Features a hydraulic
gauge that is mounted in front of the handles for easy viewing. Plastic handles
for comfort & better grip. Depth marks at 3” intervals along 18"
stainless steel rod. 1cm2 base cone removable tip. Choose from range: 0-1000 psi.
The Hypen1 soil penetrometer is used to test the compaction levels of the soil. It has a detailed color coded gauge that lets you see the resistance of your soil based on how much pressure is needed to break through the soil. The ideal resistance of your top soil should be less than 200psi. You can keep this number in mind and see how far you can push the penetrometer whilst maintaining less than 200 psi in pressure to push the penetrometer through. If you take a reading of more than 200 psi for your top soil then you may have Hard,
compacted soil and hardpan which can be a very expensive problem for
the farmer in the following ways:
Water
standing in fields delays planting.
Delayed
planting is a delayed harvest.
May Stunt root growth to
Reduces yields.
Increases
fuel costs from trying to break up hard soils.
Adds
stress on equipment.
Poor
seed germination.
Poor
root growth.
Less
air getting to the roots.
If you are able to diagnose that you have a compacted soils problem using a penetrometer, then you can take measures to fix the problem by loosening and aerating your soil which will lead to.
Easier
tillage.
Quicker
seed emergence.
Allows
more air to get to the roots.
Improved
root growth (by breaking up compaction).
Reduction
in erosion.
More uniform
stands.
Increased
microbial activity, essential in providing healthy soils.
Detoxifying
soil for improved plant health.
Improved
water movement for reduced fungus problems.
Less wear
on equipment.
Save on
fuel.
A more mellow
loose soil.
Pike Agri-Lab Supplies soil penetrometer is one of the single most important tools for determining the the quality of their soils.
