ᐅ Automated nighttime irrigation – does anyone do this?

Water scarcity is always a local issue.
Large cisterns can help avoid this problem.
The faucet does not have enough pressure and flow.
Better to use a cistern or a well with a large pump.
There are many options available for control systems.
The individual sprinklers need to reach each other.
Irrigation is best done in the early morning hours (4-6 a.m.). The soil is cool, so water does not evaporate quickly, but the lawn does not stay wet for long, which helps prevent diseases.
The lawn seed mix is also important, ranging from varieties that need a lot of water to those that require less.
It is better to water deeply and less frequently.
Forget Gardena in this area. Prefer Hunter, Rain Bird, or Perrot.

WilderSueden schrieb:

The herb lawn itself hardly needs watering. Watering every two weeks is enough, and if it stays damp until the next morning, it’s not a big deal. I think you probably watered it too much.

But that depends on the soil. With our sandy soil, even the clover-weed lawn needs water every 2 to 3 days, otherwise it turns brown.

motorradsilke schrieb:

That depends on the soil. With our sandy soil, even the clover-weed lawn needs watering every 2 to 3 days, otherwise it turns brown.

Firstly, I doubt that. Most lawn seed mixes consist of very fast-growing grasses, and fast growth requires a lot of water. Take a look at the composition of a typical mix: about two-thirds are pasture grasses, often hybrids. A bit of invading clover doesn’t turn it into a herb lawn, because the vigorous grasses are still dominant. A true herb lawn is different — it has many deep-rooted, much less sensitive herbs and not so fast-growing grasses. Mowing high and infrequently also helps during dry periods. Before I looked into it, I didn’t realize how many differences there are in something as seemingly simple as a lawn.

Secondly, if you really needed to water every 2 to 3 days, then it’s simply the wrong planting choice for that location.

WilderSueden schrieb:

On the one hand, I doubt that. Most lawn seed mixes consist of very fast-growing grasses, and fast growth requires a lot of water. Look at the composition of a typical mix—you'll find two-thirds pasture grasses, often hybrids. Adding a bit of clover from outside doesn’t make it a meadow lawn, because the vigorous grasses are still dominant. A true meadow lawn is something different. It consists of many—usually deep-rooted and much less sensitive—herbs and less vigorous grasses. Mowing high and infrequently also helps during dry periods. Before I looked into this, I didn’t realize how many differences there are in something seemingly as simple as lawn.

On the other hand… if you really have to water every 2 to 3 days, then that’s simply the wrong planting for the location.

Or you just water every 2 to 3 days during dry months. At least we want to walk and sit on the lawn, preferably barefoot. That doesn’t work with tall grass and/or only herbs.

In our sandy soil, plants generally need water more often than in clay or other denser soils. Except cacti and similar plants. But walking on those isn’t really practical.

MaxMustaman92 schrieb:

I’ve heard that some people now water their lawns at night using a timer, for example at 2 a.m.,

That’s what people do who don’t want to be seen wasting water.

Jurassic135 schrieb:

Even our clover-moss-weed lawn needs a certain amount of water.

It recovers again.

@rick2018 Considering the groundwater levels, water shortage is not a local issue.
Still, I’m asking for a friend who is very particular about having a perfect lawn.
This fits here because it’s about lawn care.

In short: I need an automatable irrigation system for both areas (lawn) and spot watering (plants). It should be demand-driven, meaning it needs a moisture sensor. I have an existing HomeAssistant home automation setup that I can connect it to. Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Thread are available.

A cistern is present, but not as large as yours, Rick.

There are herb lawn seed mixes that divide Germany into four regions. Apparently, there isn’t one that suits all regions.