Technology
Use soil readings, crop stage and weather to guide each watering decision.
A wet root zone does not always mean the timing is right: a crop may be nearing sensitive flowering. Schedule irrigation around soil water, crop stage, roots and near-term weather.
Crop water scheduling plans when and how much to irrigate, balancing crop demand with soil water and weather. The aim is to supply active roots without routinely watering below them.
Track soil water in the active root zone and compare readings at more than one depth. Consider crop stage, recent rain and sensor calibration; a single number is not a reliable trigger.
Shallow-rooted leafy vegetables and onions often need smaller applications and close monitoring. Other crops differ in water use, rooting depth and soil storage, so treat patterns as starting points, not rules.
Flowering, pollination, fruit or pod set, and early yield formation are sensitive for many crops. Establishment also needs attention because young roots explore little soil and can dry quickly.
Rain should delay irrigation only if it replenishes the root zone; surface totals can mislead. Heat, wind, low humidity and strong sunlight raise water loss, so adjust using weather and soil checks.
Group similar field areas, place sensors in representative locations and set a provisional trigger. Irrigate to the intended depth, check the response, then revise as roots, canopy and weather change.
A threshold from one soil may not suit another, and a sensor outside the wetted or rooted zone can mislead. Check readings after irrigation, confirm delivery and avoid relying on one shallow sensor.
Use root-zone readings, crop observations and weather together. Change the schedule when growth stage or field conditions shift, and reduce irrigation after rain only when checks show roots received the water.
One sensor represents a field only when conditions are uniform and its location is representative. Do not stop watering automatically at maturity; crop use, soil water and weather still matter.
Keep reading