Base Line BaseStation 3200, User Manual, Page: 14 / 102

BaseStation 3200 Advanced Irrigation Controller Manual
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6
Turf Grass
As previously stated, you should bury the sensor 2 inches to 3 inches below the thatch layer, or in the top 1/3 of
the root zone of the grass.
Newly Seeded Turf Grass or New Sod
The default watering strategies for the 3200 are intended to optimize water efficiency for established plants and
turf. This style of watering can result in poor performance for newly seeded turf.
If you want to install a sensor in newly seeded turf grass, follow the installation instructions and bury the sensor at
the proper depth. Baseline recommends that you water according to an appropriate timed schedule until the grass
has rooted sufficiently (typically 60 to 90 days) before enabling a sensor based watering strategy. After the grass
has rooted, you can convert the primary zone to a sensor based watering strategy.
Likewise, newly installed sod has very shallow roots. Water the new sod on an appropriate time schedule until it
has rooted sufficiently to enable a sensor based watering strategy (typically 30 to 60 days).
Trees and Shrubs
If trees and shrubs are watered separately, a moisture sensor is an excellent tool to maintain their health and
beauty. Typically, multiple trees are watered by the same zone. If so, choose an average tree, and install the
biSensor in the top 1/3 of the root zone of the tree.
biSensor in the top 1/3 of the root zone of an established tree
Angling the sensor can monitor a deeper soil profile for trees that have deep root structures.
If the tree is watered with drip emitters or bubblers, install the sensor in a location that is not directly under the
emitter or bubbler to avoid partial watering of the whole root zone of the tree. If multiple emitters are used for a
single tree, a good rule of thumb is to install the sensor roughly half way between two emitters and as much inside
the root mass of the tree as possible without damaging the roots.