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Get 'smart' irrigation controller, learn how to use it

Regional Water Authority offers Rachio 3 deal and free workshop

Man with remote controller
Get a smart irrigation controller at a discount and learn how to use it free. (Photo courtesy RWA)





On the hottest day of the year, decide to water smarter.

This current heat wave is a reminder of how dependent our landscapes are on proper irrigation. But how much water does your garden need?

A "smart" controller takes some of the guess work out of watering. It acts like a thermostat for your sprinklers, using local weather conditions to determine when and how long your system should run.
Smart controllers can be expensive, up to $270 for a 16-zone system. And they can seem a little intimidating to set up.

The Regional Water Authority has answers to both: A Rachio 3 Controller offered at a deep discount and an online workshop to learn how to use it.

The controller is available for $75 plus tax to customers of RWA's member water providers. That's about two dozen local agencies.

According to the RWA, a Water Sense-labeled controller such as this Rachio model can save an average home about 13,500 gallons a year.

Now how to make the most of that technology: Take an online class.

RWA's free virtual workshop is set for noon Tuesday, Aug. 25. Advance registration is required.

"The Rachio Controllers have many features that help you maintain a beautiful garden," says the RWA.

During this virtual workshop you will learn:
-- How Rachio can make any yard smart
-- Overview of installation, hardware & software setup
-- An overview of each schedule type
-- An overview of how the app works
-- An overview of your yard and zones

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Garden Checklist for week of April 27

Once the clouds clear, get to work. Spring growth is in high gear.

* Set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash. Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.

* Weed, weed, weed! Don’t let unwanted plants go to seed.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Start thinning fruit that's formed on apple and stone fruit trees -- you'll get larger fruit at harvest (and avoid limb breakage) if some is thinned now. The UC recommendation is to thin fruit when it is about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Peaches and nectarines should be thinned to about 6 inches apart; smaller fruit such as plums and pluots can be about 4 inches apart. Apricots can be left at 3 inches apart. Apples and pears should be thinned to one fruit per cluster of flowers, 6 to 8 inches apart.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

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