ConnectedGreen, a key player in the landscaping industry, utilizing data interpretation to optimize plant health through precise irrigation. Their secret weapons? Cutting-edge soil moisture sensors and the knowledge of ConnectedGreen. Together with Sensoterra sensors, these tools are reshaping how landscapers manage water levels, especially during the dry summer seasons, and all year round.
Understanding the Challenge
René Voogt, the visionary founder of ConnectedGreen, has been closely monitoring the impact of drought in the Netherlands, all thanks to the invaluable data from Sensoterra’s advanced soil moisture sensors. Despite a relatively wet winter, many areas never fully recovered from last year’s drought. Voogt’s insights shed light on the significance of understanding soil pore sizes, which directly affect a soil’s ability to provide moisture and oxygen to plants.
As soil dries out, these crucial pores fill with air, rendering the soil hydrophobic, or water-repellent. This phenomenon is widespread and poses long-lasting challenges for the soil.
The Road to Recovery
To revive hydrophobic soil, it needs both water and time. Typically, recovery occurs during winter when there’s less evaporation and more rain. Unfortunately, the previous winter didn’t bring enough rain to replenish the dry regions. This is especially common in areas with sandy subsoil, where topsoil water and groundwater have been depleted due to drought or have descended deeper into the ground.
René likens dried-out soil to a dry sponge. Just like a dry sponge doesn’t immediately absorb water when placed in a bucket, soil needs time to regain its water-absorbing capacity.
Precision in Watering
When dealing with hydrophobic soil, precision in watering is paramount. Smaller, more frequent watering is favored over infrequent, heavy watering, which often results in water runoff. Water may flow over the surface or penetrate the ground too deeply, beyond the reach of plant roots.
By meticulously examining the data collected by Sensoterra sensors, René Voogt employs Connected Green technology to ensure optimal watering. He explains that the moisture graph’s steep peak indicates rapid leaching, which isn’t conducive for the soil in the long run. Smaller, more frequent watering results in gentler, longer-lasting soil health.
This strategy can yield significant water savings—up to 70% less consumption—equating to hundreds of thousands of liters saved in medium-sized municipalities every season.
Innovative Solutions
Precise watering techniques are only part of the equation. Innovations such as rainwater harvesting and the construction of water buffers play a vital role in creating microsystems independent of groundwater availability. While these solutions might not be feasible everywhere, continuous monitoring is crucial to intervene before the soil dries out.
René Voogt believes that future growing areas will incorporate innovative technologies, much like the ones showcased in projects such as the Gouden Gieter.
Sensoterra and ConnectedGreen: A Dynamic Partnership
Sensoterra and ConnectedGreen have joined forces to deliver top-tier soil moisture monitoring for growers worldwide. Sensoterra’s cutting-edge wireless soil moisture sensors are the backbone of this solution, while ConnectedGreen provides data interpretation expertise in a user-friendly app, enriched with data for over 2400 plant species and various soil types. With more than 600 sensors already in place across the Netherlands and Belgium, this partnership is revolutionizing the landscaping industry.
About ConnectedGreen
Established in 2017, ConnectedGreen provides a smart system for remotely monitoring green projects, enhancing the world with innovative technology. They’ve already deployed over 1,200 sensors in the Netherlands and Belgium.
In the journey towards sustainable and effective landscaping, the significance of soil moisture monitoring cannot be overstated. It’s the key to healthier plants and efficient water usage, ensuring that the landscape thrives even in the harshest conditions.
About Sensoterra
Sensoterra develops low-cost, simple, and robust wireless soil moisture sensors, providing actionable insights that enable water management platforms and solutions. Our sensors are built to integrate into any platform with our unique ‘API first’ philosophy – offering freedom and flexibility for data integration. It is our mission to enable water management platforms and solutions worldwide. We help by ‘Making Sense of Water’. We produce simple, robust, and low-cost wireless soil moisture sensors that are easy to deploy and built to integrate. With proven success in the applications of smart city landscaping, environmental monitoring, and precision agriculture, the Sensoterra solution integrates seamlessly in existing water and land management platforms.
Learn more at www.sensoterra.com
Contact for more information, pictures and/or interview requests:
Jessica Nuboer
Marketing & Communications
Sensoterra
Email: [email protected]
