Capacitive (volumetric soil moisture)

Not essential for most uses. The capacitive sensor works well across different soil types. However, if you need absolute accuracy, you can do a specific calibration by comparing with lab samples.

It depends on the crop and root depth. In general: 20–30 cm for vegetables, 30–40 cm for vineyards/olive groves, 40–60 cm for fruit trees. You can install multiple sensors at different depths for full profile monitoring.

Yes, but look for spots with enough soil contact. Lots of stones can affect readings. The key is good contact with the soil matrix around the sensor.

If VWC stays consistently high (near saturation) and doesn’t drop between irrigations, it may indicate excess water, poor drainage, or over-irrigation. Trends and dry-down rate give clear clues.

It depends on plot size and variability. For a homogeneous 1–2 ha plot, 1–2 sensors can be representative. In large or highly variable plots (slope, texture), you’ll want more.

Yes, it works year-round. In very cold or frozen soils, readings can be affected, but the sensor remains operational and recovers accuracy as conditions normalize.

Fertigation can slightly increase soil water conductivity, which may have a small effect on capacitive readings. In normal management, the effect is minimal and doesn’t impact irrigation decisions.

Yes, but keep in mind you’ll lose the historical continuity for that exact location. If you move it, mark it in the platform and allow 1–2 days for stabilization before relying fully on new readings.