TEST: Automatic Garden Watering System: Smart Irrigation
Anyone lucky enough to have a luscious lawn will know that a lack of water over the summer will very quickly lead to brown patches, weeds and a lack of growth. It can be a manual tedious task however to help you prevent this we’ll show you how to implement automatic garden watering – taking a specific look at one home in Bavaria which already used Loxone to do this. This is their setup…
A lush lawn needs water – especially in summer, when a few dry days quickly leave brown patches. Dragging the hose around every evening gets old fast. An automatic garden watering system takes this job off your hands: it waters at the right time, uses rainwater where possible and pauses when rain is on the way.
In this article, you’ll learn how an automatic irrigation system works, what you need for it and how a family home in Bavaria waters its garden with LOXONE.
How does an automatic irrigation system work?
Every automated garden watering system follows the same principle: water comes from a source, a pump or the mains pressure moves it through the pipes, and valves decide which part of the garden gets water and when. What makes it smart is the brain behind it – the controller that decides whether watering makes sense today at all.
If you’re wondering what you need to buy, these are the typical components:
- Water source: a mains tap, a well or a rainwater tank – ideally with level monitoring.
- Pump: needed for tanks and wells to build up enough pressure.
- Irrigation control valves: solenoid valves that open and close each zone, usually grouped in a valve box.
- Sprinklers or drip lines: pop-up sprinklers for the lawn, drip irrigation for beds and hedges.
- Controller and sensors: the Miniserver – the brain of your smart home – takes over irrigation control and combines it with weather data and rain sensors.
Unlike a simple tap timer, a system like this doesn’t just follow the clock. It checks whether it has rained recently or rain is forecast – and skips watering when your garden doesn’t need it.
Using rainwater for automatic garden watering: a real example
A family home in Bavaria shows what this looks like in practice. A tank in the garden collects rainwater, and a pump carries it to the sprinklers. The same water can also be used for other jobs, such as washing the car.
Monitoring of the rainwater tank
To stop the pump from running dry, the water level in the tank is monitored continuously. Here, an ultrasonic sensor does the job: it delivers a 0–10 V signal and can be calibrated individually to suit the tank. This way, you – or your customers – always know how much water is left.
Activating the pump
The suction pump starts automatically at the scheduled time and can be switched on at any time in the LOXONE App. If there isn’t enough water in the tank, it switches off by itself. In this project, a Smart Socket takes care of that.
Automated distribution valves
Next to the pump, four pipes lead to different areas of the garden, and a valve controls the flow in each of them. As the pressure wouldn’t be enough to supply all four zones at once, the valves open one after another for a set time. Only when one valve closes does the next one open – so every zone gets full water pressure.
Pop-up sprinklers
Four pop-up sprinklers water the lawn. Each one rises as soon as its valve opens and disappears back into the ground when the valve closes. The rest of the time, your lawn stays free for mowing, playing and relaxing.
LOXONE Explained: automated irrigation control
In the very first episode of LOXONE Explained, we show you how to set up automatic irrigation with LOXONE – from the valves to the weather logic.
A smart irrigation system you control in the App
With the LOXONE App, you always see what’s happening in your garden. Let the watering run automatically, or start and stop individual zones by hand – from the sofa or while you’re on holiday.
In the Bavarian example, watering starts every day at 2:00 am, when little water evaporates. If it has already rained that day or rain is forecast, the sprinklers stay off. LOXONE knows this thanks to the Weather Station and the Weather Service.
Setting up irrigation in LOXONE Config
Since version 12.1, LOXONE Config includes the Irrigation function block. It takes rainfall and the weather forecast into account, so your garden is watered on demand rather than on a rigid schedule. The block controls up to eight zones via separate valve outputs, plus one output for the pump. You set the watering time for each zone, and the zones run one after another or individually.
Tip: All inputs and parameters are explained in the Irrigation function block documentation.
Gardena, Rain Bird & co.: which components work with LOXONE?
LOXONE is an open system, so you don’t have to commit to a single irrigation brand. There are two common ways to bring your garden into your smart home.
Gardena smart system
If you already use the Gardena smart system, LOXONE connects to it via the Gardena smart Gateway. Smart water valves, soil moisture sensors, pumps and even SILENO robotic mowers then work together with the rest of your home – for example, the mower returns to its dock before the sprinklers start.
24 V irrigation control valves from Rain Bird, Hunter or Gardena
Classic 24 V solenoid valves are switched via LOXONE relay outputs – on the Miniserver or a Relay Extension. A 24 V AC transformer powers the valves, and the Irrigation function block decides when each one opens.
Also perfect for commercial premises & custom applications
LOXONE also handles automatic watering on a much larger scale – on a Christmas tree farm, for example. Football clubs such as Sportunion Kollerschlag have automated the watering of their football pitch with LOXONE. Just like in the garden, the level of the water source is monitored, and the main pitch or training field can be watered via the App.
If you are interested in commercial applications, check out our Building Automation page.
FAQs
What do I need to buy for automatic irrigation?
At minimum, you need a water source, irrigation control valves, sprinklers or drip lines and a controller. With a rainwater tank or well, add a pump and ideally a level sensor. With LOXONE, the Miniserver acts as the controller and brings in weather data as well.
Is an automatic garden watering system with a timer enough?
A timer waters at fixed times – even when it’s pouring with rain. A smart irrigation system also considers recent rainfall and the weather forecast, so it only waters when your plants actually need it. That saves water and keeps your lawn from getting soggy.
Do I need a separate irrigation controller with WiFi?
Not with LOXONE. The Miniserver takes over irrigation control, and you operate everything in the LOXONE App – at home or on the go. Instead of yet another device with its own app, watering becomes part of your smart home.
Which irrigation method uses the least water?
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the roots and loses the least to evaporation. Whatever you choose, watering early in the morning, skipping it when rain is due and using collected rainwater save the most water.
Can one automatic watering system for garden and lawn cover everything?
Yes. Split your garden into zones – for example pop-up sprinklers for the lawn and drip lines for the beds. Each zone gets its own valve and watering time, and the Irrigation function block supports up to eight zones.
Does LOXONE work with Gardena?
Yes. The Gardena smart system connects to LOXONE via the Gardena smart Gateway, and Gardena’s 24 V irrigation valves can be switched directly via LOXONE relay outputs.
Ready for a garden that takes care of itself?
Whether you’re planning a new home, adding smart irrigation to your garden or want to offer LOXONE to your customers as an installer – tell us about your project. We’ll answer your questions, and if you like, a certified LOXONE Partner near you will help you plan a system that fits your needs.
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