How Multi-Layer Tubular Soil Sensors Deliver Deep Root-Zone Insights in Orchards & Farms

Understanding what happens beneath the soil surface is critical for modern agriculture. In orchards and large farms, roots grow deep, and shallow sensors often miss important moisture, temperature, and EC changes. Multi-layer tubular soil sensors solve this problem by capturing vertical soil profiles from multiple depths in a single installation.

What Makes Tubular Soil Sensors Different?

Traditional three-probe soil sensors measure only one depth. Tubular sensors collect data from 20 cm, 40 cm, 60 cm and deeper in a single rod—ideal for orchards (apples, citrus, grapes) and deep-rooted crops.

Core advantages:

 Multi-depth soil moisture, temperature, and EC

 Stable long-term underground installation

 Accurate readings unaffected by salts, fertilizers, or irrigation

 RS485 or 4G for real-time remote monitoring

 Less disturbance to crops

Why Deep Root-Zone Insights Matter for Orchards & Farms

Tree crops and other deep-rooted plants rely heavily on moisture and nutrients stored below the 40 cm soil layer, which is why deep root-zone monitoring is essential for orchard and farm management. A multi-layer tubular soil sensor helps growers detect deep-layer water depletion even when the surface appears moist, preventing both over-irrigation and root stress. By tracking salinity build-up through EC measurements and showing how moisture moves through different soil depths, the sensor allows farmers to optimize drip-irrigation timing, improve overall water-use efficiency and maintain stable yields while reducing unnecessary water consumption.

Comparing with Traditional Soil Sensors

 Three-probe sensor = One measurement depth

 Tubular sensor = 3–6 layers in one installation

 Three-probe is suitable for vegetables

 Tubular is ideal for orchards, vineyards, hydrology and long-term monitoring

Real Field Example: Tubular Sensor Installed in Soil

To install a multi-layer tubular soil sensor correctly in orchards or farms, the ground must be prepared to ensure stable, long-term data collection. Begin by using a soil drill to create a vertical hole at the desired location, keeping the drill at a 90° angle so the tubular sensor can be inserted smoothly without tilting. After drilling, collect some of the removed soil, remove impurities, grind it finely, and mix it with water to prepare a uniform soil slurry.

Pour the well-mixed slurry back into the drilled hole, filling it to about half. This slurry helps eliminate air gaps and improves contact between the soil layers and the sensor’s measurement points. Finally, insert the tubular soil sensor slowly into the hole and gently rotate it left and right to allow the excess slurry to rise and settle. When the ground-level marking on the sensor aligns with the soil surface, the installation is complete.Once installed vertically, the sensor continuously monitors soil layers. Data is sent via RS485 or 4G to cloud platforms or irrigation controllers.

Installation Guide for Orchards & Vineyards

To achieve the best results:

 Install sensors 30–45 cm from the drip line

 Ensure the rod reaches below the deepest active roots

 Avoid air gaps during installation

 Combine deep and medium layers for more accurate irrigation control

Because vineyard soil types can vary significantly—ranging from clay soils that hold moisture and drain slowly, to sandy soils that leach water quickly and require more frequent irrigation—the thresholds set in your monitoring platform must be adjusted accordingly. The tubular soil sensor technology itself does not require different hardware settings based on soil texture, but in sandy soils you’ll typically set lower moisture thresholds so the system can alert you earlier to soil drying, whereas in clay soils you’ll monitor slower draining zones and may set higher moisture retention thresholds. This flexibility in platform configuration, combined with robust sensor deployment, ensures reliable root-zone monitoring regardless of soil type.

Conclusion

For orchards, vineyards and deep-rooted agricultural systems, multi-layer tubular soil sensors offer a scientifically robust method for characterizing root-zone dynamics across multiple depths. By providing high-resolution data on moisture, temperature and salinity gradients, these sensors support more accurate modelling of soil–plant interactions, improve irrigation scheduling and enhance long-term field monitoring. For projects requiring precise depth configuration, communication integration or standardized installation methods,BGT offers technical support to ensure reliable deployment and research-grade data quality.