SCSSCS Creative Systems

SCS Landscaping / Learn by doing

Learn your landscape.

Controller basics, measured sprinkler watering, and plant choices that fit the site. Start with one question and check the official guide before making a change.

01 / Controller basics

Start with the model and the current settings.

Controllers use different controls and features. Read the manual for the exact model and revision; the concepts below do not substitute for its button instructions.

Four settings that do different jobs

Program
A group of watering settings, often labeled A, B or C.
Start time
The clock time a program begins. On X-Core and ESP-TM2, additional start times repeat the program; they are not station numbers.
Station runtime
The minutes assigned to a valve/zone within a program.
Watering days
When a program is allowed to run. Check local restrictions separately.

Sources: Hunter X-Core support; Rain Bird ESP-TM2 manual (PDF, programming p. 6).

A careful first review

  1. Find the model label and matching manual. Photograph the existing settings; write down what each zone waters.
  2. Check date, time and every active program. Review all start times, station minutes and watering days for unintended repeats.
  3. Use the manual for an attended inspection when local testing rules permit. Look for leaks, blocked heads and water on paving; stop a problematic test.
  4. Check the model's rain-delay, seasonal-adjustment and sensor instructions. Confirm the rain or soil-moisture sensor works; avoid leaving a bypass enabled.
  5. Restore the intended operating mode and verify the next scheduled run. Avoid resets unless you understand which settings they erase.

Leave wiring, pump relays and electrical repairs to qualified help.

Record current settings in the worksheet

Fictional program example / Not controller settings

Why a second start repeats the zones.

Follow the existing definitions above: a program groups station runtimes; a start triggers that program. For the X-Core example, one start runs the programmed stations in sequence. These invented numbers teach that relationship; do not copy them onto a real controller.

Illustrative Program A

  1. Station 1: 4 minutes
  2. Station 2: 6 minutes
  3. Station 3: 8 minutes

One illustrated sequence: 4 + 6 + 8 = 18 valve-on minutes.

Compare fictional program starts

1 program start × 18 minutes per sequence = 18 illustrated valve-on minutes.

  1. Start 1 → Station 1 (4 min) → Station 2 (6 min) → Station 3 (8 min).

Assumes permitted run days, 100% adjustment, no sensor block, delays or cycle/soak, and non-overlapping starts. This total is not elapsed clock time, water volume or a watering recommendation. Real behavior depends on the exact model, revision and configured options.

Common mix-ups to check in the existing worksheet

  • Start 2 is not Station 2. An extra program start can repeat the whole station sequence. It may be intentional for cycle-and-soak; check its purpose before changing it.
  • Program A is not the whole controller. Record starts and station minutes for every active program separately.
  • Minutes are not a clock time. Station duration and the program's clock-time start answer different questions.
  • A repeated sequence is not proof of need. Verify actual site conditions and applicable watering/testing rules separately.

Record actual settings in the existing observation worksheet; leave unknowns unrecorded rather than turning them into zero or OFF.

Manufacturer references checked October 11, 2026: Hunter X-Core RevG, printed page 21: program starts and station runtimes (PDF); Rain Bird ESP-TM2, printed page 6: program-specific starts and station runtimes (PDF). Match the manual to your hardware. This reference supplies no local watering window.

Exact-model setup basics / Source-checked October 12, 2026

Find the controls on your irrigation clock.

Before changing anything, photograph and record existing settings in the observation worksheet. Match the model label, manual revision and panel. If labels differ, stop and use the matching guide. These representative guides do not cover every family or firmware version.

Starts begin a whole program or schedule. Multiple starts may be intentional for repeated cycles, including an approved cycle-and-soak approach; dedicated cycle/soak features behave differently. Review the purpose before changing them. No watering duration, clock time, local permitted day or test permission is prescribed here.

Showing all three reviewed model guides.

Hunter X-Core

Physical dial; X-Core manual RevG. Not other Hunter models or app screens.

