Select and Prepare the Fastening Area: Choose a location to install the device and nail a post to the ground. Secure the device to the post with zip ties at a height of approximately 1.5 meters. Aim the solar panel towards the south for optimal sunlight exposure.
Prepare the Soil: Dig a hole in the soil, positioning it between the dripper and the plant to facilitate efficient watering.
Install the Sensor Spikes: Insert the sensor spikes into the walls of the hole facing the plant. Follow the guidance provided in the instructional video. The depth should be customized for each crop, varying between 5 and 40 cm, to accommodate the specific crop and root depth requirements. Refill the hole with soil to secure the spikes securely.
Water the Installation Site: Thoroughly water the area by slowly pouring a bucket of water over the newly placed probe to ensure the soil is well saturated. If regular irrigation isn’t feasible at the moment, gradually pour three to four buckets of water to thoroughly moisten the soil either during or immediately after a watering session.
Activate and Share the Device Location: Press the power button on the device to activate it. Once activated, use WhatsApp to share the exact location of the probe with your team or supervisor for monitoring purposes.
70% of the roots are concentrated in the first half of the soil profile, so the sensor placed at this initial depth will indicate the need for watering. This depth typically ranges from 20 to 45 cm in woody crops and from 10 to 20 cm in horticultural crops.
When using a second sensor to measure humidity in the percolation zone, it is usually placed about 15 cm below the upper one, but never deeper than 60 cm, and preferably at 55 cm for very deep placement in woody crops.
In horticultural crops, the soil moisture sensor should be placed under the dripper, at a distance recommended by BrioAgro, close to the plant and the dripper, approximately 10 cm from both the plant and the dripper.
For woody crops in sandier soils with a field capacity of less than 0.25 m³/m³, the sensor should be placed about 10 cm away from the dripper and under the crown of the tree. It is preferable to position it closer to the trunk rather than further away, although care must be taken to avoid damaging the roots when digging.
In woody crops with soils that have a field capacity greater than 0.25 m³/m³, it is preferable to place the sensor just below the dripper at the depth determined by BrioAgro technicians.
