As a professional gardening contractor, you're no stranger to the challenges of maintaining healthy landscapes, especially in large commercial or high-end residential properties. One of the key components to ensure lush, thriving gardens — especially in dry climates — is an efficient, ‘Smart’ irrigation watering system. These systems offer convenience, save water, and provide precision irrigation, helping you manage multiple sites with ease.
Choose the ‘Smart’ option
Managing multiple properties or large estates can be time-consuming, especially when it comes to monitoring and adjusting watering schedules. Smart irrigation systems offer several key benefits:
- Efficiency: You can adjust watering schedules in real-time based on changing weather conditions, soil moisture levels, and plant needs.
- Water Savings: Smart controllers help avoid water wastage through integration with sensors and providing real-time data.
- Convenience: Control your system via a smartphone or tablet, reducing the need to access the control box - and helping you avoid creepy crawlies that live within it!
Setting Up a Smart Irrigation System
Assess Your Site’s Needs
Before diving into installation, conduct a thorough assessment of the garden or landscape. Key considerations include:
- Plant types: Determine the water requirements for various applications. Trees, shrubs, lawns, and flower beds each have different needs.
- Zoning: Divide the landscape into zones based on their location and watering requirements, such as front lawn and back garden, to allow for more precise watering schedules.
- Water pressure and flow: Ensure your irrigation system can handle the required flow rate for efficient operation across all zones.
Choose Your Equipment: Enter the Toro Tempus™ Range
The Toro Tempus range of smart irrigation controllers is ideal for professionals looking to streamline their water management. With both Tempus DC and Tempus AG options, this range is versatile enough to meet the demands of different project scales and site conditions.
Key Features:
- Instant Control via the Smartphone Apps: Using the Tempus Apps, you can manage and adjust watering schedules from the palm of your hand, with no need to touch the controller.
- Battery Powered: The range of Tempus controllers can be powered with a single 9V battery, ensuring your system remains operational 24/7.
- Zone Control: The Tempus system allows for flexible zone management, enabling different watering times and durations for each area of the garden.
- Water Usage Monitoring: Track water usage in real-time to ensure compliance with water restrictions and optimise conservation efforts.
Install the System
The next step is the physical installation of the irrigation system. This includes placing pipes, valves, sprinklers, and drip lines. Here's how to get started:
- Controller Installation: Depending on your site’s requirements, select either the Toro Tempus DC or AG controller. The Tempus DC is ideal for home owners who want the convenience of bluetooth operated irrigation, while the Tempus AG suits commercial applications where a more advanced feature set is required. Install the controller where the irrigation valves are located, with no cable required.
- Zoning: After installing the controller, determine and label each zone of your garden - eg front garden, back garden - to strategically regulate water flow to different parts.
- Sensors: Add rain or soil moisture sensors to the system for better accuracy. The Tempus AG controller is compatible with these smart sensors, allowing the system to skip watering when conditions are ideal, such as after a rainfall. For more precise watering, Tempus AG is compatible with a wider range of environment and soil sensors.
Configure the Smart Controller
Once the hardware is installed, it’s time to configure the software and sync the system to the Toro Tempus app.
- Download the Tempus DC or AG App: Available on both iOS and Android, the Tempus apps are your gateway to fully managing the irrigation system. Through the apps, you can:
- Set up individual zones, assigning them unique names, plant types, and watering schedules.
- Create customised programs for each zone based on specific water requirements.
- View and modify schedules in real-time from your smartphone.
Testing & Monitoring
Once the system is set up, run a test cycle to ensure that everything is working properly. Check that:
- All zones are receiving the appropriate amount of water.
- The sprinkler heads or drip lines are functioning without leaks or clogs.
- The system is responding accurately to commands sent via the Toro Tempus apps.
With everything in place, continue to monitor the system regularly. The Toro Tempus apps will allow you to adjust schedules as needed, especially during seasonal changes or during extreme weather conditions.
So, now you can take control of irrigation remotely, ensuring the optimal health of every garden you manage.
Happy irrigating!
