Skip to content
Backyard Review

Free tool

How long should I run my sprinklers?

Find out how much water your sprinklers really put down, then get minutes per zone, a cycle-and-soak plan and what it all costs.

How should we find your sprinkler's output?

Typical rates. The catch-can test is more accurate for your yard.

in

About 1 inch a week is a common target. Hot, dry spells can need more.

in

From a rain gauge. Rain counts toward the total.

Fewer, deeper waterings grow deeper roots.

sq ft
$

Example value. Use the rate on your water bill.

What do you run now?

Run each zone

13 min

3 days a week

Per week

38 min

1 in needed after rain

Your sprinklers apply

1.6 in/hr

estimated from head type

Water per week

1,869 gal

≈ $48.59 a month

Your heads apply water faster than loam soaks it up (0.5 in/hr), so a single long run will puddle and run off. Use cycle and soak: run 19 minutes, pause 30 to 60 minutes, and repeat 1 time per watering day.

Compared with what you run now

Today you are applying about 2.67 in a week (4,984 gal).

That is about 3,115 gallons a week more than your lawn needs, roughly $80.99 a month on the water bill, plus more runoff and fungus risk. A weather-aware controller trims this automatically.

Habits that save the most water

  • Water early in the morning, when it is cooler and less water evaporates.
  • Water deeply and less often rather than a little every day.
  • Skip a cycle after rain. A rain sensor or a smart controller does this for you.
  • Run the catch-can test once, then re-check each spring.
How this is calculated

Application rate (in/hr) = depth in the cans ÷ hours run, or a typical rate for your head type. Minutes per week = inches needed ÷ rate × 60. Water volume = inches × area (sq ft) × 0.623 gallons, since one inch over one square foot is 0.623 gallons.

Cycle and soak uses a rough soil intake rate (sand 1.5, loam 0.5, clay 0.2 in/hr). If your heads apply faster, we cap each run at the time the soil can absorb, then repeat. Slopes, compaction and thatch change real absorption, so watch for runoff and adjust.

Lawn needs vary with grass type, season and weather, and some places have watering restrictions. Follow your local rules.

Keep going

Quick answers

How long should I water my lawn?

Most lawns want about 1 inch of water a week, counting rain. How many minutes that takes depends on your sprinklers: spray heads put down roughly 1.5 inches an hour, rotors about half an inch. Divide the inches you need by your application rate and multiply by 60 to get minutes per week.

What is the tuna can test?

Place several straight-sided cans (a tuna can is about an inch deep) around a zone, run the sprinklers for a set time such as 15 minutes, then measure the water in each can and average the depths. That gives you your real application rate in inches per hour.

What is cycle and soak?

It means splitting one long watering into short runs with a pause in between, so water can soak in instead of running off. It is most useful on clay soil, slopes and spray heads that apply water faster than the ground absorbs it.

Is it better to water every day or a few times a week?

A few deep waterings a week generally beat a little every day, because deep watering encourages deeper roots and a more drought-tolerant lawn. Watering early in the morning also cuts evaporation.

Heads up: we may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings — see how we pick products and our affiliate disclosure.

Read next