The conditions of the soil constantly upheaval throughout the growing season owing to the constant shifts in the weather, row density, crop patterns, and much more. To keep up with these changing conditions, it’s of utmost importance to monitor the soil. Nonetheless, due to a lack of technology and real-time soil monitoring gadgets, the farmers earlier had to depend on the not-so-accurate and time-consuming lab results which were good for nothing to many farmers as per the recent survey. Hence, to do away with these lab tests, farmers and other people inclined towards the farming sector have now started employing soil meters or sensors. If you’ve heard this term here for the first time, read on to understand more about this revolutionary device.
What Are Soil Meters or Sensors?
In simple terms, a soil meter or sensor is a device you can use to measure and monitor the various aspects of soil like its pH, moisture content, temperature, and the environmental light present. What these soil meters do is provide the stakeholders a susceptible way to monitor the above-mentioned soil aspects in real-time i.e. directly on their fields. As a result, the entire process which was earlier used to make farmers wait for days or weeks for the lab reports can now be completed in a matter of a few minutes.
Whether you’re an amateur gardener, flower enthusiast, or someone who grows fruits or veggies at home, a soil meter is suitable for all. Besides being cost and time-effective, a soil meter is also a budget-friendly option where you can rely on the results obtained which are more accurate than the lab results.
In the below sections, I’m going to discuss the various aspects of an ideal soil like pH, temperature, moisture, and how each of these affects the plant’s growth.
Soil pH and Its Importance
You’d know that the pH scale runs from 0-14 where the values <3.5-6.5 indicates acidity, values between 6.5-7.3 neutral, and
those between 7.4 and above indicates alkalinity. A pH scale may be a useful tool in chemistry labs but its importance on irrigation fields can’t be ruled out either. This is because the pH of soil implies the availability of essential nutrients.
Different crops grow on different pH levels of soil. For example, plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, and blueberries are acid-loving and require soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. On the other hand, many crops don’t grow well or at all in soils with a pH lower than 6. Talking about soils with pH between 8-14, higher alkalinity means insufficient levels of nutrients like iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and phosphorus. Hence, if any crop needs the above nutrients for its proper growth, it’s better to ignore alkaline soils.
This shows how the pH of the soil plays an important role in the crop selection for that particular soil.
Soil Moisture Content & Its Importance
The moisture content in the soil not only determines crop yields and plant formation but also acts as a temperature regulator for the soil. The better the soil moisture content, the higher will be your crop yields and the better will be the temperature regulation. Now, the soil moisture content is governed by a multitude of factors; some of which are the amount of precipitation, the intensity of water consumption by the plants, temperature outside, etc. Besides the above benefits of adequate soil moisture, below are the other reasons why water is critical for efficient farming.
● The soil moisture content governs the soil’s air content, salinity, and the composure of the toxic substances.
● It regulates the structure, density, and ductility of the soil.
● Moisture likewise handles the amount of heat the crop is getting.
● Adequate moisture in the soil eliminates soil weathering.
In terms of measurements, the soil moisture content is usually measured in either percentage, water-by-weight/volume, or inches of water per foot of soil.
Soil Temperature & Its Importance
You must have read that soil works as heat storage that collects the heat throughout the day and releases it to the surface slowly during the night. Or you can say that soil retains energy during the summer months and releases it during the colder months. Like optimal soil pH and moisture content has a major say in crop yields and plant growth, the importance of soil temperature can’t be overlooked either. This is because:
● The growth of the majority of the crops slows down as the soil temperature soars above 50-degree Celsius or falls below 90-degree Celsius.
● Different seeds require different temperatures for their germination. For example, maize germinates in the soil temperature range of 7-degree to 100-degree Celsius.
● The organisms and microorganisms that support plant growth are themselves temperature sensitive. At temperatures above 350-degree Celsius, it becomes difficult for them to strive.
Above all, the soil temperature will also govern the moisture content and aeration capacity of the soil. Hence, a soil meter is a must to measure and monitor the soil temperature ranges.
So, now that you know what an ideal soil is and why its various parameters like pH, moisture content, and temperature are useful for effective farming, let’s review the two best soil meters with capabilities to measure the soil’s pH, moisture, and temperature at once.
Top Two Soil Meters or Sensors You’d Buy Right Away
At Uniglobal Business, we offer both 3-in-1 soil meters and 4-in-1 soil meters to help you monitor your soil condition and prepare it accordingly for all your crops.
Talking about our 4-in-1 soil meter, this meter can measure the soil:
● pH: 3.5 to 9.0
● Moisture content: Dry-, Dry, Nor, Wet, Wet+
● Temperature: 9~50°C (16~122°F)
● Light intensity: Low-, Low, Low+, Nor-, Nor, Nor+, High-, High, and High+
Salient features
● Excellent application of optoelectronic technology.
● Instantly displays the intensity of the current environment lighting.
● Surveys the soil PH, temperature, and moisture.
● Battery level indicator.
● A transition of British measurement and metric system.
● Features an automatic turn-off option for electricity saving.
● Easy to operate and light to carry.
● A good companion to garden virescence.
Our 3-in-1 soil meter is another product for measuring the soil:
● Moisture content: 0 (DRY)-10 (WET)
● pH: 8-3.5
● Light intensity: 0 (DARK)-2000 (LIGHT)
Salient features
● The material used is plastics and stainless metal.
● An ideal and necessary tool for gardeners, vegetable and fruit growers, and all those who plant trees and grass.
● A perfect tool to test the soil conditions like moisture, light, and pH of fruits, flowers, vegetables, shrubs, etc. with high accuracy.
● Measures moisture athe t root level.
● No battery required, hence simple and convenient to use.
Final words
Soil conditions change constantly and keeping pace with these changes is now a reality for the farmers or anyone enthusiast about the same. And all this is possible due to soil testers/meters/sensors. These are the devices that are used to measure and monitor the various aspects of soil like its pH, moisture content, temperature, and the environmental light present for ensuring proper growth of the plants. This tool is a revolutionary invention as the condition of soil you’re working on plays an important role in crop yields and plant formation. Hence, what are you waiting for? Go and buy your soil meter today.