Remote Monitors & Wireless Sensors

A couple months ago, Senior Editor Bill Calkins was talking to the Tech On Demand team and the subject of wireless, portable data loggers and sensors came up and everyone was singing the praises of new technology allowing growers of all shapes and sizes to measure and record environmental data to help make more-informed crop decisions. While they won’t ever displace comprehensive environmental control systems in terms of functionality and … control, they're certainly useful and at a much more palatable cost.

Based on this discussion, he lobbied his fellow editors at GrowerTalks to write a short article on the topic and share some of the products used effectively and with positive results. Check out REMOTE CONTROLLED in the June issue or click the link. Here’s an excerpt.

Having the ability to see a snapshot of conditions like temperature, humidity, light levels, soil moisture, oxygen, microclimates and more on your phone, tablet or laptop gives you and your team insights that can lead to improved crop quality and yield.

Growers using portable environmental sensors and data loggers cite many benefits that extend beyond the expected pros, such as the ability to capture information to ensure they’re getting the most out of existing systems, determining degradation of equipment (like heating, lighting and greenhouse coverings), calibration double-checks and verifying the readings of their comprehensive environmental control systems.

The portability and small size of new remote sensors and units allows you to quickly collect data in new greenhouse areas where you plan to move crops. Such sensors can also generate data in specific greenhouse areas like “cold corners” and places you think there’s an environmental anomaly that your larger control system cannot pinpoint. Stationary sensors are often placed higher in greenhouses to avoid booms and other equipment, so using remote sensors to collect bench-level readings can also help uncover interesting environmental information critical for fine-tuning your crop production.