Date / time
CURRENT TIME/DAY: use the flashing field, +/− and arrows; check AM/PM (p. 21).
Watering days
WATER DAYS: select the intended A/B/C program; review day icons. Odd/even and interval options differ (pp. 21–22).
Program starts
START TIMES: choose the program, then its start entries. Each start runs that program’s stations; start numbers are not stations (p. 21).
Station runtimes
RUN TIMES: choose program and station; review its minutes separately (p. 21).
Manual test
MANUAL-ONE STATION is a distinct attended operation; follow p. 23 after locating the stop control. Its sensor behavior differs from automatic runs.
Rain / off
SYSTEM OFF stops watering. Programmable rain-off and seasonal settings are separate; confirm the intended return state (pp. 22–23).

This is the X-Core panel route. An app-based Hunter installation needs its exact controller/app guide; these dial steps do not cover pairing or access.

Official Hunter X-Core manual (PDF) · Printed pp. 21–23
Official Hunter X-Core support / learning resources

Rain Bird ESP-TM2

Physical dial; linked ESP-TM2 guide 690299-01 Rev.05/16. Optional LNK2 app route is separate.

Date / time
DATE/TIME: arrows choose fields; +/− changes values. Check AM/PM or clock format (p. 6).
Watering days
RUN DAYS: Program Select chooses the program. Review permitted day choices; odd/even and cyclic options are separate (pp. 6, 8).
Program starts
START TIMES: Program Select, start entry, then clock time. Multiple starts belong to the program (p. 6).
Station runtimes
RUN TIMES: select program and station, then review its duration (p. 6).
Manual test
MANUAL STATION offers different all-station and single-station operations. Read p. 7 before initiating; changing to AUTO RUN can start the prepared test.
Rain / off
OFF cancels active watering and disables automatic operation. Delay Watering is separate; verify the intended state afterward (pp. 7–8).

ESP-TM2 with an optional compatible LNK2 module uses the Rain Bird app. Panel settings are not app setup instructions; no network, account or permission steps are provided.

Official Rain Bird ESP-TM2 connected-route information

Official Rain Bird ESP-TM2 manual (PDF) · Printed pp. 6–8
Official Rain Bird ESP-TM2 support / learning resources

Toro EVOLUTION

EVOLUTION Series residential/light-commercial button-and-menu panel; English guide 373-0775 revision C (373-0775BV). Not EVOLUTION AG or other Toro clocks.

Date / time
HELP/SETUP → SET TIME/DATE: arrows select fields; SELECT saves (p. 23).
Watering days
SCHEDULES → WATER DAYS reviews the basic schedule. Multiple active schedules require the matching advanced workflow (pp. 8–9, 13–18).
Program starts
SCHEDULES → SCHEDULE STARTS: each start runs all scheduled zones in sequence (p. 8).
Zone runtimes
SCHEDULES → ZONE RUNTIMES sets zone duration. Review schedule assignments in the multi-schedule workflow (pp. 9, 13).
Manual test
WATER NOW distinguishes a schedule, specific zones and ALL ZONE TEST. Read the chosen operation and stop method first (pp. 9–10).
Rain / off
WATER OFF stops current watering; review the resume choice. Sensor/dryout settings are separate (pp. 12, 20).

Optional Smart Connect and SMRT Logic accessories can introduce SMRT Scape remote/app control. This card covers the physical panel, not accessory installation, cloud access or app permissions.

Official Toro EVOLUTION connected-route information

Official Toro EVOLUTION manual (PDF) · Printed pp. 8–12, 23
Official Toro EVOLUTION support / learning resources

Manual watering starts real equipment. Obtain permission, attend the operation and identify the stop method first. This guide excludes electrical work, factory resets, registration, app pairing and smart-controller permissions.

Find the exact manual before a test.

Identify the manufacturer, exact model and revision on your controller before following any button sequence. The examples below help you find topics; they do not identify your equipment. If the display or controls differ, stop at observation and find the matching manufacturer's guide.

