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Calcimator

Irrigation Schedule Calculator

Plan your garden watering schedule based on plant type, soil, climate, and sun exposure. Get gallons per week, session duration, and cost estimates.

Inputs

sq ft

Results

Gallons per Week

224.3 gal

≈ 10 wheelbarrows

Weekly Water Depth1.8 in
Watering Sessions / Week3
Gallons per Session74.8 gal
Minutes (Garden Hose)8.3 min
Minutes (Sprinkler)24.9 min
Minutes (Drip System)149.5 min
Monthly Water Usage971 gal
Est. Monthly Water Cost$6.49
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Select your primary plant type — fruiting vegetables, leafy greens, herbs, etc. — to set the base weekly water need.
  2. Choose your soil type (sandy, loam, clay, or silt) so the calculator can adjust frequency; sandy soil drains fast and needs more frequent watering.
  3. Select your sun exposure and climate zone to account for evaporation differences.
  4. Enter your garden area in square feet to convert inches of water into gallons.
  5. Review the Gallons per Week, number of watering sessions, and minutes per session for your irrigation method (hose, sprinkler, or drip).
  6. Use the estimated Monthly Water Cost to budget your seasonal irrigation expenses.

How the result changes with Garden Area

Garden AreaGallons per Week
5,0095,617.1 gal
17,50719,632.3 gal
32,50436,450 gal
45,00150,464.1 gal

What each input means

Plant Type
Select the primary type of plants you are watering.
Soil Type
Your garden soil type. Sandy drains fast; clay retains moisture.
Sun Exposure
Hours of direct sunlight your garden receives per day.
Climate Zone
Your regional climate affects evaporation and watering needs.
Garden Area
Total area to irrigate in square feet.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Plant Type = 2, Soil Type = 2, Sun Exposure = 1, Climate Zone = 2 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Gallons per Week
    Gallons per Week
    224.3 = 224.3
  3. Calculate Weekly Water Depth
    Weekly Water Depth
    1.8 = 1.8
  4. Calculate Watering Sessions / Week
    Watering Sessions / Week
    3 = 3

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