ebruchez / tessel-drip Goto Github PK

Right now we just call DarkSky and check for "icon": "rain", because it's very simple.

We can do better, including:

• check whether it rained over the last day(s)
• check the expected amount of rain for the day(s)
• modulate the duration depending on the temperature
• don't turn on if it is near or below freezing

Right

now, we turn on at a fixed time in the early morning.

It would be nice to be able to say, for example, to do this at such and such time before sunrise, or after sunset.

This page recommends after sunset:

The best time of day to begin irrigation is after nightfall. The irrigation cycle should end early enough before sunrise to allow excess water to soak into the landscape so that the leaves will dry in the normal time period. Night-time temperatures and wind speeds are much lower, which means lower evaporative losses during irrigation. Night-time humidity is higher, which also reduces evaporation. There is no sun, so solar radiation does not contribute to water evaporation.

This page recommends irrigating less than once per day:

Drip irrigation is usually needed less frequently than sprinkler irrigation. The following frequency is recommended by SNWA and should provide most plants with sufficient water:

1 day per week or less during the winter
2 days per week during spring and fall
3 days per week during the summer

This page says:

The very best time to water plants is in the early morning, while it is still cool.