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HOW
TO SET YOUR WATERING SCHEDULE TO
CONSERVE WATER & PROMOTE A HEALTHY LANDSCAPE
SAVE WATER by
Fine Tuning Your Controller Program
Studies show that landscapes are over-watered by 30% to 50%. Here are some
tricks the pros use to fine tune controller programs:
The
Triple-C approach ---> CALCULATE --- CORRECT --- CONSERVE
CALCULATE ---
Forecast seasonal weather changes. Obtain historical ET (evapotransporation)
data for your area and mark your calendar. Almanacs, local agricultural
resources, even tourist information can provide weather estimation on a weekly
or monthly basis. Examine the data and set a scheduling interval.
The greatest water savings occur from monthly programming
adjustments.
Know
when to "PEAK UP“ -- Don’t play catch-up with hot weather. Prevention
of dry spots conserves more water than reacting too late, attempting to make up
for turf stress.
Know
when to "DIP DOWN“ -- Likewise, anticipate cooler weather.
Establish schedules -- Create Winter and Summer schedules. Set
start(s) and run times in accord with seasonal changes. Keep notes from the
previous season and revise the schedule as needed.
Label each zone -- Note the station, or zone information on a
programming worksheet or card. Most manufacturers supply these with the
controller. Example:
|
Description |
Program "A" |
Program "B" |
Program "C" |
|
Schedule |
Winter: M - Th |
Summer: M - Th |
Drip: M - W - F |
|
Start 1 |
6:00 a.m. |
1:00 a.m. |
11:00 a.m. |
|
Start 2 |
|
4:00 a.m. |
|
|
Front turf / sprays |
Zone 1 |
10 minutes |
7 minutes |
|
|
Left front turf /
rotors |
Zone 2 |
20 minutes |
15 minutes |
|
|
Right front turf /
rotors |
Zone 3 |
20 minutes |
15 minutes |
|
|
Back roses/ drip |
Zone 4 |
** Cancel Winter start
if
Program "B" is active |
60 minutes |
CORRECT ---
Modify the irrigation schedule, add watering days or zone run time prior to
known peaks in temp. Your controller may have a "Water Budget" feature, use this
for quick, global adjustments to your schedules. Water Budget features allow for
increases or decreases to all zone run times on a program by a %, say 0% to
200%.
For example: July’s base schedule may be a
12 minute run time, twice a day. Set the water budget to 80% on Sept 1st. The
cumulative run time will decrease to 20 minutes total. Time spent to reprogram
the controller --> about 1 minute. Gallons of water you save --> 90 on just that
zone, [not to mention the other zones on that program].
Tip: Turf grass under stress will have a
flat, non-shiny appearance. It won’t rebound after stepping on it, and may
appear a little bluish in color. Schedule similar turf zones (full to partial
sun) on the same program. In this way, your water budget adjustment will have a
positive effect on all turf areas without over-watering shrub and flower zones.
CONSERVE ---
The benefits of fine-tuning are wide-ranging. Water conservation is the most
important advantage to fine-tuning. Over-watering can produce huge amounts of
grass clippings. Ease off a little on the water and maintenance will become
easier. Plants grow to be healthier too. Save water and money. It's about water
conservation today for tomorrow.
Water is our most precious
resource. Fine tuning your controller helps to use this resource wisely.
HEADS
UP SPRINKLER COMPANY
(214) 837-1553
or
Caryn@HeadsUpSprinkler.com
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