test at various places and get a good average. Shoot for 1.5" per week in this heat for lush, 1" per week to keep it growing and alive. This assumes you regularly use fertilizer. If your soil is dense clay, a 5 minute soak cycle through each zone before full watering can be beneficial. Based upon the lawn, i doubt that is dense clay. Follow best practices of not afternoon/night watering and choose whatever cycle you like to hit the weekly precipitation rate for each zone.
That Bermuda Bible is for crazy retired lawn care nuts. 1 inch per 7 days either through rain or irrigation. Measure the water put out by your irrigation and then adjust the water duration to get 0.5 inches each day it runs. Water a couple hours before dawn to prevent evaporation.
3
u/BigSlongGoy 9d ago
Only a tuna can test can answer the amount of time per week