AppleScript to control sprinkler duration

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I thought it would be worth noting:

Changing duration [minutes running] is NOT the proper way to irrigate.

- The purpose of irrigation is to water the roots [8-12 inches for lawn] EVERY TIME.
- If it takes 30 minutes for your water to reach the roots [based on soil type], it does so the same in March as it does in September.
- The correct way to irrigate is to adjust the FREQUENCY [or dry out period]

So your lawn schedule might look something like this:
- January/30 min/every 14 days
- May/30 min/ every 7 days
- September/30 min/ every 2 days

Deep soak >> dry out >> Deep soak >> dry out = Deep happy root system 8-12 inches down
Constant short cycles = Shallow unhealthy root system Shorter durations may only get the water 3-5 inches, and thats where your root system will grow.
The closer the roots are to the surface the more they are affected by the environment. Deep = Good

I use a water meter probe to determine when the next irrigation day will occur. The meter range is [0] DRY - [10] WET.
[5] is my target

Hope this was helpful to someone.

Craig, in principle I agree with what you say, measuring soil moisture to set watering schedules. The problem is one of automation. With a large number of zones covering a yard with all different topologies and soil types, changing the schedule zone-per-zone is desirable and one would have to devote significant time towards water measurements. Perhaps the best way to adjust an 8-zone EZFlora would be to set it for minimal time periods and if one lawn or garden starts to die, then water it more... if they stay green, water them less. But the schedule still needs to be in place. My yard, for example... has places where sod was laid out over 2" of sandy dirt and a diatomachious clay was below that. Other locations have tons of rocks, or I am watering a steep hill-side where water runs off quickly, forcing me to water more frequently.

As for deep root watering, I buy these things: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087O ... UTF8&psc=1

But again, I agree with you in principle. What water meter probe do you use?