Talk of The Villages Florida - How often are you watering the lawn? What is allowed?

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- - How often are you watering the lawn? What is allowed? (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/landscape-talk-129/how-often-you-watering-lawn-what-allowed-349973/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by frayedends (Post 2330460)

I am down in Lake Denham, there only part time. I put in the Rachio controller so I can adjust my times from Massachusetts.

Anyhow, my lawn is very dry. Even Fertigator emailed me to tell me it needs more water. However, the schedule the Villages put in my controller box says I can only water 1X per week, which is crazy. It also says it's only allowed on Tuesday or Friday. The times for each zone are pretty short also.

Is that schedule a rule or just a suggestion. I would like to up the amount of water it's getting. Also, maybe do it overnight. I know watering at night can lead to fungus issues. But my schedule says to start at 7 AM. I feel that water is evaporating quickly with the warmer mornings.

The default times for the Rachio is 3 minutes way too short if you haven’t changed it. Depends on what types of heads you have on how long to water. I water grass 20 minutes 3 times a week. Shrub areas 3 times a week for 10 minutes.

So the water doesnt run off - on the days i water, i run through the zones twice for half the time

So instead of running a zone for 20 minutes, i run it twice for 10 - starting 90 or 120 minutes apart from each other.

They're not going to replace your lawn when it is destroyed by chinch bugs from being over stressed due to lack of water. Check irrigation bill usage. Even the Villages web site recommends 7200 gal/mo for a designer home. How Much is Enough | TheVillagesWaterWisdom
I'm also a part timer. I have the b-hyve system and also have cameras. I have it set to every 3 days. I break it up on the days I water so it doesn't just run off. During the extreme heat and drought we're experiencing now, I'll add a manual cycle now and then. I was at about 4200 gals last month and I'll probably be 6-7000 this month in a Veranda so I'm within the guidelines. Before the new b-hyve controller I would hit 12000 gals in May and June. Too much run off and plenty of times it would water right before a rainy day. B-hyve uses forecast to adjust. Anyway, my advice is do what you need to do to save your lawn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by metoo21 (Post 2330666)

For grass areas
Vegetation Type - Warm Season Grass
Spray head - Generic rotary nozzle I have the Hunter MP Rotators
Soil Type - Sandy Loam
Exposure - Lots of Sun - your may vary on zone
Slope - Slight

My advanced settings for grass areas are:
Available Water 0.12in/in (default based on soil type)
Root depth 6 in (default was 9 but St Augustine should be in the 4 - 6 range)
Allowed Depletion 50%
Efficiency 70%
Crop Coefficient - click on the lock, then check All Zones. This changes from Static to Dynamic. Crop Coefficients actually change month to month due to the weather.

For Flower beds
Vegetation Type - Shrubs
Spray Head - Mister - I have the little red fan sprays
Soil Type - Loam - landscapers amended the soil
Exposure - Lots of sun
Slope - Flat

Advanced Settings
Available Water 0.17in/in (default based on soil type)
Root depth 15 in (default for shrubs)
Allowed Depletion 50%
Efficiency 95%
Crop Coefficient - should be Dynamic if you set all zones to Dynamic above

I've added a 2" Vu-Flow filter to the irrigation water since we are using pond water in the south for irrigation and it plugs the filters in the sprinkler heads. This filter requires cleaning once or twice a month but sure beats cleaning the filters in each head.

Secondly, I added the Everydrop flowmeter to the system. This allows you to get actual gpm usage on each zone. With that, you can physically measure the area of each zone and then calculate the precipitation rate (value you'd enter for Nozzle Inches Per Hour) instead of using the default sprinkler head values. Let's assume you have the MP rotators. They spec at 0.4 inches/hour. However, your system should have head to head coverage (i.e. water from one head reaches the other head). So technically for a given area you are putting down more than 0.4 inches per hour. I'm sure I have greater than the 70% efficiency I put in my advanced settings but I wanted the system to run a little longer.

Added benefits of the flowmeter is that you'll get notifications of low flow, high flow and any flow after zones shut off. Low flow just sends a notification. High flow (break in line or a sprinkler head is damaged) sends a notification AND turns off the zone. You'll need to fix the issue and re-enable the zone before that zone runs in any future schedules.

You can do your own soil test using a jar. Remove some grass (leave any dirt) in a 3 or 4 inch circle. Dig out soil about 6 inches deep. Collect this soil to put it in the jar. How to measure is here: Jar Test

Then download the first Excel sheet here: Soil Texture Triangle

My values were:

Sand 68%
Clay 21%
Silt 11%
Based on the triangle, I'm barely in the sandy clay loam section. That isn't an option in Rachio so I dropped down to the Sandy loam. Rachio will think the soil is capable of holding less water which is fine.

I actually measured each zone area and put those values in the advanced settings. Then I followed this article to calculate precipitation rate - Calculating Precipitation Rate. And then changed my nozzle inches per hour to this value.

