Watering and weeding

Tertill can operate in light rain and when sprinklers are active.  However, water collecting on Tertill’s sides can cause it to think that it is completely surrounded by plants.  If this happens, the robot will first spin in place looking for a way out.  After a couple of turns it will give up, stop, and go back to charging its battery.  Later it will wake up and try again.  Once conditions are drier Tertill will patrol as usual.  No user action is required.

It is possible for the source of garden water to create a problem for Tertill.  The robot can usually drive over flat sprinkler hoses and drip line.  But some round garden and soaker hoses may create a step too tall for Tertill to climb.  One solution is to remove such hoses from the garden when Tertill is weeding.  A better solution might be to make a small trough in the soil and then position the hose in the trough such that the top is approximately flush with the soil surface.