As the seasons change and temperatures drop, it's important to ensure that your irrigation settings are responsive to the changes in weather and plant growth.
These changes include:
Reduced soil temperature
Increased precipitation
Reduced levels of evapotranspiration (how fast water is lost by both soil and plants, due to natural processes and weather (eg., wind, rain, heat)
Reduced water uptake by plants as growth slows
All these changes mean that excess irrigation is not only a waste of water, it can also be damaging to your plants and lawn. Over-watering can lead to issues with increased fungal and disease load and reduced crop health for vegetables.
Your cycle should now be seasonally adjusted to 75%, this is to ensure continuity of watering levels without over-saturation. The days can still be warm and windy, and while plant growth may be slowing, many plants will still be needing irrigation to thrive.
It is also important to ensure that your timer is adjusted for daylight savings.
Autumn weather and shorter daylight hours mean that previous timings may now fall at times that risk frost tender plants.
If possible, adjust your irrigation cycle to a time approximately 1-2 hours before the coldest time of night (check your local weather report for your regions temperatures). This helps to protect frost tender plants from largest drop in temperature and can extend the growing season for some crops.
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