As the seasons shift and a Northern California November unfolds, residents are reminded to adjust their landscape watering schedules appropriately. It’s a turn of practicality, not poetics—the temperatures are dropping, and so too must the frequency of our irrigation efforts. With daylight saving time no more, the change to shorter days signals a decrease in water demands for our regional flora, as reported by the City of Mesa.
According to a bulletin by the City of Mesa, landscapes now thirst for less, with established plants (in the ground about two years) requiring significantly reduced watering. Warm season grasses like Bermuda should be watered once every 14 days, while overseeded cool season grass—like rye—needs a moist start with four times daily watering for the first week to germinate, followed by a relaxed once every 7 to 10 days' schedule.
The guide further delineates requirements for trees and shrubs, parsing them by their water use profiles. Desert-adapted species, for instance, can make do with water once every 24 to 27 days. In contrast, plants with higher water needs should be watered once every 11 to 13 days, reinforcing the necessity for discernment in our watering habits, as per the City of Mesa.
Special consideration is warranted for the more delicate cultivations within one's home garden. Annuals and vegetables are advised to receive water once every 5-7 days, but more frequently if you're in the process of starting seeds. Meanwhile, cacti and succulents may be watered as needed, holding their own in the arid climate that marks our landscape. Wildflower enthusiasts should maintain a diligent watering schedule of once every 1-2 days to encourage germination, then easing off to once every 7-10 days.
For those needing a more tailored approach, the City of Mesa also offers an online, interactive watering guide. With just a few clicks, residents can input information about their irrigation systems to obtain custom watering durations to match the recommended frequencies. This resource proves indispensable as we move towards a collective effort in water conservation while supporting the verdant charm of our local surroundings.
