TEROS 54

Can see where this would be invaluable information to a corn, wheat or other agricultural farmers irrigating their crops for maximum growth with no water waste. Probably could even determine if there was a current need for irrigation of the crops.

 

Ha ! and all these years - here I was sticking fingers in the soil to determine garden moisture

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These types of sensors are kinda like trying to view a topographical map of a watershed by only sampling the slope and its steepness from one spot or even several spots if you have more than one sensor.

As in what happens underground is incredibly diverse and also rapidly changing depending on the weather and time of year in direct relation to the substrate. It's very difficult to get accurate measurements, though every plant that doesn't have enough water will show clear signs of distress.

Point being, once we can do better at sensing what's going on in the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhizosphere humanity will be transformed in profound ways...

As someone who takes care of lots of trees and gardens one day I'd like to connect my phone to some type of portable MRI device that can show me imaging of what a tree's root system looks like. So many critical decisions about transplanting and excavation in general can be done in a more protective way if we can keep track of where the roots are growing and where the roots are not growing.

 

Wow a soil moisture sensing thread. The thing mentioned here seems to be one of many based on same function, but measures several depths at once (a convenience). No website immediately discloses price and I guess USD$200 each.

I bought same-function single-depth probes for USD$3 each. Can multiplex 24 of them (buried to whatever depth after moisture proofing. within 5 meters horizontal) into an Arduino Leonardo. Send time-stamped and site ID data to a USB stick. There is a 5-ish volt rechargeable battery. USD$200 is more than enough. But SURPRISE! All my parts remain in their ESD bags from supplier because I have not yet done the dang integration work.

This setup would be more useful if the capacitive soil moisture sensors could talk over 10 or 20 meters of wire. A 100 meter roll of balanced shielded microphone cable is the economical robust carrier here and SURPRISE! it also sits on my floor. Get yours at a local audio supply shop.

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There is a agricultural need for more soil moisture information in time and space. Real companies are advancing this, but perhaps not in the best ways. I cannot fault them until I move my own project forward.