INDUSTRY NEWS - AUGUST 2026

Sandy Soil, Smart Scheduling: Adjusting Zones for Florida's Ground

Florida's sandy soil drains fast. Which means standard irrigation timing borrowed from other regions often under- or overwaters lawns and landscaping. Understanding how to adjust for local soil conditions is one of the most valuable things a contractor can bring to a job.

Sandy soil holds water poorly, so shorter, more frequent watering cycles tend to work better than long, infrequent ones. Helping water reach root zones before it drains past them. This is especially important for new sod or landscaping, where root systems haven't established deep enough to access water lower in the soil profile.

Zone-by-zone customization matters too: turf areas, shrub beds, and shaded zones all have different water needs, and a one-size schedule almost always wastes water somewhere. Cycle-and-soak programming, running shorter cycles with breaks in between, can also help reduce runoff on sloped or compacted areas.

When quoting new installs or system audits, walking customers through why their zones are programmed the way they are builds trust and helps justify service pricing beyond just "turning the water on."