Moisture Meter Pros and Cons ☔️☔️☔️ plus How to Use Them Correctly for Plants

[@TheRooftopSHOUT]

As a new gardener, the meter was very helpful.

[@bhumphries1360]

I feel like I have been scolded by my father! Lol. In all honesty, I have one of these, and I think I've used it probably less than five times throughout my time as a plant grower. I started growing plants in the spring of 2020, after receiving a very beautiful Melocactus Matanzanus. I have been in love ever since. I've learned to read the signs my plant gives me. I watch the leaves for wrinkles/slight drooping, weight of the pot, pay attention to room temperature, time of the year, if it is blooming, ect. Thank you so much for such an informative video. I am definitely subscribing to your channel, especially if this video is indicative of your other content. I love channels that break down the information and explain things in great detail. You did an excellent job doing that here! Can't wait to watch more from you! Have a fabulous summer everyone! ❤️🌞🌵🌱🌿☘️🌻🌹🌷🪴✌️🌈⭐🌳🌺🪷🌴

[@Austin1990]

Thank you so much. I was just shopping for these and got real skeptical, wondering how they actually work. Now, I need to evaluate alternatives. I have gravel mulch on all of my pots, which makes finger testing very difficult. And, the well-draining soil in weighted, terracotta pots makes gaging the weight too hard, at least for me. I will experiment with leaving bamboo skewers in each pot and pulling them up periodically to check the moistness. I will have to use my fingers to see how well this works.

[@DsHomeyGarden]

I really tried to lift my garden but it was to dry and it just crumbled, but yet the meter told me it was too wet. I sent the meter back to Amazon and stuck my finger in the soil and it was perfect to the touch.... Thanks another answer for me... Thanks Pov....

[@zulmabontiffe487]

Thank you for the " warning". I just threw out one of 2 of these gadgets as it wasn't working. I noticed the tip had corrosion. The other one isn't working either, so thats going the same way the other one went. What a waste !! Thanks again.

[@mrshoney2624]

Thank you for that sir, you're correct, these cheap meters are unreliable, finger test or weight test for house plants seems to be the best. Thank you for taking the time in helping people, god bless.

[@onnicaestelle324]

Hi. I like my Dr.Meter. If I have any doubts I double check the soil using a 12 inch skewer. Great Tutorial!

[@rhoni05]

I thought my meter was broken. I discovered the rod had a little corrosion on it. I used fine steel wool which cleaned it. IT WORKS again.

[@mandyvieni331]

Thank you

[@raymondwood5496]

I brought several type, every time i water my plant thoroughly, i will use the meter to check, if they register a result of 8 to 10, then most likely they work perfectly, if they register lower than that.. most likely they are spoil.

[@pokeba3299]

What an explanation! Thank very much.

[@mrshoney2624]

I'm just growing Lemon grass in a large pot indoors In a conservatory for the first time, the pot weight is approx 10 kg when soil is dry (So I'm using this as a base marker), When I water it the weight goes up to around 12kg, I'm using digital bathroom scales. So hopefully I'll have an idea when it's ready to be watered, I love lemon grass I'll let you folks know how I get on with this experiment. Ps. I don't leave the pot on the scales!

[@Silversmith925]

Thank you. I just bought another plant with the money you saved me from spending it on one of these useless meters!

[@gunslingorgunslingorsadf8150]

Yep, there you go... weight probably is an ideal way to measure water in biological systems. Current weight of dirt minus weight of starting dry dirt is weight of water. Moisture reading would need to account for the mix, but that part is easier to get a feel for once and never forget for the mix. One would also have to compensate for plant growth, but really i think one could do that by considering the plant just the same soil a bit fluffier, since most of the plant weight is carbon, and water, all of which come from the soil. Interesting indeed. I think your right, learning the technique and feel is important, and these are garbage... but still, when dealing with 160 seedlings, purple under tomato leaves, or blossom end rot 2 years in a row... one might start looking to automation. At present, i am watering my seedlings in a grow tent, lighting has been greed, very stocky plants, but i realized i overwatered the tomatoes. Purple under leaf, and first signs of edema. So i am considering converting the irrigation system to a misting system for seedlings for a while. Water shallow, light mist many times a day instead of only deep every 2 days, then maybe deeply once a weak... i do understand consistent water is the most important for tomatoes, but the next is knowing the sweet spot and keeping it there, i think it might be especially true for tomato seedlings... like kids on steroids.

[@twelvesmylimit]

Thank you. You have saved me some money!

[@AnnieDog-arfarf1]

Thank you so much for sharing what you’ve learned.

