Let’s be real—your sunny driveway border drinks water like crazy, while that shady spot under the tree stays damp for days. So why are you watering them the same?
Setting up different schedules for sun vs. shade is a total game-changer. Here’s how to do it with your RainPoint system in about 10 minutes.
Quick Breakdown: Sun vs. Shade Needs
| Area | What They Need | The Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Full Sun | More water, more often | Evaporates fast, plants stress quick |
| Partial Shade | Medium watering | Stays moist longer—easy to overdo it |
| Deep Shade | Light watering | Slow to dry—too much = fungus |
Water everything the same? Your sunny plants stay thirsty and your shady ones drown. Not great.
4 Simple Steps to Fix It
Step 1: Map Your Spots
Grab coffee, walk the yard, note:
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Full sun: 6+ hours direct -
Partial shade: 3–6 hours -
Full shade: Less than 3 hours
That’s your zone map. Easy.
Step 2: Name Your Zones in the App
Open RainPoint app → Device Settings → Zone Management
Give 'em names that actually make sense:
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“Hot Sunny Border”
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“Chill Shade Corner”
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“Patio Pots—Mixed Light”
No more guessing what “Zone 3” means.
Step 3: Set Different Schedules
Start here and tweak as you go:
| Zone Type | Try This | Watch For |
|---|---|---|
| Full Sun | 3x/week, 20–30 mins early AM | If dry faster, add a few mins |
| Partial Shade | 2x/week, 15–20 mins | Check soil—still wet? Cut back |
| Full Shade | 1–2x/week, 10–15 mins | See moss/fungus? You’re overdoing it |
Step 4: Let Sensors Do the Thinking
Got a soil sensor? Drop one in a sunny spot and one in shade. The app shows you exactly what’s happening underground. Sunny one dry? Water. Shady one still wet? Skip it. Done.
Pro Move: Weather Settings by Zone
This is where it gets fun. In Advanced Settings, you can tell each zone how to handle rain:
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Sunny zones: Lower rain delay sensitivity (they dry out fast, so get back to watering sooner)
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Shady zones: Keep sensitivity high (they stay wet forever anyway)
Also flip on Temperature Cutoff for those full-sun spots—saves plants when it’s scorching.
Real-Life Example (Zone 7, Spring)
| Zone | Sun Type | Schedule | Rain Delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Roses | Full Sun | 3x/week @ 6am | Medium |
| Side Yard | Partial Shade | 2x/week @ 6:30am | Medium-High |
| Back Shade | Full Shade | 1x/week @ 7am | High |
Your 5-Minute Checklist
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Mapped sun vs. shade spots
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Renamed zones in app (no more “Zone 1”)
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Set different schedules
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Tweaked rain delay per zone
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Watching plants and adjusting
Your Turn!
Already doing zone-specific watering? What’s changed for your garden? Drop a pic or tip below—we’re all here to learn.