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Arkansas

Does anybody use soil moisture probes of any kind?

I would love to setup a grid of wireless sensors to see how weather, watering, etc affects everything throughout the growing season.

11/9/2022 8:53:20 AM

Torrance, Ca.

There are a few guys that have been doing this for years. Very effective and they have the very pricy long tubes that go under each plant.
Maybe Ron or someone that uses them will reply. The other guys I know using them don't post on here. I call them during the season to see how much water the front or back of the plant are taking in so I can adjust my water. The one thing I've heard over the years is, these guys using them were very surprised at how much they were underwatering after getting their first readouts.
The good ones are all hardwired from what I know. The wireless or little metal tape pieces I've heard are very inaccurate.

11/9/2022 9:49:46 AM

Grittyville, WA

The cheap way is to take samples using a bore. Daletas did this originally, whether he has gone digital now, idk.

11/9/2022 3:12:13 PM

valtierra/spain

I use two types and they are not very expensive.

The Chinese has to lengthen the sensor with a telephone cable, and it works quite well.

Here are the links:

https://www.ebay.es/itm/175358830417?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=1185-146825-5486-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=175358830417&targetid=1275209247549&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9047051&poi=&campaignid=9557020781&mkgroupid=121839135999&rlsatarget=pla-1275209247549&abcId=1139526&merchantid=116390597&gclid=CjwKCAiAvK2bBhB8EiwAZUbP1Mm97VZrsqTrPzpy3eztjICi9SDTQMnac8GOlNZV7magmCTUx8ro_hoCsnEQAvD_BwE

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005001474074732.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis%21EUR%21€%2073%2C52%21€%2073%2C52%21%21%21%21%21%400b0a050b16680256002156518ebc56%2112000030248138711%21sh01&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.productList_240201162.pic_0

There are much more sophisticated systems, but much more expensive. I put a Chinese sensor per plant, and 3 blumat sensors per plant, about 150 euros of sensors per plant, the Chinese have raised the price a lot, I bought them for $44 two years ago. My blumat sensors in 2023 will be 4 years old and the Chinese 3. It takes you a while to know your perfect humidity for your soil, when you know what the best humidity is, you do everything better. The interesting thing is to do tests in winter, put the sensors on the ground, water, and then a few days later check with your hand how the floor is, and see what numbers the humidity meters mark.. I'm sure that in 3 or 4 tests, you will know what your ideal humidity is.

11/9/2022 3:34:17 PM

Arkansas

Thanks Ruben!

Do you have a way to data log the trend? Or do you just check it manually?

11/9/2022 3:56:47 PM

valtierra/spain

The Chinese can connect it to pass data to the personal computer, I don't do it. I look at them 2 or 3 times a day, and I know if I have to water more or less. The only thing I record data is ambient temperature and humidity, all season.

11/9/2022 4:53:44 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Thanks Rmen.;)

11/10/2022 9:46:01 AM