When Should Colorado Turn On Their Sprinkler Systems?

This always seems to be a debate in Colorado this time of year. When exactly is the right time to fire up your sprinkler system? We have nice weather on the way - potentially record breaking temps - and the desire to turn on your sprinklers to get a head start on an amazing summer lawn will be strong.

Get our free mobile app

But wait. Don't do it. Not yet.

There's a ton of different reasons why, but the biggest this year is the extremely low snow pack up in the mountains from what has been a really dry winter. That low snow pack will mean water along the front range will be in high demand when we need it most, and we won't have enough of it to keep up.

Moreover, you know well as the rest of us do that we're not done seeing snow and below freezing temperatures. Say we have a few days in the mid to upper 80s and you turn on your sprinkler system.

Then a few days later, another winter blast comes through and you've already "de-winterized" your system, which would lead to frozen sprinkler lines and likely a ton of leaks when you do fire it up again.

A good rule of thumb is usually to wait until Mother's Day. By that point we've usually seen our last freeze of the year. And hopefully by then we'll have had enough rain and snow to make up the massive deficit left by this past winter.

In the meantime, it's perfectly ok to hand water any trees or plants in your yard. Here's hoping in the coming months, Mother Nature will do that - and your lawn - for you.