IRRIGATION: Wyeast Gardens Series:

Irrigation controllers are the brain of the irrigation system and when functioning well can assist the landscaper with making a beautiful, efficient, and environmentally conscious site. When irrigation controllers are not functioning as they should the landscape can have many issues from underwatering and stressed plant materials to overwatering causing high tiered water bills, poorly performing plant material, medium for pests such as mosquitoes and wasps, and the ability to enjoy landscape without the bog effects.

1. Smart Controllers-Smart controllers vary in complexity and performance, but at the basic level they schedule watering based on monthly variables such as temperature, precipitation, length of day,  and humidity. They take this information and decide if the landscape needs water, how much water, and frequency of water. These controllers are great starting points, but it's not the end of the road for programming. Most sites need to be monitored and fine tuned throughout each season to verify the smart controllers programming. Perhaps the most important part of the modern smart controller is the ability to program when away from the controller through an app and Wi-Fi connection.
2. Watering Frequency and duration- Many times watering frequency and duration is just a guess by the installer after the installation. Hopefully it’s a pretty good guess, but typically it's not. Many variables are involved when programming a controller for frequency and duration as some are : sun or shade %, soil type, obstructions around landscape, temperature, humidity, plant material type and age, and length of day. While there is lots to consider in the first year, each year should get easier if data is collected. We need to be able to verify certain variables and measure them in order to get a watering schedule that’s appropriate and efficient. 
3. Cycle and Soak- Cycle and soak is underutilized and can add a layer of complexity to the watering schedule. With the introduction of smart controllers the process has become streamlined and much easier to use, but it's an extra button push that many don’t do. The purpose of cycle and soak is to stop watering once field capacity of the landscape zone has been reached and allow it time before additional water is added. If field capacity is reached and watering continues then the remaining irrigation turns into runoff. When this occurs it's not only a waste of money, but can be detrimental to the landscape.
4. Management- Many consumers believe that the irrigation is a plug and play type of device. This is understandable as that’s the world we live in. I like to compare an irrigation system to a HVAC system. With HVAC the system needs yearly maintenance for performance reasons. Items such as air filters, duct work, thermostat programming, ect. These systems don’t have nearly the components an irrigation system has, or the differing environmental changes that occur on a yearly basis. With that, irrigation systems are not low maintenance, but can be less maintenance if maintained properly.
5. Installation- The irrigation industry is always changing, and with change comes increases in efficiency. Not all systems are created equal, but most systems have similar components. What’s often overlooked in the installation process is what will the mature landscape need for future watering. Often irrigation systems are installed to water newly installed plantings. Irrigation renovations should occur as plantings change, become mature, or when other variables occur. It's very easy to perform minor changes annually.