Soil Moisture Readings

dougt425
Updated at 2026-08-06 16:06:01 UTC
Topic: Netro App
I currently have several Netro Whisperer 2 sensors and receive moisture, temp and solar readings. But i also have other soil sensors - e.g., Ecowitt. The two sensors appear to measure soil moisture on different scales. Can someone - from Netro - explain to me clearly how the Whisperer measures moisture and how I should interpret different readings in the same bed (e.g., Ecowitt measures 28%, Whisperer measures 96%). 
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Candice Wang
Updated at 2026-08-07 02:41:12 UTC

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out! Both sensors are reading accurately, but they present data on two completely different scale systems.

  1. Physical Volume: Ecowitt measures the literal percentage of space taken up by water. In typical soil, 28% to 35% is already the maximum water the ground can physically hold before saturation.

  2. Plant Usable Water: Whisperer 2 uses capacitive sensing to detect the soil's dielectric constant and translates it into a plant-centric scale (0% = wilting point, 100% = ideal maximum wetness). Because 28% physical water means your soil is almost full, Netro interprets this as 96% usable water for your plants.

Here are a few tips:

  • 1-Hour Data Sync: Whisperer 2 syncs data to the cloud once every hour. If you recently watered or adjusted the setup, the app might still be displaying the previous hour's reading.
  • Sensor Movement: If you moved the Whisperer between different pots during testing, the app algorithm might still treat the readings as if it's in the original soil bed.

  • Quick Touch Test: When in doubt, try pinch a little soil with your fingers to feel the moisture directly.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Best regards,

Netro Support