Watering Schedule & Smart Controllers
The Importance of Irrigation Scheduling
Perhaps the most important aspect of an irrigation system is proper scheduling. This skill can take time to learn. Many professional landscapers have not yet mastered it. This is a very important component of any landscaping endeavor. In fact, improper scheduling is the foremost cause of plant materials being lost on any landscaping project. Some would think the biggest problem is the lack of proper water supply or perhaps over-watering, but the biggest problem is, in fact, how often watering is done. It’s not difficult to determine the correct amount of water, but it can be tricky to determine how often that water should be applied to your landscape.
Smart controllers
Because scheduling is rather difficult, even for the pros, many people choose an easier method for controlling the watering of their lawn or plants. The key is to use “Smart Controllers”. These are irrigation controllers that have the ability to automatically alter watering times and frequency based upon the needs of your plants. They can adjust the watering schedule based on the weather. During colder months the watering is lessened, and during warmer months watering is increased. Usually this is accomplished by setting a watering time schedule for the warmest time of year, and the controller will adjust the percentage of watering time as needed. This is accomplished by one of several methods.
Some controllers use a historical method. This means that the changes in watering time are based on historical weather data for your area as well as historical water use data. Using this method, the time is only altered on a monthly basis which means that you may have to adjust manually on occasion if the weather is hotter or colder than the historical temperature for that time of year. The second method is also historical but with the addition of a sensor such as a temperature sensor. This means that if the temperature exceeds the historical normal, the sensor can detect it and adjust accordingly. Other controllers get their water/weather data from an off-site remote service. Accuracy in those systems is dependent upon where you get the data. Some remote providers are better than others, but all will require a subscription fee for their services. There are also controllers that come with their own weather stations which are installed along with the controller itself. Another method that controllers use is one that doesn’t rely on weather data at all. This method, instead, relies on moisture sensors. Sensors (usually several) are put underneath the irrigation system and send data to the controller about the amount of moisture contained in the soil. The watering times are then altered based on that data. This can be one of the most accurate methods but can also be time consuming; the sensors often require calibration or adjustments, some more than others.
Perhaps the most important aspect of an irrigation system is proper scheduling. This skill can take time to learn. Many professional landscapers have not yet mastered it. This is a very important component of any landscaping endeavor. In fact, improper scheduling is the foremost cause of plant materials being lost on any landscaping project. Some would think the biggest problem is the lack of proper water supply or perhaps over-watering, but the biggest problem is, in fact, how often watering is done. It’s not difficult to determine the correct amount of water, but it can be tricky to determine how often that water should be applied to your landscape.
Smart controllers
Because scheduling is rather difficult, even for the pros, many people choose an easier method for controlling the watering of their lawn or plants. The key is to use “Smart Controllers”. These are irrigation controllers that have the ability to automatically alter watering times and frequency based upon the needs of your plants. They can adjust the watering schedule based on the weather. During colder months the watering is lessened, and during warmer months watering is increased. Usually this is accomplished by setting a watering time schedule for the warmest time of year, and the controller will adjust the percentage of watering time as needed. This is accomplished by one of several methods.
Some controllers use a historical method. This means that the changes in watering time are based on historical weather data for your area as well as historical water use data. Using this method, the time is only altered on a monthly basis which means that you may have to adjust manually on occasion if the weather is hotter or colder than the historical temperature for that time of year. The second method is also historical but with the addition of a sensor such as a temperature sensor. This means that if the temperature exceeds the historical normal, the sensor can detect it and adjust accordingly. Other controllers get their water/weather data from an off-site remote service. Accuracy in those systems is dependent upon where you get the data. Some remote providers are better than others, but all will require a subscription fee for their services. There are also controllers that come with their own weather stations which are installed along with the controller itself. Another method that controllers use is one that doesn’t rely on weather data at all. This method, instead, relies on moisture sensors. Sensors (usually several) are put underneath the irrigation system and send data to the controller about the amount of moisture contained in the soil. The watering times are then altered based on that data. This can be one of the most accurate methods but can also be time consuming; the sensors often require calibration or adjustments, some more than others.