SCIENCE
Plants need the right amount of water to survive. Improper watering will lead to the plant wilting and eventually dying. Other factors, including soil type, pH, and amount of sunlight also affect plant growth.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO GET THE RIGHT SOIL MOISTURE?
If you don’t give your plant enough water, the leaves on your plant will turn brown and your plant will begin to wilt. This is the plant drying out and turning crunchy, like dried-out leaves during the fall. If the soil gets too much water, the same thing will happen. The leaves will turn brown and the plant will begin to wilt. Instead of the leaves being crunchy, the leaves will be soft and limp. In both scenarios, the plant will eventually die due to those conditions.
WHAT IS AN ION?
An ion is an atom where the number of protons does not equal the number of electrons. Protons are positively charged particles found in an atom’s nucleus while electrons are negatively charged particles found outside an atom's nucleus. If there are more protons than electrons, the ion is positively charged and is called a cation. If there are more electrons than protons, the ion is negatively charged and is called an anion. If there are the same number of protons and electrons, the atom is neutral, meaning it does not have a charge and is not an ion.
WHAT IS ELECTROLYSIS?
Electrolysis is a process where anions at the anode receive spare electrons via an electrical current. Cations at the cathode give up spare electrons from the current.
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When the resistive sensor interacts with water, the electricity traveling through the probes will separate the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen will go to the anode. The oxygen receives spare electrons from the copper in the sensor. This causes the oxygen atom(s) to combine with the probes’ copper atom(s) causing the copper to oxidize. This damages the sensor and affects the sensor's readings. The capacitive sensor does not have this issue because it does not have metal electrodes.
RECOMMENDED SOIL MOISTURE LEVELS
The plants listed in this guide represent commonly found species. Consult a local horticulture professional for more specific details on plants not found on this list.
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NOTE: All vegetables require soil moisture between 41% - 80%.
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