Sprinkler System- Seasonal Adjustment

Q: I just moved here from New York and I have a question about our sprinkler system. Most of the zones are set to irrigate for forty minutes twice a week. As winter approaches, how should I adjust?

A: The forty minute irrigation was appropriate for newly installed sod but you should have been advised to eventually wean the landscape to a single deep watering per week. The length of watering is best determined by how much is applied in an hour. At this point, no watering is needed by any part of your landscape except newly planted annuals or woody plants, and those beds/plants should be watered individually. My best advice is to turn off the system until summer arrives in June.