Irrigation Module

[jmed999]

What happens when the grass goes dormant if using the irrigation module to water your grass via an EZFlora? I don't think the grass needs water when it goes dormant.

 

Does the irrigation module continue to water the grass thus wasting water?

 

Thanks!

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi jmed999, unfortunately I do not understand the question. Would you please rephrase?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jmed999]

Sure! Sometime in the fall/winter depending on where you are located grass will go dormant.

 

http://www.ehow.com/list_6957876_lawn-tips-winter.html

 

If using the EZFlora/EZRain and the irrigation module to water your grass automatically via Evapotranspiration, what happens during the winter? Will it continue to water your grass after the grass has gone dormant?

 

I hope this makes sense.

[jmed999]

I thought the would be an easy question to answer. Just wondering if it still runs in the winter when it's not needed?

 

Thanks!

[WhiteSax]

Yes the module runs in the winter. The module only knows the type of soil it is watering, and the general location. It does not know the type of grass (or other plants) that it may be watering.

[jmed999]

Yes the module runs in the winter. The module only knows the type of soil it is watering, and the general location. It does not know the type of grass (or other plants) that it may be watering.

 

 

Thanks! So you just have to disable it somehow once the grass goes dormant? How do you know when?

[WhiteSax]

If you know the type of grass, you can find the average temperature that starts dormancy. Biologically dormancy is triggered by several factors (soil temp, average temp, the amount light throughout the day, soil conditions, etc.) However temperature is a fairly reliable factor for a given area. You can check an online local weather almanac to find what day of the year reaches that average temperature for dormancy of your grass. Then just program the watering schedule to not trigger during that time of the year. You may want to resume watering a week before good conditions so the grass has an established moisture level to come out of dormancy.

 

For instance, in Phoenix, AZ:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/arch ... rmuda.html

Bermuda will continue to grow as long as the night temp is 34F or higher, and a day temp not less than 70F.

 

The average high temp is at or below 70F from Nov 22nd through Feb 11th.

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimat ... moMonth=11

 

This is why Phoenix residents who have grass generally start to plant winter Rye near October 14~20th, in order to keep the yard green and get the rye grass established before it gets too cold to germinate (or trampled by Halloween trick-or-treating).

 

Once you know your type of grass, dormancy temp, and respective dates that meet that condition, one just needs to program the dates into the ISY (annually, or several years at a time using multiple conditions). Keep in mind that the irrigation module only provides an indication of when moisture is depleted and watering is needed. It is up to your ISY programs to actually turn on the water for the calculated duration of watering for your specific system.

 

Enjoy!