soil moisture probe

[greybeard]

http://www.ams-samplers.com/pdfs/ams-brown-moisture-probe.pdf
Everybody should have one of these with them when you go out looking at your crops.
They instantly tell you what your sub-surface moisture is.
If you know anybody that is half handy with a welder you can make one in about 10 minutes with a 1/2 in steel ball and some 3/8 in rod.
The auger tip will help get through the dry layer as in pastures.

[mustardman]

Used one for years. Lots of subsoil moisture too bad top few inches is like gunpowder

[silverback]

Can I ask what decision would you make based on what you find out there as you are crop scouting?

[mustardman]

I use the probe in early spring to determine soil moisture,(and potential ) don't use at crop scouting as fert was applied based on spring probing

[silverback]

Ok, but seriously do you adjust your planning in some way? change fertilizer rates, seeding intentions? rotation? If we take one of those things out right now we would say oh theres some moisture a foot down but christ we need some actual rain.

[tweety]

So agree silverback, i kinda call bullshit. You never know how much its going to rain the next day after u use the probe.

This is sounding like a drone discussion.

[tweety]

Our moisture probe

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/TVA_Douglas_Dam_jack_hammer.gif

[ado089]

I made reseeding decisions based on probe readings and I hold back 40% of my planned N and adjust the top dress rates according to in season moisture.