Enhancing soil health measurements for food forest projects

This bachelor thesis presents a prototype of a low-cost soil health monitoring system for food forests. The goal of the system is to provide a cost-effective alternative to current soil health monitoring methods, especially for small-scale food forest owners. The prototype consists of a website and a set of sensors that e.g., measure pH values and moisture levels in the soil. The collected data is stored in a database and can be visualized on a dashboard. To evaluate the prototype, interviews were conducted with some food forest owners. The results showed a positive impression of the system and its potential to be a cost-effective alternative to current methods. The users also pointed out some areas for improvement and additional sensor options for future versions. This thesis demonstrates the feasibility of a low-cost soil health monitoring system for food forests and provides a foundation for further development and testing.