I did make the in app purchase for Valve Monitoring. This will notify you if a valve uses more or less current than when initially calibrated. It can help in seeing when a valve needs to be replaced. Of course, once purchased you'll have to go into the valve monitoring advanced settings and turn that feature on. Mine are set +/- 25%.

I also have my own weather station connected to Weather Underground so Rachio gets the actual temps and rain values from my station. Do you have a station close by that you are using or are you letting Rachio calculate rainfall?

While it may seem I have a good handle on the system, I'm still learning and tweaking.

Finally, someone in the Villages who has taken all the steps for responsible irrigation. I have the same exact Rachio setup. I also installed a Flume water monitor that I got at a reduced price on Amazon Prime Day. I have to admit, although this is the optimal setup, most people are not going to do all this.

Installing the Rachio smart irrigation controller is #1 on the scale of importance. Setting it up as you mentioned by adjusting the advanced settings is #2. ( I found Allowed Depletion set to 30-35% to work best for me ).

After this installing the irrigation filter is really important because at certain times of the year especially when we don't get rain, the Villages sends us the worst irrigation water from the ponds. We get more sediment and other junk that clogs of the individual sprinkler filters. When this happens, they may still look like they are working but the flow rate is probably diminished. I've seen many stubborn people that don't want to get the irrigation filter and clean the individual filters, sometimes up to 50 heads only to find by the next day or two they are all clogged again. Chuck Grospitch, chuck.grospitch@gmail.com, 440-823-4273, can install one for you for those who are interested. Money well spent because you clean one filter once a month instead of 30-50.

My Rachio flow meter did save me recently by telling me that after it shut off all the zones, water was still running for a couple of minutes. After investigating, I found one of my valves was getting stuck and I needed to change the diaphram. As you mentioned, it also pays for itself when a head breaks and you are not aware. The flow meter will sense the increased water flow and disable that zone and send you an alert. I felt the installation and the cost of the flow meter was a little high but again if you can find someone to install it, it can pay for itself with just one failure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by frayedends (Post 2330460)

Two times a week as recommended when we first moved in. At Linden south of 44. Grass is fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrref (Post 2330838)

Thanks.

The Everydrop flowmeter is listed on Rachio's website. The wired version is $150. Excluding the wiring, I bet if someone had it on hand when the irrigation filter was installed, the installer would install it too. Except perhaps for the wiring.

Installation would be something like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobGraves (Post 2330833)

Similar experience and setup is working for me also.

Multiple short cycles helps a lot. They put a thin layer of clay on top of the sand so it doesn't take much water to get run off.

Adding a filter has reduced sprinkler head issues.I find mostly small particles of algae.

Rachio controller

Quote:

Originally Posted by frayedends (Post 2330460)

I to are from Mass and installed a Rachio controller. I have it set on Daily where I can control the days of the week and its time. Disregard the Villages schedule. Love the system

Remote Rain Gauge

Quote:

Originally Posted by frayedends (Post 2330460)

I also have a Rachio controller to control our watering. We are doing 3 times per week. I go to the app Wunderground to check how much rain we get. I have two neighbors within 500 feet that have monitors. The monitors will show how much rain is received each 24 hours resetting at midnight. (Both monitors are within 0.1 inches of each other. ). My sprinklers are set to come on at 9:30 PM so if I’m out of town, I will check the Wunderground monitors to see how much rain we’ve had. I can also check if I think there is rain in The Villages while we are gone. If there’s been a half an inch or more rain within a few days I will skip that watering day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crash (Post 2330785)

Isn't that "3 minute run" just the default time to test you zones?

Quote:

Originally Posted by metoo21 (Post 2330743)

Select Any Day. If you chose a specific day or days, then the software won't water unless the need is on that/those days. Probably will kill your lawn if it is dry say on Saturday and can't run until Tuesday (if you had selected Tuesday).

Did you find a local weather station?

I don't see "Any Day" as an option. Only the seven days of the week. Right now, I have it set for Monday/Thursday/Saturday...

Is that what you mean?

Also what time lenght are you using for your various areas?

I set mine for:

Front Yard: 35 minutes (lots of sun)
Side Yards: 35 minutes (lots of sun)
Back yard: 15 minutes (no problem with the grass, soil is always damp. Plenty of cross-spray from lanai watering)
Lanai Shrubs/Front Shrubs: 25 minutes (also waters part of front yard)

I'm also using "Smart Cycle", which breaks each of the 4 zones in a "cycle and soak".

Does this sound reasonable?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRcorvette (Post 2330661)

I have had good success by watering for short periods 5 or 6 days a week. I found that by watering for long periods most of the water just soaks into the sandy soil. It’s working for me… my grass is Green.