Ask three questions: which equipment is in front of you, which operation will run, and how will you stop it and return it to the intended state? Record what you see in the existing observation worksheet; it records settings without programming the controller or saving your entries.

A manual test does not prove automatic sensor behavior. The reviewed Hunter X-Core manual states that its single-station manual function bypasses sensor input during that operation. Keep this distinction specific to that model and manual. Hunter X-Core manual, sensor discussion on printed page 13 (PDF).

Find topics in the two example manuals

Hunter X-Core example

The linked file is identified as RevG. Find automatic operation and stopping on printed page 22, and single-station manual operation and advancing on pages 23-24. Use the manufacturer's illustrations for the exact controls.

Read the matching X-Core manual (PDF)

Rain Bird ESP-TM2 example

The guide documents distinct station, program and all-station manual choices. Find programming on printed page 6, manual options and stopping on page 7, and sensor, seasonal and delay settings on page 8. Check the configured sensor behavior rather than assuming a test matches automatic operation.

Read the matching ESP-TM2 manual (PDF)

Before, during and after an attended operation

Before
Record the intended program, selected station, displayed values, sensor indication and operating mode. Find the matching manual's stop method first. Confirm local testing permission; this lesson supplies no legal watering window. If the model, access or ownership is unclear, stop at observation.
During
Stay with the operation. Compare the displayed station to the zone you can observe. Record leaks, spray onto paving or an unexpected display; use the matching manual to stop a problematic operation. Leave wiring, pumps and electrical repairs to qualified help.
After
Record completion or cancellation, the current display and whether the intended operating state is restored. Keep unresolved observations for review rather than compensating with more runtime or a reset.

Next, measure a sprinkler zone when a test is appropriate. The catch-cup tool uses measured depth, actual duration and a target you choose. It does not choose today's watering need or frequency.

Sources for this added lesson checked October 10, 2026. The examples do not confirm the controller at your site.

Record before you review

Current controller settings worksheet

One controller, one program and six station records per sheet. Use separate sheets for other programs or a continuation sheet for more stations; six rows are a worksheet limit, not a controller limit.

Every field is optional and starts blank. Copy what the controller displays, including units, AM/PM or OFF. An empty field means “Not recorded,” not zero or OFF. Print before clearing or leaving this page; this worksheet does not save your entries.

Your observed settings
Controller and source

Start times are clock times a program begins; station runtimes are durations for individual zones. Record every start-time slot in this program, including slots displaying OFF. On X-Core and ESP-TM2, another start time repeats the program; start-time slot numbers are not station identifiers. Start-time notes allow 400 characters and 8 nonempty lines.

This program

Enter the actual station identifier and displayed runtime with its unit. Record-row numbers below only organize this sheet. Continue on another sheet for additional stations, keeping the same model and program labels.

Record row 1
Record row 2
Record row 3
Record row 4
Record row 5
Record row 6
Other observed settings

Review notes allow 300 characters and 6 nonempty lines. Other fields show their character limit when exceeded. Shorten notes or use a continuation sheet; entries are never silently cut to fit.

Review the printable record

SCS Landscaping / Existing settings record

Current controller settings

One program per sheet. Six station records; continue on a labeled sheet for more stations. Review every active program separately.

Controller and source
Manufacturer and model
Not recorded
Revision or date code
Not recorded
Observation date and time
Not recorded
Matching manual title, revision and page
Not recorded
Sheet or continuation label
Not recorded
Program settings
Program label
Not recorded
Program start-time slots and displayed values
Not recorded
Existing watering days or interval
Not recorded
Station records for this program
Start-time slots above and station identifiers below are separate settings.
Actual stationZone purposeDisplayed runtime and unit
Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded
Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded
Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded
Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded
Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded
Not recordedNot recordedNot recorded
Other observed settings
Current operating mode
Not recorded
Displayed seasonal adjustment
Not recorded
Displayed rain-delay status
Not recorded
Displayed sensor setting or bypass status
Not recorded
Review notes
Not recorded

Recorded observations only. This sheet does not recommend a watering schedule, verify compliance or operate your controller. Check every active program and the manual for your exact model and revision before reviewing changes. “Not recorded” does not mean zero or OFF.

