jyeh74
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Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:51 am

New Sod - Turning yellow already HELP!

Hi everyone,

I just had my sod installed on Wed 8/22. I have been setting the sprinklers twice a day for 10 mins each (once at 7am and once at 5pm). I notice some parts of the lawn turning yellow already. Its only Sat 8/25 so its been 3 days.

What should my time schedule be and for how many minutes each? I am located in Southern CA, where its normally high 70 to mid 80s during this time. I rescheduled my sprinklers to go on 3 times a day for 7 mins each (once at 6am, once at 11am and once at 5pm) Please give me suggestion on water times or if I am scheduling it incorrectly!

Dillbert
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go to the store, buy yourself a "rain gauge"

put it in somewhere, absolutely impossible to say for certain, but "most" sprinkler system deliver less than 1/4 inch of water per hour.

>>2x/day for 10 mins
seriously underestimated.

until you get a handle on the situation, go for min. one hour each cycle, 2x/day

jyeh74
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Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:51 am

Are you saying I should be watering for 60 mins each cycle TWICE a day? that sounds like a too much water (120 mins/days)

The way my system is set up is 5 individual sprinkler cycles. They cannot all go on at the same time due to water pressure. So even at 10 mins each, it cycles through 5 stations = 50 mins each cycle.

Dillbert
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>>it cycles through 5 stations = 50 mins each cycle.

unless all five stations are watering the same spot, you've missed the point

an established lawn needs about one inch of rain per week under "ideal" conditions. less in the PNW more in hot dry areas with wind.

less where's there's a good subsoil; more where the sod was put on top of hard pan, bad soil, concrete, blacktop, whatever....

get a rain gauge, measure how much water is being put down.

a ten minute cycle is a complete waste of resources - may as well do zero minutes per cycle and get it over with.....

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Even if you don't get a rain gauge at first, try setting down straight-sided, flat-bottomed containers and see just how much water is captured. Also stick a finger in a bare soil area after watering and see for yourself how deeply the moisture has penetrated.

Amount of actual water may depend on water pressure and dispersal capability of your sprinkler -- I don't have an in-ground sprinkler and use two different design sprinklers. With one, one hour might result in 1/4"-3/8" of water but it covers a wide, irregularly shaped area -- I like to run that one for at least 3 hrs. The other one, if I run it for 2 hrs, the ground gets all soggy with puddles occurring in some areas. (iPhone timer app is my friend -- I have it set to quack like a duck when the time is up :wink:) I scatter whatever container is handy where I'm watering just to get some idea of how much water.

Where I live, the municipal water pressure fluctuates even while I'm setting up, requiring minute adjustments until I find some kind of a compromise. :roll:

cynthia_h
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

Until you get that rain gauge, tuna-fish cans or cat-food cans scattered about and then measured will give you a reasonable approximation. Certainly close enough to tell the difference between 0.2" and 1.0".

I'm surprised, frankly, that your sod vendor didn't give you some help in deciding on a watering routine. :?

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

DoubleDogFarm
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an established lawn needs about one inch of rain per week under "ideal" conditions. less in the PNW more in hot dry areas with wind.
:lol:

Eric

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rainbowgardener
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DoubleDogFarm wrote:
an established lawn needs about one inch of rain per week under "ideal" conditions. less in the PNW more in hot dry areas with wind.
AND more with newly laid sod that is not well established/ rooted in. It needs to be watered less deeply and more frequently at first while it is establishing roots. You might try gently lifting a little piece of your sod where it is yellowing. You might find that it is really not connected to the ground underneath very much.

But I agree, that you likely have not been watering enough. But I would re-contact the people who put it down, for their recommendations. Do you get any warranty if they put it down and it just dies?



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