Baseline Systems BaseStation 3200 - Manual (Page 12)

I n t r o d u c t i o n
Page 10
Baseline 3200
One important thing to remember about watering strategies: any one zone (or valve) can only be
watered according to one strategy. In other words, you cannot configure a zone to be watered
automatically using a soil moisture sensor and also be watered on a separate timed schedule.
Zones can be linked together and watered as a group, regardless of the watering strategy
selected. See below for more information on Schedule Groups.
Also note that, even with soil moisture based watering strategies, it is important to program the
controller to be allowed to put down as much water as required to maintain plant health during
the heat of the summer. The 3200 has built-in limits as to how much it is allowed to modify run
times or watering days before it assumes that there is an equipment malfunction of some kind.
One of the most common irrigation programming mistakes made is to apply too little water
during the hottest days of the season. Baseline recommends that, regardless of water strategy,
each Zone be programmed to water long enough to put down at least one-half inch (½”) of water
each time the controller is allowed to water.

Set default run times that will apply ½” of water each time watering is
scheduled for best results.
Root Depth & Plant Water Efficiency
Studies show that most plants, including in particular standard turf grasses, do not grow deeper
roots unless promoted to do so. While some turfgrass varietals more rapidly grow deeper root
structures when properly watered, even Kentucky bluegrass will grow roots in excess of 12”
when watered optimally and in appropriate soil textures.
Watering deeply and infrequently on a consistent basis will promote healthier plants with deeper
root structures. As roots grow deeper, the plants are then able to access water in deeper and
typically wetter soil layers, making them even more water efficient. Plants with deeper roots are
also able to draw nutrients and fertilizers from deeper soil layers, making the plants more
nutrition efficient as well.

Watering deeply and infrequently will promote deeper root growth and
healthier plants.
Zone Schedule Groups
Most landscapes are comprised of areas with different plant types and sun exposures. However,
in most cases, these areas will be covered by multiple or even many valves or zones. In order to
avoid the requirement of putting a soil moisture sensor in every single zone, the BaseStation
3200 allows users to group zones into a Schedule Group. Each Schedule Group has a Primary
Zone, which can be watered according to any of the Watering Strategies outlined above, and any
number of Linked Zones, which will be watered on the same basic schedule as the Primary Zone.
Schedule Groups are typically used to group zones in a Hydrozone together so that they can be
watered similarly. A Hydrozone is defined in the landscape industry as any group of zones that
have similar plant types and watering requirements.
Example: A sports park has four baseball fields and four soccer fields in addition to some
perimeter and parking lot shrub areas.
Since it is desired that the infield areas of the baseball fields will be watered
differently from the outfields, the infields of all four baseball diamonds are grouped as