Official references: Hunter X-Core support — hunterirrigation.com/support/controllers/x-core; Rain Bird ESP-TM2 manual — rainbird.com/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-02/man_ESP-TM2_en.pdf (690299-01 Rev.05/16, programming p. 6). Match the manual to your own unit. Controller sources checked October 5, 2026.

Record existing settings before reviewing changes. This sheet does not recommend a watering schedule, verify compliance or operate your controller. Check every active program and the manual for your exact model and revision.

Hunter X-Core

Model-specific support

Start-time numbers are program starts. Cycle-and-soak availability depends on the controller's date code. Check your unit before following that feature's guide.

Open X-Core supportFind other Hunter manuals

02 / Measure watering

One sprinkler zone. A measured test.

The runtime tool answers “how many minutes for my chosen depth?” It does not decide today's watering need or weekly frequency.

Collect representative readings

  1. Place 5–10 straight-sided containers across one sprinkler zone. Test zones separately.
  2. Follow applicable watering and maintenance/testing rules, including temporary restrictions. Attend the test and record its actual elapsed minutes.
  3. Measure each collected water depth in the same unit. Enter the readings, elapsed minutes and a site-appropriate target in the calculator.
  4. Compare the readings. Inspect dry spots and uneven coverage rather than extending every zone's runtime to compensate.

UF/IFAS catch-cup method · SFWMD restrictions and local references

Estimate measured runtime

Save water by checking the need.

Revisit settings as weather and plant conditions change. Rain and soil-moisture shut-off devices help prevent unnecessary watering; inspect them and use the controller's correct sensor mode.

Group plants with similar water needs and keep turf and ornamental zones separate where the system supports it. A newly planted bed or fresh sod needs establishment guidance; an established plant's drought tolerance is not an establishment schedule.

Seasonal adjustment changes duration, not legal watering permission. Check rainfall, soil/site conditions, plant needs and local rules before choosing a target or frequency.

UF/IFAS: Saving Water Using Your Irrigation System

03 / Right plant, right place

Choose for the site before choosing a look.

Florida varies by region and microclimate. These examples are starting points to investigate, not a universal shopping list.

Make a simple site checklist

Record region and cold exposure, hours of sun, drainage/soil moisture, salt exposure, available mature height and width, and the plant's job: border, specimen, screening or wildlife habitat. Check establishment care, long-term water needs, maintenance and household safety before buying.

Plan around mature dimensions and group similar water needs. Check the exact species or cultivar with Extension or the official plant guide; a nursery's common name may cover different plants.

UF/IFAS: Right Plant, Right Place · Florida-Friendly Landscaping resources

Sunny borders and drifts

Muhly grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Foliage forms clumps about 2–3 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide; flower stalks can be taller. A sunny site suits its border or mass-planting role.

Water during establishment; established plants have good drought tolerance. Leave mature space and check local site fit and maintenance guidance.

UF/IFAS muhly grass guide
Specimen and foundation planting

Coontie

Zamia integrifolia

A mounded cycad usually 2–3 feet tall, tolerant of some shade and drought once established. Assess mature spread, drainage and household safety.

Coontie contains toxins; it is not an edible plant. Consider children and pets before siting it. Atala caterpillars feed on its foliage and can heavily defoliate it; weigh the wildlife role against appearance expectations.

UF/IFAS coontie guide
Wildlife shrub and mixed border

Firebush

Hamelia patens

Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies; birds use the berries. It prefers good drainage and flowers best in sun. Water while it establishes.

