Irrigation method and control system

An irrigation method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a non-watering period for each of a plurality of water stations to thereby determine an available watering period for each of the water stations;
• providing data regarding location conditions including the step of storing environmental and geographic data for later retrieval and use;
• and
• activating each watering station for a predetermined duration within its corresponding available watering period based upon the location conditions.

An irrigation method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a non-watering period for each of a plurality of water stations to thereby determine an available watering period for each of the water stations;
• providing data regarding location conditions;
• activating each watering station for a predetermined duration within its corresponding available watering period based upon the location conditions;
• and
• determining whether a power failure condition has occurred which has prevented watering and thereafter adjusting the predetermined duration of activation of each watering station within its corresponding available watering period to compensate for non-watering during the duration of the power failure condition.

An irrigation method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a non-watering period for each of a plurality of water stations to thereby determine an available watering period for each of the water stations, including the step of generating and depicting a menu representing the selected non-watering periods;
• providing data regarding location conditions;
• and
• activating each watering station for a predetermined duration within its corresponding available watering period based upon the location conditions.

An irrigation method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a non-watering period for each of a plurality of water stations to thereby determine an available watering period for each of the water stations;
• providing data regarding location conditions including the step of storing environmental and geographic data for later retrieval and use, the environmental and geographic data including data representing both evapotranspiration rate and temperature for predetermined time intervals during a year in a predetermined geographic location based upon a ZIP CODE of the location where the method is to be performed;
• and
• activating each watering station for a predetermined duration within its corresponding available watering period based upon the location conditions.

An irrigation method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a non-watering period for each of a plurality of water stations to thereby determine an available watering period for each of the water stations;
• providing data regarding location conditions;
• activating each watering station for a predetermined duration within its corresponding available watering period based upon the location conditions;
• and
• adjusting the length and frequency of the predetermined watering duration for each watering station based upon an expected evapotranspiration rate for a given day at the location where the method is to be performed, any rainfall that has occurred since the previous day, and any unfulfilled moisture requirements from the previous day.

An irrigation method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of selectively actuable watering stations about a selected location;
• connecting each of the watering stations to a source of pressurized water;
• storing a set of data representing environmental conditions of the selected location, said conditions being selected from the group consisting of evapotranspiration rate for predetermined intervals throughout a given time period and temperature for predetermined intervals throughout a given time period;
• providing data from at least one input device at the selected location, the input device being selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a rain gauge, a humidity sensor, and a flow meter;
• and
• actuating each watering station for predetermined durations at predetermined intervals based upon the data representing environmental conditions and the input device data to thereby ensure optimum growth of the plants situated in the selected location.

An irrigation control system, comprising:

• means for enabling a user to input data representing a non-watering period for each of a plurality of watering stations to thereby determine an available watering period for each of the watering stations including a rotary switch and display means for indicating the data inputted by the user;
• means for providing data regarding location conditions;
• and
• means for automatically activating each watering station for a predetermined duration within its corresponding available watering period based upon the location conditions.