Determining Flow Rate For Your Watering Device#

In order to know how long to water your plants, you need to know your flow rate which tells you how much water you’re applying in a given amount of time.

Here are the steps you can take to solve this mystery:

1. Turn off all running water sources in the house (faucets, dishwashers, shower, etc.)
2. Place a 5-gallon bucket or another similar vessel under your spigot.
3. Quickly turn on the spigot so that it is fully open
4. Start your timer and record how many seconds it takes to fill the bucket using your watering device.
5. Calculate your flow rate:
   (5 gallons/# of seconds to fill bucket) X 60 seconds per minute = gallons per minute (GPM)
   GPM/60 seconds per minute = gallons per second (GPS)

How to Avoid Overwatering#

Much of Fort Collins has clay-like soil, which can't absorb water very quickly. When hand watering:

• Watch to see if the water is absorbing into the soil.
• If water is pooling up and running off, move on to other plants.
• Come back to water that particular plant when the soil has had a chance to absorb the water.

Know When to Water#

• Take a long screwdriver (8+ inches) and poke it into the soil.
• If the soil has a higher water content, it will pass easily.
• If the soil is dry, it will be difficult to push through it.
• If you can't poke it at least six inches, then it is time to water. This technique works best in clay and loam soils.