Hi, I just ordered a new Rachio controller and haven’t received it yet but have several questions.
I currently only have 1 zone for my front yard. It’s very small and is in 2 sections.
The left side is approx 10sq feet and has annuals in a potted planter with several drip sprayers.
The right side is artificial turf with 2 large pots with drip sprayers in the pots and more annuals.
I currently use a fixed timer on a hose attachment to water them here in Tucson AZ.
Looking through the community posts I’ve seen a lot about soil type and water flow.
What soil type would I choose for simple bagged potting soil that I purchased at Home Depot? I don’t have any flowers in the actual ground only in pots and a planter.
Also, how would I measure the water flow from the drip sprayers. Each sprayer shoots 8 streams in a 360 degree circle. I didn’t put the system in it came with the house.
Are you planning to run a flex daily schedule (fully “automated”) or keep it simple with a fixed schedule, similar to what you had? If the latter, I’d say soil type isn’t really a concern. If you are looking to go with a flex daily schedule, might need to take a handful or two of soil and do a Mason Jar Test.
Also, something to keep in mind, small raised beds and pots like these are possibly going to need adjustments to force more water than any of the Rachio algorithms would normally put down. In the sweltering Arizona summers, those pots and small flower beds will get HOT, and dry out the soil WAY faster than if these were planted in the ground.
As for the emitters, I’m guessing you have something like this? Most likely, they are adjustable, usually between 0-10 gallons per hour (sometimes more). As you turn them, you can feel a click, and the rule of thumb is each click is 1 gallon per hour. It isn’t exact, but it is close.