[@aaronisrael2626]

what about using sensors that reads water potential and water content with METER

[@marke.haller4267]

Any thoughts on using a meter with fabric grow bags, especially larger 15 gallon varieties? I think I trust it? My wife doesn't - or me.... Can't lift these - don't want to upset newish roots (mostly tomatoes at 20 inches). Chopstic at depth seems to comport with device. Obviously dryer on the edges. Thoughts? Anyone, Anyone?

[@Nocare89]

I've been watering my plants for a while and they were doing fine. No curling up, or drooping, etc. I got a meter which registered the soil as dry. Even with my finger I could feel the moisture level. Well I watered more until it read normal or wet. That is about 3-4x more water applied. Still no changes to plants, except they are growing much much faster now. So what that meter showed me is I've been under-watering but within an acceptable range. Enough for them to not be starving. Not enough for them to thriving. I think what happened is because I have an in-ground garden and it is summer time. No matter how much water I put on my garden, it will equalize with the surrounding soil. I'd probably need 100x more water to actually over-water. I have started to also soak the grass around my garden now when I water.

[@Pepeekeo808]

Better to use a piece of re bar to test soil moisture. If you can push it down about 12 inches, your soil is moist enough. If not, you need to water.

[@vantrans7314]

😮

[@justice4g]

I really struggle with watering, whenever I look up specific issues it says you're either watering too much or too little, I use this device and it might show wet but I put my finger in and I can't really tell if moist or just cold.

[@jeremiahembs5343]

Stick your finger or a smooth stick in the soil. If the soil sticks to your finger its moist. If it doesn't it's dry. With experience you can tell how wet some plants like it. Generally slightly moist for most of the week is best and one day of rest.

[@WhatWeDoChannel]

Great! I measure by lifting too! I would love to hear your thoughts on the PH meter , I use sensitive PH meters that require calibration in my wine making so I’m guessing you will say those cheap ones are crappy. Klaus

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

It is on the list to be done. They are very approximate.

[@Snoogleheimer]

What about this idea: Set a larger, heavier plant on a bathroom scale? Just leave it there. Once you look down and the weight went down the specified amount, you water it. What do you think? Is that stupid?

[@trica599]

Hi! I have a question: you say that the humidity meter measures the current flowing between the lower electrode to the upper one. OK, but where is that current comming from since there is no batterty???

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

It is a soil meter. The current is from the water in soil.

[@tim_koch14]

The tip of the instrument is made of two different metals that form an electrochemical cell (a battery) inside an electrolyte solution (in this case water containing fertilizer or other salts). Over time, one of the metals on the tip gets corroded and used up. The measurement doesn't work well with rainwater or purified water because those don't contain enough electrolytes.

[@Joel-om1qw]

Have you used a version of these that tells you the PH of the soil? Would it’s results be as questionable as the findings you had in this video?

[@dahutful]

Jim at Home Grown Veg has tested a ph meter against items with known ph values - milk, apples, lemons, cola, etc. The end result was, the meter was quite accurate against these known values. Can you rely on it? Well, lets replace the word, "rely," with believe. Because there are so many variables, its hard to call it foolproof. But it appeared to be believable

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Working on a pH video also. They are not very accurate.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

The pH of apples, milk etc is not an accurate way to measure pH. Why would every cola have the same pH?

[@dahutful]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 agreed, but they are relatively well known. That was the gist of it.

[@NigelAquascaping]

Nice video thank you for this.

[@johnnyb4869]

My plants 🪴 look way better after using a moisture meter

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

??? using a meter won't make plants look better - watering will.

[@johnnyb4869]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 the moisture meter tells me when to water so they do look better

[@ongges20]

⁠​⁠@@Gardenfundamentals1duh!

[@GMPC]

I'm Trying to use this on our cannabis plants but I can't find anywhere that it tells what number

[@dmo848]

U want it to go into wet and water when it says dry. Very easy.

[@popholmes5825]

I use my digit meter

[@incanada83]

Nah, the ring was so much more accurate 😉🤣

[@suepercy8390]

Oops that might be why the one I just bought was on sale!

[@peterjohn8625]

I have clay soil. The soil wasn't even that dry and the tip of one of the probes broke off in the ground.

[@dmo848]

😂😆

[@brianschindler1511]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@Orokusaki1986]

Mine went right to 10 for moisture. My plants are dying =-\

[@TommyPhoebe-d6b]

Thomas Patricia Hernandez Deborah Moore Jeffrey

[@anthonytu7302]

" how to use the moisture correctly " throw them away 😂😂