From about November to May, Southwest Florida can go weeks without meaningful rain. That's when irrigation matters most, and when watering restrictions are most likely to be enforced.
Know your rules
The South Florida Water Management District's year-round rule limits most landscape irrigation to set days each week and bans watering during the hottest part of the day, generally 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Many cities and counties, including several in Lee and Collier, set their own schedules on top of that, often based on your address. Some, like parts of Cape Coral, irrigate with reclaimed water under separate rules. Check your city's current schedule before setting a timer.
New sod and new plants usually get a temporary allowance for extra watering while they establish. The exact window varies by city.
Water deep, not often
Established St. Augustine and Zoysia lawns do best with about ½ to ¾ inch of water per watering, applied in the early morning. Deep, infrequent watering pushes roots down and helps the lawn ride out dry spells. Watering a little every day keeps roots shallow.
Check the system
Broken heads, spray hitting the driveway, and zones that run too long waste most of the water in a typical system. A rain sensor or soil-moisture sensor, required on new systems in Florida, skips cycles after rain.