Last month I shared some of what I learned after finally stepping up to the plate and purchasing an ET controller Lazy Gardeners Rejoice - Technology takes over a tedious chore. One post was not enough, so here is more of what I learned:
The number of variables that can be programmed into the timer is amazing. Besides the obvious options such as sun, plant water requirements and soil type, the program also takes into consideration the amount of slope (to take run-off into consideration) and the efficiency of each irrigation zone.
There are different methods you can use to determine efficiency, but you can also just use an estimate. Bob Eagle from Contra Costa Water District, who both performed my irrigation audit and programmed my controller, gave me some tips. In my back yard where I have a narrow planting area between the retaining wall irrigated with microspray, Bob assumed greater efficiency, since overspray would potentially hit the fence and be returned to the planting bed.
On the other hand, he assumed less efficiency for the planting strip between my driveway and my neighbors, since overspray would wind up on either the driveway or my neighbor's yard - in fact, I am planning on mentioning this to them to see if they want to kick in on my next water bill.
But wait, there's more!
One thing that I previously found confusing about ET controllers is how to account for new plantings. After all, most drought tolerant plants aren't really drought tolerant until they are established. So, it turns out that one of the things you can program is root depth. This really rocks, because it allows you to set a shallow root depth, say 6" if it is a new installation, so the plants will still receive less water, but on a much more regular basis.
If you're thinking about upgrading and you live in this area, the rebates can make it very affordable. My controller cost around $200 and has six stations. Contra Costa Water offers a rebate of $25 a station, so my rebate check of $150 covered almost the entire cost. My hard is so small and is already a mix of low and moderate water plants (no grass), so I don't think the savings on my water bill will be as dramatic as for most, but it will be interesting to see how much my bill goes down next summer when I would normally start cranking the water.
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