Irrigation timings

[ashtondav]

Planted a whole lot of stuff in the last month. Everything from plumbagos to angels trumpet and hibiscus.

Although I realise all plants have different requirements what is the best irrigation timetable for a broad mix of Mediterranean plants and flowers? I currently set the system for 30 mins at 2 AM every 24 hours. Should I be watering twice a day? Manual not an option as I'm away every 2 or 3 months.

[El Cid]

It's difficult to say, it depends on the amount of water that the system actually delivers which depends on the water pressure and the sprinklers on the end. It also depends on the area of plants that you want to irrigate.

There is no really easy answer. If the plants look OK, you have probably got it right. You could buy a moisture meter that you can use to see if any individual area is getting enough water. About €10 in Aki.

We use one a lot to check our pot plants which we water manually, but the rest of the garden just gets up to 40 minutes a day but that could well be 3 tonnes of water!

Sid

[ajtg1952]

I would like to water the garden more but I limit it to 500 ltrs per day. The irrigation system comes on for 10 minutes, twice a day. The plants tend to get used to it.
We live in a country that is generally short of water and I try to be a responsible user of this resource.

[El Cid]

We have no shortage of water and it is very cheap.

When they eventually get round to connecting a supply from the huge Rules dam they built 4 years ago ( one of the largest in Europe) it will be even more plentiful and a third of the price we pay at the moment - like about 10c a cubic metre.

Typically, they spent millions of EU money building it but "forgot" to put in the infrastructure to actually deliver the water to the users - it could only happen in Spain!

Sid

[Martin Page]

I personally use 30mins, once every 24hours . At 6:30 am - when its coolest

[ajtg1952]

You are so lucky, Sid, have unlimited water. I get water on a Wednesday, but not always. You would not believe the feeling I have when I know my deposits are full and I don't have to worry about water for another week.

In saying that I have just upped the irrigation to 30 minutes as a few plants are looking a bit dry. I devide it into 15 minutes at 10 pm and another 15 minutes at 6 am to try to minimise runoff.

[alisonb]

My beds only get 5 minutes once a day at this time of year, and they include Dahlias which need quite a bit. They all look fine. The water is pumped in so the pressure is higher than the usual mains, but not that much

[ashtondav]

Thanks folks. I think I'll go for 30 mins at 6.30 and see how it goes.