Moisture Meter for Plants

Moisture or water meters measure how much water there is in the soil hopefully prevent you from over or under-watering your houseplants. It’s important to remember that different plants require different amounts of water. The soil of any succulent plant should be very dry before you water, while the soil of a Majesty Palm should always be kept a little moist. The head or gauge of a water meter usually has a numerical scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew. from 1-10 with 1 being most dry. Some water meters may also have color indicators. To use the meter grasp the head & insert the long probe into the pot. It’s important that the probe reach almost to the bottom of the pot so the soil moisture around the roots can be measured. Remove the probe quickly and read the indicator. Water meters are unreliable when the soil has a high salt content. Too much plant food and using water that has passed through a softener leaves salt deposits in the soil. Moisture meters should be kept clean and dry when not in use.