Irrigation schedules that worked in March overwater in May and underwater in late June. Resetting the controller every six weeks keeps plants healthy and prevents the silent water-bill creep.
May programming
Established trees and shrubs: deep watering 2-3 times weekly, 25-40 minutes per drip zone, pre-dawn. New plantings: daily light watering for first 2-3 weeks, then transition.
June programming
Increase frequency for trees and shrubs to 3-4 times weekly, same per-cycle duration. Lawns (where present): adjust to 4-5 times weekly, early morning.
Avoiding waste
Check for broken drippers monthly, failures often go unnoticed and silently waste 20-30% of irrigation volume. Confirm rain sensor functioning if installed (yes, even in Dubai, the rare summer rain matters).
Seasonal irrigation checklist
- Re-program controller every 6 weeks April-September
- Pre-dawn schedules outperform daytime cycles
- Walk the system monthly for broken drippers
- Mulch beds annually to retain soil moisture
- Verify zones isolate cleanly (no cross-feed)
Why this matters
Irrigation tuned to the actual month wastes less water and produces better-looking gardens than fixed year-round schedules.