2 aprile 2026 · 8 min read
How to set irrigation run times by soil type
Sandy, loam or clay soil requires different run time and frequency. Use soil-driven scheduling to avoid waste.
Soil type changes everything
Sandy soils drain fast and need shorter, more frequent cycles. Clay soils absorb slowly and need longer but less frequent runs.
Quick soil identification test
Use a simple hand texture test plus a basic infiltration check to classify soil as sandy, loam or clay.
Suggested summer baseline
As a starting point: sandy 4-6 cycles/week, loam 3-4, clay 2-3, adjusting duration by weather and sprinkler type.
Use cycle-and-soak on clay
Split long runs into shorter cycles with pauses so water can infiltrate instead of running off.
Tune with observation
Adjust in small steps and observe turf response over 1-2 weeks to find the stable program for each zone.