Several identical plants
Water several identical plants together with one sensor
If you have several practically identical plants, one zone can water them together — with a single sensor and a branched hose. The sensor sits in one of the plants and stands in for all of them.
1Requirement: truly identical plants
Same variety, same size, same age, same location — like siblings. Only then do all of them need the same amount of water.
Caution
Different plants (size, age, variety) belong in separate zones — otherwise at least one gets too much or too little.
2Put the sensor into ONE plant
Sensor in the plant that represents the average Pick the plant that represents the average of the group — not the driest and not the wettest, but the one in between. In a row that stands in the sun on the outside and in the shade on the inside, that is usually one from the middle: it gets some of both and so sits at the average.
HydroCommander measures only this one plant and then waters all of them equally. The closer it is to the average, the better the amount suits all of them.
3Split the water evenly
So that every plant gets the same amount, the hose is halved step by step — with Y-splitters.
Example for 8 plants: one Y-splitter turns the zone hose into 2 branches. Each of those 2 gets another Y-splitter → 4 branches. Each of those 4 gets one more → 8 outlets. Every outlet goes into one pot.
For 2 or 4 plants it works the same way, just with one branching stage less.
Tip
Only one thing really matters: ALL Y-splitters sit before the water distributors — split the flow completely first, then put one water distributor on each end. The water distributor restricts the flow far more than the hose itself, so all ends deliver practically the same amount once the system is filled with water. The length of the hose pieces in between then hardly matters. Only larger height differences between the plants still make themselves felt.
Caution
Odd numbers (e.g. 3 or 5 plants) work too — just not evenly: the branch that is not split again at the end gets roughly twice as much water as the others. Either you accept that deliberately (handy for one larger plant), or you pick an even number or spread the plants across two zones. Beyond two water distributors per zone the split is uneven anyway: lower ones get more water. Keep all at the same height and none lower than the water level in the tank — for three or more plants, drip hose is the better choice.
4Choose the preset and check the amount
Apply the preset "Multiple plants" to the zone — its amounts are already sized for several pots. In the device setup wizard simply pick the zone type "Multiple plants".
Caution
If you take your plant type's preset instead (e.g. "Tomato"), its amounts are calculated for ONE pot — not enough for several plants. Then raise pump duration and daily limit yourself, roughly in proportion to the number of pots.
Done! During the first days check that all plants look equally supplied and adjust the amount to your judgment — you know your plants best. If a single plant keeps looking different from the rest, better give it its own zone.