Soak turf so moisture penetrates soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, and then allow it to dry down to encourage deep, drought resistant roots. Thorough, less frequent watering produces a stronger, healthier lawn. Light, frequent watering promotes shallow rooting prone to drying out and stress. Applying 1 inch of water should soak soil 4 to 6 inches. Use empty tuna cans or rain gauges throughout your property when the system runs to measure amount of water applied
For flowers, shrubs and trees, water the root zone. Typical root zones for mature gardens are 6 to 12”, shrubs 12 to 24” and trees 18 to 36”. Deeper rooted plants require less frequent watering. Always water root zone completely then allow soil to dry down to encourage deep, drought resistant roots. Frequency and amount of water will vary with season, microclimate, soil and plant needs. In general, if soil is dry to a depth of 3 to 4 inches it is time to water.”
Irrigation is essential for maintaining a Tahoe landscape. Landscapes will not survive in our arid mountain climate without regular irrigation.
Irrigation options include: automated irrigation systems, hand watering with hoses, or soaker hoses. Whichever method you chose to implement, monitoring the moisture level of the soil and health of the plants is still necessary..
Early mornings and evenings are the ideal times to water. Less water is lost to evaporation than with midday irrigation. As much as 30% of moisture is lost through evaporation when watering on a warm, sunny afternoon.