Cycle & Soak is used to...

• A. Reduce irrigation efficiency
• B. Involve applying water in multiple short cycles with rest periods to promote infiltration
• C. Increase evaporation losses
• D. Only used for turfgrass

Answer: (B)

Cycle & soak focuses on giving water in steps that the soil can actually absorb, rather than dumping it all at once. By applying water in several short cycles with rest periods in between, the soil has time to infiltrate the moisture between pulses. This reduces surface ponding and runoff and helps move water deeper into the root zone, especially when the soil’s infiltration rate is the limiting factor. It’s a way to maximize irrigation efficiency, not to increase evaporation losses, and it isn’t restricted to turfgrass—it can be used for many landscapes and crops.