Irrigation · June 2025 · 5 min read
Irrigating by calendar or feel leaves money and water on the ground. Soil moisture sensors take the guesswork out of scheduling and ensure every application delivers a measurable return.
Tensiometers measure soil water tension directly and work best in sandy to loam soils at shallow depths. Capacitance probes like the EnviroScan or AquaSpy read volumetric water content at multiple depths and transmit data wirelessly to your phone. Gypsum blocks (Watermark sensors) are the most affordable option, measuring electrical resistance that correlates to soil moisture tension.
Install sensors in a representative area of the field—avoid end rows, waterways, and compacted headlands. Place probes at two or three depths (6, 12, and 24 inches) to track water movement through the root zone. Read sensors or check telemetry data at the same time each morning for consistent trend tracking, and flag any sudden drops that indicate drainage beyond the root zone.
Set an upper trigger point (field capacity) and a lower trigger point (management allowable depletion, typically 50% of available water) for each soil type. Irrigate when the sensor reading approaches the lower trigger, applying only enough water to return the profile to field capacity. This approach prevents both over-watering and crop stress, optimizing yield per inch of water applied.
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