Adequate soil temperatures for germination range widely for different crops. Soil Temperature Maps Certain insects, weeds and diseases thrive in certain soil temperatures. Batteries included. The most economical ones are glass bulb thermometers with a strong metal point. You can purchase a simple soil thermometer at your local garden center for just a few dollars. General Tools Soil and Compost Thermometer With the ongoing extreme heat, current dry conditions and noticeably poor growing of this years garden tomato plants, I have been checking soil temperatures with my newly acquired 'General Tools Soil and Compost Thermometer' I have been taking readings and have tried to regulate soil temperature by early morning waterings in hopes to restore my plants. 6 and the latent heat exchanges at the surface Nwankwo et al. For measurement at small depths, a thermometer with a right-angle bend in the stem is used. There are special soil tempera-ture gauges used by some farmers and soil sample com-panies, but a standard digital thermometer will work for general soil health assessment. 5 It is also defined as the function of the internal energy of the soil (Ghali 2003). This bimetal thermometer allows quick measurement of soil temperature. Soil temperature plays an important role in seed ger-mination. However, any thermometer will do, as long as it measures temperatures down to freezing (medical thermometers usually don’t go low enough). 2. Temperature: Cooler the temperature, higher is the moisture retention. SOIL THERMOMETERS Digital Soil Thermometer 1625 - 6 Per Case Easy to read digital indicator includes germination and temperature guidelines. 7. 7 are the primary causes of variations in soil temperature. Tips for measuring soil temperature field capacity. Salt content: More the salt content in the soil less is the water available to the plant. Soil thermometers are the most common tool for mea-suring soil tempeatures. Once the soil temperature has remained at or above 55°F for five to seven 5. Note: Do not expose the thermometer to moisture for long periods because, under the right conditions, the interior of the clear plastic cover can become fogged. The bulb is inserted into a … 4. The soil is now at . A thermometer used to measure the temperature of the soil. Wait a minute to reach the soil temperature. • Once the soil loses its’ gravitational water downward (usually in minutes to hours), water that is held up the soil against leaching is bound there by matric forces which range from –0.1 to –0.3 bars in the thicker portions of water films extending into macropores. Soil temperature is the function of heat flux in the soil as well as heat exchanges between the soil and atmosphere Elias et al. Soil Thermometers. Immerse the tip into the soil at least 1½ inches deep. Two forms of the mercury-in-glass thermometer are used for this purpose. For example, the optimum soil temperature for planting field corn is 55°F. The transfer of heat in the soil Zhao et al. 6. The soil thermometer is housed in a strong plastic case with a pointed tip, the dimensions of the case are 13mm x 320mm. 1. The general rule is that the soil needs to be 8-10 °C consistently for a week or so to get growth going.” The ETI soil probe thermometer measures temperature over the range of 0 to 80°C in 1°C increments. • Soil heats up during day, cools at night Depth of soil: More the depth of soil … Soil Thermometer 1618 - 6 Per Case Dial Soil Thermometer 1630 - 6 Per Case Dial Compost Thermometer 1635 - 6 Per Case 19 inch Probe RAIN GAUGES Decorative Metal Rain Gauge 1645 - 6 Per Case Having updated information about your local soil temperature and the pests common to your area can help you prevent and treat for optimal turfgrass quality. The temperature of the soil surface strongly influences physical, chemical, and biological processes at the surface. Density of soil: Higher the density of soil, lower is the moisture content. - Glass thermometers - high heat capacity - may conduct heat along thermometer - Thermocouples & Thermistors - response good - small size - Radiation Thermometer - measures surface temperature - measures infrared Diurnal and annual cycles See 5.14 and 5.15 in the textbook (Jury et al., 1991).