Product Manual

Turf-Tec International Moisture Sensor - Copyright 2012
Page 5 - www.turf-tec.com
Correlating Readings
Remember that a soil in good tilth consists of 50% solids, 25% air spaces and 25% water. Rain or
irrigation water will temporarily fill all of the voids in the soil. Depending on the porosity of the soil
or its capacity to hold water, good soils will drain in about an hour. This is gravitational water and
will move down into the soil profile. Normally, it will take about an hour for gravitational water to
move down after it is applied to turfgrass areas.
The soil will then be at “field capacity”, which means that the soil is holding all of the water it can
after the gravitational water has drained into the profile. As the turfgrass plant uses the water
held in the soil, which is at “field capacity”, air begins to fill the voids occupied by the water,
allowing the root system to take in oxygen. As water is used up in the “field capacity” range, it can
be noted on the meter.
When the meter indicates less then 25%, it means that there may be still moisture in the soil, but
the plant roots cannot retrieve it, since it is too tightly held by the soil particles. Water should be
applied at this point. Learning to use your Turf-Tec Moisture Sensor as a guide to irrigation
practices will greatly reduce the guesswork in developing and managing quality turf grass areas.
Golf Tournaments
The Turf-Tec Moisture Sensor tells the amount of water in the air space that is in the soil. A one
to two year old sand based golf green that is saturated will show a very small amount of moisture
because of the air space in the soil. A soil green or fairway will show 100% when saturated. In
most soil conditions, with the exception of sand based construction, the reading best suited for
turfgrass is anywhere between 25% and 75% on the scale. Any reading below 25% there is not
enough water available for the roots and any reading above 75%, there is not enough air space in
the soil.
The main objective before tournament play is not an actual percentage reading but to look for
consistency. If all the greens have the same percentage of soil moisture and they all have the
same reading on the Turf-Tec Penetrometer, they will all respond to the ball impact the same
way. The key to playability is consistency from green to green with the relationship of soil
moisture and compaction.
Care of probe
The main reason for probe replacement should be wear, not breakage. Wear will occur when
bullet portion of probe is worn about half way down. Here are some tips to keep probes from
breaking.
1. Stress to employee using the tool that it is a scientific instrument. Care must be
used when using the tool as it is built to be durable, but readings are on a very small
scientific scale therefore internal parts are still delicate.
2. Insert meter into soil so all three spikes are straight. If the outside support spikes
become slightly bent, straighten carefully so all three are in alignment. If units are used
rough, the outside spikes will break first and they are easier to replace as compared to
probe.
3. Do not use unit without outside spikes.
4. Do not put foot on bottom of unit to insert into the soil. This will cause unit to go
into the soil at an angle and bend spikes. Use only downward hand pressure on shaft to
put unit into the soil.
5. Do not push into soil from top of box, use only downward hand pressure on shaft to
put unit into the soil. You can place hand on top of unit to guide into the soil but do not
push down on top of box.
6. Here is a video showing the tool in use -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqg3wwhf34c
7. If soil is excessively dry or hard, pre-make a hole for center probe with a ice pick or
similar tool that is smaller in diameter then the center probe.