How to Use a Soil Moisture Meter?

Why use an instrument to monitor soil moisture?

There are nutrients, water and microorganisms needed for plant growth in the soil, especially water, and the appropriate content has a great impact on plant growth. However, due to the obvious changes in water content, it is usually necessary to use a soil moisture meter for monitoring, and the measurement data of the instrument can also help people to irrigate accurately.

Soil water content has a great influence on root development. An appropriate amount of water can make the root system of crops develop normally, and can fully absorb nutrients at different soil depths and transport nutrients to the above-ground parts. Too little or too much soil moisture can affect root development, which in turn affects the root's ability to absorb nutrients.

Only water can dissolve the applied fertilizer so that it can be taken up by the crop roots. Among the three ways that roots absorb nutrients, mass flow and diffusion are the main ways, and these two ways of absorbing nutrients are closely related to soil water content.

Soil moisture can affect the application of fertilizers and the extent to which nutrients are available in the soil in terms of available form, movement and diffusion, thereby affecting plant uptake. Nutrients are not static in the soil, and the soil has the ability to absorb nutrients, or it is called adsorption capacity. Absorption has a certain relationship with soil moisture content. It can affect the amount and speed of soil nutrient absorption or desorption, and affect the fertilization effect. The specific soil moisture content value can be measured by a soil moisture meter.

The soil moisture content has a certain influence on the activities of microorganisms in the soil. The decomposition of soil organic matter and the transformation of nutrient forms are mostly completed by microorganisms. Too much or too little water is detrimental to microbial activity, and has a certain impact on the release of nutrients in soil organic matter and the effect of fertilization.

It can be seen from the above four aspects that soil moisture has a great influence on plant growth. Through the measurement of professional instruments such as soil moisture meter, the water utilization rate of plants can be effectively improved. In agricultural planting, the most efficient irrigation when it is most needed can greatly improve the yield and quality of crops.

How to use the soil moisture meter?

1. The large-screen liquid crystal display of the soil moisture meter can display temperature value, moisture value, number of groups, low voltage warning, stored data, etc. in real time, which is convenient for field carrying operations.
2. Remove the stones, grass, leaves and other coverings on the surface of the soil to be tested, and remove the topsoil. If the soil is too dry, pour some water first and measure after 25-30 minutes
3. Before testing, wipe the metal surface of the probe with a soft cloth. Select the option to measure, the switch for humidity, acidity. When using the instrument for the first time, it is recommended to perform several tests before reading to avoid the influence of the protective oil layer on the metal surface of the probe on the humidity value and pH value.
4. When measuring, insert the instrument probe into the soil, pay attention to insert all the electrodes of the probe into the soil, and ensure that the electrodes are in close contact with the edge soil.
5. To ensure that the pH and moisture values ​​of the soil are measured, the probe needs to be inserted into the soil for 10 minutes. Due to the different soil properties, the contact tightness between the probe and the soil is also different. It is recommended to measure multiple values ​​and then take the average.
6. After use, wipe the probe of the soil monitor clean.

Soil moisture is an important part of soil and plays a very important role in crop growth and water-saving irrigation. The soil moisture meter grasps the distribution of soil moisture (water) through the GPS positioning system, providing a scientific basis for differentiated water-saving irrigation. At the same time, accurate water supply is also conducive to improving crop yield and quality.

ATO professional moisture detection is suitable for soil moisture and temperature measurement in various fields of soil, hydrology, water quality, greenhouse, meteorology, agriculture, roads, bridges, railways and other fields. The instrument has the significant advantages of low power consumption, easy portability, and high cost performance, and can directly read the volumetric water content and temperature data of the soil. ATO also sells other types of moisture meters such as hay moisture meters, grain moisture meters and wood moisture meters.