Evaluate the best soil moisture probe for your farm management needs
The increased investment in precision irrigation infrastructure and control systems, coupled with a need for irrigators to be more accountable for their water use and nutrient loss, is resulting in an increase in the adoption of soil moisture monitoring.
However, the use of soil moisture monitoring within irrigation decision making is not a simple task. Irrigators must choose the right equipment for their soil, land use activities and irrigation system type. With increasing soil moisture probes entering the market, finding the one best suited for your needs can be a time consuming and at times, frustrating process. With every probe on the market promising the same thing, how do you determine which is best for your needs?
To help you cut-through the noise, we’ve broken down the issues with soil moisture probes in New Zealand,
In this article, we’ll compare and evaluate:
- Probe design and implementation requirements
- Data analysis capabilities
- Support assistance
- Initial and annual costs
How probe design can impact results
Not all probes are created equal and yet, many promise the same results. With a variety of probe shapes and sizes available in the market, understanding how probe design impacts soil moisture readings is necessary to ensuring your investment reaps the best results.
Length
The length of your probe determines how much data you will obtain. The longer the probe the more levels of soil you can read and the more data you will get. The Tribus probe reads every 100mm for temperature and soil moisture. The standard Tribus probe is 500 mm giving 5 readings. In general the top readings down to 300mm give a picture of conditions in the root zone. The readings in the bottom 400mm and 500mm give an indication if you have over irrigated (causing a leakage even and is important to avoid these) because you will see spikes in the readings if that is the case. This information is very detailed and informative.
Longer probes are available and you can pick the length for the situation. For example, Orchard and Horticulture / Vineyards require deeper probes because the roots go down a long way.
Shape
Probe shape can greatly impact your probes ability to accurately read and report on soil moisture data, this is because the shape impacts how the probe is placed into the soil. If the soil is disrupted during placement, probe readings can be skewed and foster irregular and incorrect results. For obvious reasons, this should be avoided and a lot of probes and tapes require digging in and repacking the soil.
Some probes are augur shaped, some are tapes, some are simply dug in sensors. None of these can be installed without major soil disruption.
When the soil is disturbed it creates a softer path for moisture to travel down and it can take years for the true readings to occur when the soil has recompacted. Even so it is still not representative of the actual undisturbed soil.
Watermetrics have worked hard to ensure their probe is less affected by soil disruption, ensuring areas of probe design, placement and management is done in the most effective and least disruptive way. In terms of shape and placement, the probe is designed with a singular prong. This design allows the probe to enter the soil with minimal disturbance. This is achieved by boring neat holes exactly to fit the circumference of the probe. Watermetrics add additional value after purchase; helping you to map out the best location for your probe as well as physically place it.
Data produced from such placement is quickly accurate and is delivered at 15 minute intervals.
Data visualisation and interpretation
Analysing and understanding the data your probe has gathered is key to getting the best value from your investment, and your land. While data visualisation is important, interpreting that data is key.
Interpretation of data is what Watermetrics provide. Watermetrics offer accessible data through cloud-based systems. The information is displayed in easy to read graphs where alerts and settings can be made to suit.
Watermetrics adds value by providing the additional support you’ll need to interpret and understand your results. Our Agronomy team connects plant growth with correct watering making planning and irrigation action much easier and more efficient. It is surprising to see what savings you can make and at the same time get better growth. Just getting data isn’t enough to really achieve great results.
In addition to this, Watermetrics can help you build on your initial soil readings with our Soil Moisture Analytics package and our Predictive irrigation package where we partner with Swan Systems. If you want to further evolve your farm management productivity and results these systems really fine tune both your irrigation and nutrient management options.
Our experience shows that farmers who use these systems suddenly understand irrigation on a different level.
Support offerings
Regardless of your technical prowess, having a team of experts readily available to help you establish best-practise irrigation is always useful.
With a large staff based around New Zealand, and a range of experts at hand to help you garner the best results, Watermetrics can provide specialist support when and where you need it – no matter where you are located.
Watermetrics have depth and breadth and work to offer not only a well-designed product but the support needed to back it up. With a Tribus probe you’ll have access to the Watermetrics agronomist team, field service and data management team.
In comparison with other probe providers we provide a very accurate, well installed product with serious back up and support.
We also have our own fully operational LORA network to ensure data is delivered accurately and on time.
Watermetrics is more than just a soil moisture probe
Choosing a soil moisture probe is a crucial decision in your farm environment management plan (FEP), so when you make a purchase it is important to consider not only the probe, but the support and resources you’ll receive. With Watermetrics we’re invested in your success and provide all the resources you’ll need to get the most from your probe. In conclusion, we offer:
- Superior design: helps you get the most accurate results
- Data visualisation and interpretation: our data management specialists will help you interpret your data so you can action what’s necessary
- Additional support: our breadth of specialist knowledge means we can help when you need it
- Affordable pricing: we do what it takes to make our product affordable
- A Review of your irrigation management practices
We’ve designed the Watermetrics probe to be accurate, effective and useful. Our aim is to help you get the best results possible, that’s why we go above and beyond in service to ensure you have all the support you need to garner the best results.
We have scanned the world for the best quality at an affordable price – and we evidence shows we have.
Learn how Watermetric’s can help your farm management productivity, contact us to arrange an appointment with our head agronomist, Richard Campion 021 199 1260.
