I will also treat zone 8 as grass. I believe the reason I set it to trees was because I noticed that when set to grass, the trees seemed to rob the grass of the water. But I think your right, I’ll change it to grass.
It has been that way for as long as I can remember (5 years), so I don’t believe that to be anything new.
Like we’ve mentioned. The “home” screen for a zone will always update differently than the moisture graphs. Those graphs populate when you hit the button. Sometimes the home screen requires an app shut down, or like @rraisley said, make a change to a zone setting will repopulate. When you updated the app, it forced an update when you opened, so that is probably why they are in sync. But, maybe the update does have a polling frequency change for the home page…
I think we can DEFINATLY dial in your system a little better. Flex Daily on the Rachio is by far the best truely smart scheduling system I’ve worked with across multiple manufacturers. Overall, Rachio defaults are pretty damn good, but with hundreds of different sprinkler and nozzle configurations, A LOT of improvements can be made to the PR settings to dial those in. 15" PR is for sure one we can improve on! 
Without knowing the results of the change, it’s hard to know what to do. You’re right, trees rob water from the grass.
The only way to fix it is to either add additional irrigation right at the tree base, for the tree to use, along with normal irrigation everywhere else, or just apply extra for the grass. It’s easies to just apply extra, and the easiest way to do that with Flex Daily is to increase the Crop Coefficient.
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Ok. So what are the recommended entries for the advanced settings to correct zone 8? For now, I adjusted that root depth down to 6".
The 2 changes I recommended above were to change Zone 8 root depth to 6", and Zone 5 Nozzle Flow/hr to 1". I think that’s a good start, anyhow.
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I concur. I cannot, for the life of me, get Rachio to water more frequently on flex daily. This has been going on for several weeks at least. None of the advanced settings I change result in more frequent watering.
For your zone above, I’d expect Rachio to water about every 9 days with the current weather, and I’d agree that’s not often enough.
I’d like to see your advanced settings before saying too much. I have a feeling your root depth is on the high side. 1" of water for 50% allowed depletion seems high to me. To answer your question, lowering the Root Depth, Allowed Depletion and Soil Available Water will all result in watering more frequently, but let’s look at what you have before just changing one or more of them, okay?
That was quick! I’m tinkering, so I’m not sure if this is the same zone that I posted earlier, but’s typical.
For background, I’m in SoCal and growing tropicals that require relatively moist soil. Thanks!
@matt8573 For trees (assuming) with a 25" root depth, I don’t think that 9 days is excessive at all, especially with your current Evapotranspiration (ET). My ET’s are sitting around .3 right now in AZ (flirting with 100 degree temps already), and I’m 7 days between watering. What are you watering these trees with though (bubblers, emitters, spray nozzles)?
If all you want to do is increase frequency, bring your root depth of this zone up to maybe 18". Or, you can increase your crop coefficient. For me, root depth is a little more “visual.” Shallow roots need water more frequently, deeper roots don’t dry out as fast…
I totally agree! The problem is if I change the root depth to 6 inches, nothing changes in the frequency. I’m using emitters. Thanks!
Well, changing root depth should for sure change the frequency. You are on Flex Daily, right?
You could try upping Crop Coefficient to see what that does.
Also, how many emitters and what flow rate do they have? 1"/hr might be on the high side…
Thanks! I changed the root depth to 6” and the crop coefficient to 100%. I’m doing a quick run right now as it’s been a while. It’s saying my next watering is going to be on the 12th now, which seems weird after a 45 min. quick run.
I have a mix of 2 gph emitters and 4gph spike emitters. I generally do one per plant, sometimes 2.
Here’s a similar zone on a different controller (same model).
Changing the root depth to 6” and the CC to 100% right now, I get this moisture graph.
matt8573 what plants are in your zones. I didn’t see you say anything about trees, but tmcgahey dis assume that from your root depth. At the very least, it appears you have plants which are watered individually, which is a horse of a very different color.
If you have trees, or even separate shrubs, then 6" root depth is not enough. Perhaps your original 25.6" depth was correct. But I find Rachio more difficult to fine-tune with trees and bushes using the standard settings. Okay, I just don’t understand the method as well that way, so hesitate.
And as mentioned, if this is for shrubs and trees, your previous settings resulting in watering every 9 days or so in no-very-hot weather is probably fine. With their deeper roots, and the fact that /usually/ shrubs or trees have some kind of ground cover that keeps the moisture in, watering less often is fine.
HOWEVER - you mention you’re growing “tropicals that require relatively moist soil”. I’m not sure that Rachio’s Trees or Shrubs setting would be appropriate for that.
Finally, ADMIN Can we please separate this topic beginning at matt8573’s first post?
Following all the charts and such are complex enough without mixing two different user’s posts with two very different situations. Lacking that, matt8573 could you please start a separate topic with your question?
Yes. Flex Daily.
Not sure where to go on the coeefficient, would need Rachio for that one.
That zone 8 has 4 Rainbird 5000 heads rated at 0.2 - 1.01"/hr. I’m closer to 0.8" out the box with the PRS model but with overlap and triangle configuration I’m confortable with the 1". But due to the trees over there, if you think bringing it help I’ll try it out.
Rain sensor just deactivated so tomorrow will be the first sprinkle with the updated app and adjusted config.
For now, I’d just leave it at whatever Rachio says it should be for your type of grass.
If you think 0.8" is closest, then use that. This is a very critical setting, so use what you know is best, or if possible, measure it in some way (flow vs time or catch cups).
Let’s hope tomorrow is the start of a good trend. What amount of water is scheduled for tomorrow?
Gary, Could you post the Moisture Chart for this week and next?
So, much like Matt above - how am I supposed to dial this in short of getting catch cups, pulling soil cores and measuring root depth, etc? Isn’t the point of a $300 irrigation controller “It just works”?
Flex daily is literally killing my lawn.
@Brien If you don’t want to invest the time and energy needed to set up a flex Daily schedule you may be more satisfied with a flex Monthly or even fixed schedule.