More yield & faster growing cycles with optimal irrigation management

“The ability to reprogram our irrigation and nutrient dosing is priceless. If we get the substrate wrong for even one day then we stand to lose 20-30% of our yield. The 30MHz solution provides us with accurate EC and water content information from which we can take immediate action.” – Lee Peterson, technical manager Pinata Farms.

Client case

Efficient irrigation management is essential for healthy plants. Where do you start when you want to optimize your irrigation strategy? Your go-to tool as a grower is your experience: using your senses to evaluate your crop. To scale and optimize your yield further data driven growing is essential. Your eyes and insights at multiple places at once. 

Step 1 is getting data insights directly from the root-zone of your plant. Wireless sensors are ideal for this type of data collection since they measure directly where it matters: at your plant. The first step is to decide what you want to measure. Are you only interested in the moisture levels of your soil or substrate? Or are you focussing on nutrients availability as well? 

Precise control over the root zone environment, in terms of both water and nutrient content, leads to healthier crops and higher yields.

Basic level: VWC tracking

With all moisture sensors you can track VWC. VWC is the Volumetric Water Content, the ratio of the volume of water to the unit volume of soil. Often expressed in percentage. Based on your soil type and crop you have an upper and lower limit in which you want to keep your VWC levels. 

With the upper and lower limits set-up as notifications you can create a graph like the image below. 

Nutrients/leaching management with EC

With more extensive moisture sensors you can also measure EC. Which is the ability of soil water to carry electrical current. If EC is too high, this indicates excess salts. You might need extra water to leach out these salts. If EC is too low, there could be a nutrient deficiency. There are many factors of the soil/substrate that influence the EC and it depends on your crop type what the EC thresholds are. 

Soil temperature

When you have the more extensive soil moisture sensors you also have the metric soil temperature to your availability. Often used to check outliers since your plant can’t take in water when the soil is too hot or too cold. Also evaporation or disease risk are important factors to take into account. 

Interested in irrigation optimization? Check out the irrigation growing kit.