My lawn guy recommended watering more times (especially during drought) but using appropriate same amount of water. I’m north of 44 and have the zoysia type of grass. Works well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2330899)

Sounds like you've set up fixed runs. A Flex Daily schedule would be better. Set it to end before sunrise. Here is an article on Flex Daily. Flex Daily FAQ My system watered this past Saturday (11th) and based on predicted weather, the system won't water again until the 19th. Now if the weather changes, it could water earlier or if we get rain, it will water later than the 19th. All of the watering times are determined by calculated moisture % with the soil having 50% moisture at root depth that you set. Here is an article: Moisture Levels

If you make all of the advance settings as I described, the run times for each zone will be calculated by Rachio. When you set up a Flex Daily schedule, there is an option for Any Day. This should be selected as it allows Rachio to determine what day to water since it decides when it is necessary.

My run times will be different than yours because of zone areas and precipitation rates but for my grass areas, it ranges from 39 to 68 minutes. Flower beds run for 50 minutes. I listed vegetation type for my flower beds as Shrubs which defaults to 15 inch root depth. I left it at 15 as my plants have been in place for 2 years. It should be noted that based on moisture depletion calculated by Rachio, the flower beds do not always get watered when the grass does.

Smart Cycle seems like a good option but I have found that you have to have the slope setting to Steep for it to work as described. Of course, this would change the total actual watering time too since it would think more water is needed for the sloped area even though it would also cycle and soak. I wish when it was selected that it actually performed the function regardless of slope as with a clay top layer, it might be needed for those that get runoff. I'd keep it selected in case Rachio changes the software.

Main difference between Flex Monthly and Flex Daily is that Flex Monthly uses historical weather data to determine watering needs and Flex Daily looks at actual current weather.

Did you find a weather station close by to connect with the Rachio or are you just using Rachio's calculated weather? If not, you could set up your own station. This is a good inexpensive one. Ambient Weather WS-2902. Mount it at least 6 ft off the ground in an area where the wind isn't affected by a solid fence (unless mounted above the fence), the house, trees, etc. Also want to be sure sprinklers don't spray into the rain cup. I'd also recommend the optional bird spikes. Some say that they don't always deter birds but any help in preventing them landing on the cup and using it as a toilet is a +. :laugh: Obviously, that and any leaves, etc that collect will affect rain fall readings. This unit requires batteries so be sure it's at a location where you can change them and clean the rain cup when necessary. It should come with instructions on how to connect it to whether underground but if you need assistance, this forum is good for asking questions. WxForum.net/Ambient Weather.

I have a Davis Vantage Pro2 weather station but it is considerably higher priced than the WS-2902.

Any other questions feel free to ask.

Lots of misinformation!

An amazing amount of misinformation here, including the Fertigator people, who I just fired over this issue, and even Mr. Helpful surprisingly. The rules for running your sprinklers are clear, your address has two specific days and times that the sprinklers should run. If everyone just ignores them, we have the potential to imperil our water supply.

The days and times to water are based on what district you are in (I believe Lake Denham is in District 14), and your lot #. That is not your address it is a number on your Villages ID at the end of U/L line. That will give you the table, District 14 is linked below, that tells you what days and time is your time to run your sprinklers.

https://www.thevillageswaterwisdom.c...1c6110a398.pdf

Yes it has been dry, and twice a week under these conditions will cause local brown areas that don't receive enough water. Those can be hand watered, but that's difficult from out of town. It is forecast to rain 4 of the next 10 days, so this issue is about to be resolved for everyone by Mother Nature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomSpasm (Post 2330967)

If you notice on the sticker, it says "Recommended". It does not say this is a Rule. The info on the sticker is possibly a good starting point for those that may have never had a sprinkler system.

The stickers have bad info. For May, mine says 40min/zone, 1/wk and start at 7 AM. I have 6 zones. 6 zones times 40 minutes is 240 minutes or 4 hours. This would put my watering ending at 11 AM. Per your link (Irrigation Schedules for VCDD 14) at the bottom it says that Irrigation after 10 a.m. and before 4 p.m. is prohibited. Thus I would be in violation. You mention twice a week in your comment above. Does your sticker say 2/wk?

Hand watering is not an option for me. For one, it would require me to take the time to do it and move sprinklers. Why would I do that when I have an irrigation system? Secondly, I would have to use potable water which to me would be wasteful. Here in the south part of the villages, we irrigate with reclaimed pond water. This water came from rain (and some from the runoff of watered yards). By removing it from the ponds and putting it on yards, we are utilizing it naturally. If not collected and recycled, it would have been "wasted" since it would have percolated into the soil and eventually found its way back to the aquifer when it rained. We just borrowed it temporarily.

I've actually performed the calculation to determine how much yard area I have. Based on my lot and removing the area of the house, garage, lanai, front porch, sidewalk & driveway, I have 8841 sq ft. of grass & landscaping. Looking at the formula at the bottom of the page here How much is enough, I get 8841 x 28.3 X 0.05194 = 12,995.4 gallons which is the amount I could be using per month on average. I've averaged 7,583 gallons between Jan and April. Yes I keep a spreadsheet of my usage every month.

With the Rachio being a smart controller, I'm hoping to be below the average amount for 2024 and still have a great looking yard.