Most irrigation controllers get programmed once, often in the middle of summer, and then left alone. The result is predictable: too much water in spring and fall, not enough in a heat wave, and the whole system running through winter storms.
In spring, start low and increase run times gradually as days get longer and warmer. Summer is peak demand, and it's also when a broken head or a clogged drip line shows up fastest as a brown patch or a wilting bed.
When fall arrives, cut run times back as temperatures drop, and once the rainy season settles in, many Bay Area yards can go weeks or months without irrigation. Most controllers have a rain-off or seasonal-adjust setting that makes this easy. Always follow any watering-day rules from your water provider.
Whatever the season, water early in the morning, when less is lost to evaporation and wind. If you see water running onto the sidewalk, split the run into shorter cycles with a break in between so the soil can soak it up.
A quick zone check each season catches broken heads, overspray, and leaks before they waste water or damage plants. Maintenance clients get a look at their sprinklers on every visit, and we reset the controller as the seasons change.