As we begin another week of winter we are finally getting the storms that we so desperately need.  The forecast for the week looks like nothing but RAIN.  If you are in the Phoenix area we’ve already seen our share of it this morning.  This is a great time to give your irrigation system and pocket book a rest. 

During the winter months you should be watering between 2-3 times per week–unless of course we get significant precipitation like they are calling for.   Now I do realize that I am going off the potential forecast for a lot of areas, but I don’t  foresee that any of us will need supplemental irrigation this week.  We all know there’s nothing like rainwater for our lawns, so don’t waste the money or our resources by applying unneeded water. 

After you read this I expect that everyone will walk outside and flip the controller to the off position until your lawn starts to show some symptoms of wilting (footprinting or blue-grey color).  When we clear back up, it’s a perfect time to check your sprinkler system to make sure it’s working properly and all the nozzles are free and clear of debris.  This is a good idea every month or so, but when the system is off for a little time you will notice extra debris can clog your nozzles.

If you don’t happen to get hit with any rain showers this week, set your clock to run every 3-5 days and adjust it as the weather and temperatures change.

Jay