Cycle & Soak is an irrigation scheduling method designed to...

• A. Reduce evaporation by watering during cool times only
• B. Increase irrigation frequency to prevent soil drying
• C. Rotate among different zones to equalize use
• D. Cycle & Soak is an approach that releases water in multiple shorter cycles with a soak period to improve infiltration

Answer: (D)

Cycle & soak means delivering water in several short pulses with a soak period between them. This approach allows the soil to absorb water in stages, reducing surface ponding and runoff and promoting better infiltration into the root zone. By giving the soil time to soak between bursts, you improve moisture uniformity and irrigation efficiency, especially on soils that infiltrate slowly or on sloped sites where a single long application would waste water. It’s not about watering only at cool times or simply increasing how often you water overall, and it’s not about rotating between zones; the essence is the repeated short cycles with a soak to enhance infiltration.