Regional cold exposure and the exact cultivar matter. It can become a large shrub in South Florida and die back with northern freezes. Some “dwarf” forms are nonnative; confirm botanical identity, mature size and pruning needs.

UF/IFAS firebush guide

Compare a plant to the job before calculating a quantity.

Start with the role: border, specimen, screen or habitat. Identify the exact species or cultivar, then compare its needs with the site. UF/IFAS considers site conditions, plant needs and maintenance in its plant-selection framework. These examples use Florida sources; check local Extension guidance for your actual region.

Hypothetical example: a border beside a path. Width and sunlight have been observed, but drainage, regional cold exposure and establishment care are unconfirmed. This is a decision exercise, not a plant recommendation.

Muhly grass: check the mature space

Its UF/IFAS guide describes sunny borders and grouped plantings. Ask whether the mature spread and seasonal flower height fit the measured space without interfering with the path.

Review the muhly grass guide

Coontie: resolve household safety

The guide warns about toxic stem material. Ask whether the siting and household context can address that hazard. If the review is unresolved, do not select it from appearance alone.

Review the coontie guide

Firebush: verify botanical identity

UF/IFAS distinguishes some nursery-sold smaller forms from native firebush. Check the exact tag, verified mature size and regional fit before treating a common name as a selection.

Review the firebush guide

The outcome can be not selected yet. Missing drainage, identity or establishment information is a reason to investigate, not a field to fill with a guess. Use the existing site checklist and local Extension office finder to resolve the gap.

Use a tool after the site decision

For a supported choice, enter measured bed dimensions, reviewed spacing and an explicit edge allowance in Plant Spacing. Compare layouts and inspect real edges and obstacles. A geometric count does not establish plant suitability or guarantee coverage.

Use Mulch for measured area and reviewed depth/waste assumptions, then confirm material and supplier coverage before ordering. For a drip bed, enter verified emitter ratings in Drip Zone Flow; a volume calculation is not a hydraulic or plant-care verdict. Use Irrigation Budget only with your own reviewed rates.

New planting or sod establishment needs separate site/species guidance. An established-plant description is not a watering schedule.

Sources for this added lesson checked October 10, 2026. These are conditional examples, not confirmed local recommendations.

Put it to use

Match a question to the next useful step.

Measurements and learning support your judgment. The tools never change a controller, place an order or certify a design.

Official resources checked October 4, 2026. Confirm current manuals, local restrictions and plant guidance when applying a lesson.

Proposed video pilot

Three lessons to practice with the existing tools.

This is an outline only. No videos have been produced or published for this pilot, and no channel or release date is announced.

Read the controller before changing it

Proposed lesson: identify the exact model, find the matching manual, and record a clearly labeled synthetic example. No button sequence without the hardware/manual match and appropriate testing permission.

Read the controller lesson now

From catch cups to an estimate

Proposed lesson: show how measured depths and actual test duration become a runtime estimate for a separately chosen target. Synthetic arithmetic will be labeled; it will not prescribe a target or weekly schedule.

Read the measurement lesson now

Choose site fit before plant count

Proposed lesson: compare a hypothetical border to the existing plant profiles, identify missing site facts, and use geometry only after a supported selection.

Read the plant comparison now

For landscaping and irrigation businesses

Make the next customer request easier to handle.

These free tools can help you review a number. If your business also needs a clearer website or less repeated office work, describe that problem to SCS.

Help customers understand your services

Review an SCS website build for clearer service pages and a deliberate inquiry path.

Review website services

Reduce repeated office steps

Discuss a small software workflow for organizing estimates, checklists or job information you already use.

Review workflow services

Bring one real business problem

In the existing intake, describe the repeated task or unclear customer step, what you use now, and the result you want. Share a fictional example instead of customer records.

Describe your business workflow

This is an inquiry about SCS websites and software workflows. It does not request on-site landscaping, irrigation repair, system design or a watering schedule. You review the draft before sending it; an inquiry does not accept or start a project.