The Smart Way to Water: Mastering the Cycle and Soak Method for Your Arizona Landscape

In Arizona, every drop of water is precious, and efficient irrigation isn’t just a suggestion ‘“ it’s a necessity. While we often talk about how much to water and when to water (early mornings!), there’s another crucial factor that can revolutionize your landscape’s health and water efficiency: the “Cycle and Soak” method.

At Sun Control Landscapes, we understand the unique challenges our desert soils present. The cycle and soak method is a powerful tool we utilize to ensure your plants get the deep, sustained hydration they need without wasting a single drop.

What is the “Cycle and Soak” Method?

Traditional irrigation often involves running a watering zone for one long, continuous duration (e.g., 60 minutes straight). The cycle and soak method, however, breaks that single long watering event into multiple, shorter cycles with distinct pause periods in between.

For example, instead of watering a zone for 60 minutes continuously, you might program your timer to:

  • Water for 20 minutes.
  • Pause for 30-60 minutes (or longer!).
  • Water for another 20 minutes.
  • Pause for 30-60 minutes.
  • Water for a final 20 minutes.

The total watering time is still 60 minutes, but the delivery is vastly different.

Why Cycle and Soak Works Wonders in Arizona (The Science of Absorption):

This method is particularly effective for our desert soils and climate:

  1. Conquering Compaction & Caliche: Arizona soils often have layers of caliche, compacted clay, or simply dense native soil that struggles to absorb water quickly. When you apply water continuously and too fast, the soil surface can become saturated and hydrophobic, leading to:
    • Runoff: Water literally flows away from your plants, often onto hardscapes or into the street, before it can penetrate the root zone. This is pure waste.
    • Pooling: Water collects in low spots, potentially drowning certain plants while others remain dry.
    • Erosion: Water running over the surface can wash away topsoil and mulch. The “pause” in cycle and soak gives the water time to fully infiltrate the soil, allowing it to penetrate deeper into those challenging layers.
  2. Promotes Deeper Root Growth: By encouraging water to penetrate slowly and deeply, cycle and soak coaxes plant roots to grow downwards, chasing that moisture. Deeper root systems make plants much more resilient to our extreme heat and periods of drought. Shallow roots, caused by frequent, short waterings, make plants weak and susceptible to stress.
  3. Prevents Waterlogging: While it encourages deep watering, it also prevents the immediate waterlogging that can occur if you simply dump too much water too quickly. This balance is crucial for preventing root rot, especially for plants not adapted to consistently wet conditions.
  4. Maximizes Absorption Efficiency: By eliminating runoff and ensuring deeper penetration, more of the water you apply actually reaches your plants where it counts, reducing overall water waste.

How to Implement Cycle and Soak on Your Irrigation Timer:

Most modern irrigation controllers (including many “smart” controllers) have a “Cycle and Soak” or “Watering Cycles” feature.

  1. Assess Your Soil’s Absorption Rate: A simple test: turn on your irrigation zone for 10-15 minutes. Watch for runoff. If water starts to run off after 5 minutes, that’s your starting point for your “cycle duration.”
  2. Determine Total Watering Time: Based on plant type, sun exposure, and temperature, figure out your total recommended watering duration for a zone (e.g., 60 minutes for mature trees, 30 minutes for shrubs).
  3. Divide into Cycles: Break your total watering time into smaller segments. If 60 minutes total, you might do 3 cycles of 20 minutes, or 4 cycles of 15 minutes.
  4. Set Pause Times: This is critical. Allow enough time for the water to fully soak in before the next cycle begins. This could be 30 minutes, 1 hour, or even several hours, depending on your soil and slope. Experiment!
  5. Program Your Timer: Enter your cycle duration and pause time into your irrigation controller. Your timer will automatically run the cycles with the designated pauses.

Who Benefits Most in Arizona:

  • Homes with Slopes: Eliminates runoff down hillsides.
  • Properties with Clay or Caliche Soils: Dramatically improves water penetration.
  • Any Landscape with High Water Efficiency Goals: Essential for true water conservation.
  • Mature Trees and Shrubs: Encourages the deep root systems they need for long-term health in the desert.

The cycle and soak method is a simple adjustment with profound benefits for your Arizona landscape. It’s a testament to intelligent water management, ensuring your plants receive the optimal hydration they need to flourish, all while conserving our precious desert resources.

Ready to optimize your irrigation for maximum efficiency and plant health? Sun Control Landscapes specializes in designing and programming smart irrigation systems tailored to your unique Arizona landscape and soil conditions.