Hi everybody,
Any advise what soil type I should use? Below 4 test drill sites on my property. Would “CLAY LOAM” work best? Not sure about the the layers. The NRCS Web Soil Survey site classifies my area as “Hillsdale sandy loam 18-25% slope, 0.13”.
Thanks!
How many minutes can you run your sprinklers before runoff occurs? By selecting clay loam you give yourself a hedge of protection, since the controller app will build in automatic cycles and soaks. Are you in Florida?
I’m in Michigan, close to Lansing. Runoff is hard to tell, because I’m not sure about the current moisture level. I had runoff this week after just 15 minutes, but before I watered 45 minutes without any. Thinking about picking up a soil sensor. What is the most healthiest moisture balance for grass? Alternating between 90% and 10% every 4-5 days?
The ideal method is to use a managed allowable depletion (MAD) of 50%. 10 percent would be close to wilting point or permanent death. With a 50 percent MAD when the measured or estimated moisture depletion in the root zone is 50 percent the controller will apply enough water to bring the soil moisture to 100 percent (field capacity). Before I had Rachio I had a Toro Precision Soil Sensor connected to my controller. I had great success with product and found it to be reliable. It is wireless and requires no digging. I think I get the same quality with Rachio with Rachio without a soil sensor, plus I get mixed signals as to whether the Toro PSS works with Rachio. It should. Rachio has 50 percent set as the soil MAD.
Thanks. I was confusing the Rachio moisture balance level with the absolute moisture level.
0% Rachio moisture balance refers to 50% MAD using the standard setting.