After your EM Survey with Vantage NZ, you’ll get two highly detailed maps of your soil variability (0-50cm & 0-125cm) as well as a digital elevation model, slope, aspect & landscape change among other topographic derivatives. The survey results are available online through the PCT platform, so you can access your data and use it. We’ll also guide you through analysing, using, and ground-truthing your data after the survey is complete.
It’s best to perform your EM Survey at the planning stage, particularly for areas being developed into permanent crops such as orchards and vineyards. Once these structures are erected, it’s significantly harder to perform an EM Survey due to the crop and structural interference. A more detailed understanding changes your management of a block or paddock all the way from land-levelling, drainage, irrigation design and the type of crop planted in different soil types. We can use EM maps to help design irrigation or choose different cultivars – e.g., some grape species may better suit drier (or low EM) soil areas and some may better suit to where soil is a bit wetter (or high EM).
EM Surveys are usually performed Autumn – Spring when when soil conditions are more consistent and at maximum water-holding capacity.