Aranet expands substrate weighing systems for containers, soil, and larger growing formats
rockwool-in-greenhouse use case. Read the full article → Frequently Asked Questions What is substrate weighing and why is it used in greenhouse irrigation? Substrate weighing uses wireless scale systems to track the total weight of growing media,...
Source: HortiDaily
Dutch sensor specialist Aranet is expanding its wireless substrate weighing product line to cover trays, pots, containers, growing mats (1m, 1.33m, and 2m), and soil-based cultivation. The new systems were presented at HortiContact, with a broader rollout planned for GreenTech.
For container cultivation, Aranet developed a frame-based construction where the container is suspended at the same height as surrounding containers on the gutter, ensuring representative weight measurements. Demand for this solution came primarily from strawberry growers refining irrigation strategies. For soil-based crops like cut flowers, chrysanthemums, and lilies, Aranet created a built-in crate solution buried in the ground at 21 or 26 cm depths to measure moisture content based on drying rates.
The company emphasizes that substrate weighing provides a complementary signal to capacitive moisture sensors. "The distribution of moisture may not be entirely uniform," explains Erik van der Made. "Substrate weighing tracks the total weight of the mat, substrate, and water, making it possible to see how much water is being added and how much is leaving through drainage." Combined with climate data, growers can analyze crop responses to VPD and other environmental factors.
Why this matters: Irrigation optimization remains one of the highest-ROI improvements for most facilities, and weighing-based water content monitoring solves a real limitation of point-source capacitive sensors. The ability to correlate total substrate weight with drain volume, VPD, and climate data gives growers a more complete picture of the water balance. The expansion into container and soil formats signals that precision irrigation monitoring is moving well beyond the rockwool-in-greenhouse use case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is substrate weighing and why is it used in greenhouse irrigation?
Substrate weighing uses wireless scale systems to track the total weight of growing media, water, and plants in real time. Unlike capacitive moisture sensors that measure at a single point, weighing captures the total water balance. Aranet now offers systems for trays, pots, containers, 1m to 2m growing mats, and soil-based crops at 21 to 26 cm depths.
How does substrate weight data improve irrigation decisions?
By combining weight measurements with climate data such as VPD (Vapor Pressure Deficit), growers can analyze crop water uptake in response to changing conditions and refine irrigation timing and volume. Aranet's systems track water supply, drain weight, and biomass increase simultaneously, providing a more complete picture than point-source capacitive sensors.
