Setting your timer for Fresno
Set each program to your address’s days, and make sure the whole cycle finishes before 10 a.m. or starts after 6 p.m. If you have several zones, add up their run times. A schedule that starts at 8 a.m. with two hours of zones will still be running at 10.
On November 1, change to your one winter day and cut run times back. On April 1, switch back to three days. If the controller has a seasonal adjust, it can scale run times without reprogramming every zone.
How long should sprinklers run?
There isn’t one number for every yard. Spray heads put down water faster than rotors, and drip is slower still, so zones with different heads need different run times. Shade, slope, and soil matter too.
Watch each zone while it runs. If water starts running off onto the sidewalk or street, split the run time into two shorter cycles with a break between them so it can soak in. Brown spots in one area usually mean a coverage problem, not too little run time.
City help and rebates
The City of Fresno’s October 2026 bill insert lists a free irrigation controller and $4 per square foot for water-wise landscaping, as limited-time rebates with eligibility requirements. Check the City’s water pages for what’s available now. We install smart controllers and handle sprinkler repair in Fresno.
Written by ACRE Landscape Co., Fresno & Clovis. Updated October 26, 2026.