Automatic lawn irrigation system is apparatus that makes work easier in watering the lawn by providing the correct amount of water at a given period. Yet, to achieve the optimal results and to guarantee the successful outcome of the gardening, the irrigation needs to be adjusted depending on the climate. Watering according to the current and expected weather is efficient in helping the plants receive the right amounts of water and reduce the amount of water wastage hence saving your cash through reduced water bills. Below are the steps that will enable one to adjust the automatic lawn irrigation system to suit any weather condition.
1. Integrate Weather-Based Controllers
A weather-based, or smart irrigation controller is one of the best ways of adjusting your automatic lawn irrigation system for the changes in weather conditions. Some of these advance controllers incorporate information on the current weather with a view of altering the watering durations. Another means by which they adapt to the climate is in watering of plants and crops, an aspect where they take into consideration the amount of rainfall, temperature and humidity. For example, if a weather-based controller influences its latest observations to contain rain, it will minimize or counter the watering schedule.
2. Use Rain Sensors
As earlier mentioned, rain sensors are critical factors concerning the management of irrigation plans as a means of accommodating the process. These sense when it is raining and inform the controller to stop irrigating the plants when it rains. When you incorporate a rain sensor, this tends to work in such a way that you avoid watering your garden in excess or at all whenever it is raining, thus helping to conserve water as well as protect plants in the garden from getting spoiled by excess water. These sensors are especially useful for places where ever or sudden rain shower is probable.
3. Implement Soil Moisture Sensors
Soil moisture sensors help in determining in real time the amount of moisture in the soil. These sensors ensure that, in a given growing area, the irrigation is only done when it is necessary through helping you to fine-tune the system. This is important in ensuring that the plants are not over watered or under watered which are sometime a big issue in regarding to health of the plants. Sensors of soil moisture that mount on your auto lawn irrigation will help you set the watering you need rather than the set timing.
4. Adjust Irrigation Schedules Seasonally
You can always depend on the seasons to change the kind of weather that is expected; therefore, the kind of irrigation you use should also change. In some seasons such as spring and fall, there could be more rainfall hence one might probably have to water less often or water less deeply. On the other hand, during summer or dry season you may have to water more frequently due to high rates of vaporization and high demand in the plants. Seasonal changes in weather dictate that one should alter his or her system’s program in equal intervals in order to avoid watering extremes.
5. Manage Multiple Zones or Areas to have Different Timetables
On gardens with different kinds of plants or areas that receive different amounts of sun and shade, creating more zones and programming them with the respective schedules is advised. An example of applying appropriate proportions is where plants in areas with lots of sun will need more water than those in areas with less sun. Consequently, plants of different categories require different levels of water to be supplied to them. As a result, the system of automatic lawn irrigation will comprehensively meet these requirements if there are different zones with their unique watering schedule.
6. Address for Weather Conditions of Great Intensity
Climatic factors affecting water supply to your plants include instances like heat waves, heavy down-pouring rainstorms, and many more. They also indicate that your plants could need additional water in the event of a heat wave as temperatures rise and evaporation also increases. On the other hand, in case of a downpour, you have to alter the technique to water only when the soil is dry. Keep abreast with weather changes and to counteract such incidences in the most appropriate manner possible.
7. Utilize Evapotranspiration Data
Et refers to water evaporation in the soil, and plant transpiration which occurs in the plant surface in form of water droplets. Most of the current irrigation controllers rely on ET information for modification in watering schedule. ET data enables one to know how much water is being used by the plants, thereby schedule irrigation more effectively. This, with the use of ET data your automatic lawn irrigation system can then be synchronized to the water required.
8. Review and Maintain the System on a periodically basis.
The last factor that is very important when it comes to irrigation customization is the maintenance and the periodical revisions of the irrigation system. Strain any pipes or hoses that may have been damaged or are prone to leaking, clogging, or mechanical failure. Check that all different sensors and controllers are working properly and if not, correct them. Periodically conducting a review and modifying the system with the current state of weather keeps the preventive measures achieving its goals effectively.
Conclusion
Adapting your automatic lawn irrigation system based on weather conditions is vital in efficiency of water usage and the general health of the garden. Weather based controllers, rain sensor and soil moisture sensor along with the changes in their schedule according to the seasonal changes in weather and according to extreme conditions can be further added to add more effectiveness to the irrigation system. Correct modification not only saves water but also nourishes the plants in your yard and makes your garden healthy regardless of the season it is in.