How to Use a Moisture Meter

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Today, I’m going to talk about how to use a moisture meter. This is a moisture meter, and it’s designed to test the moisture in your soil so you know when to water your houseplants. It can be really handy, but there are some important things to know about using it.

Before I show you how to use it, I’d like to mention a few things. If you’re using your moisture meter and you see that the soil is very wet but the meter shows dry, or if the soil is very dry but the meter shows wet, there could be a problem. This might mean one of two things: you may have dropped the moisture meter and it’s now broken, or your soil is full of salt. Moisture meters will not work if your soil has high salinity. I have another video about how to leach your houseplants to remove excess salinity. If the moisture meter isn’t working properly and shows inconsistent readings, first check if it might be broken. If it still shows strange readings, especially if it’s erratic, it could be a salt problem.

Now, let’s talk about how to use it. The moisture meter shows readings from very dry to very moist, with numbers indicating the level of moisture. For instance, the red zone indicates “very dry,” which ranges from one to three, while four to ten indicates increasing moisture levels.

I’m going to put the meter in this plant, which was recently watered. The top of the soil might look wet, but the meter shows that the plant is actually on the border of needing water. Even though the surface appears wet, the plant needs water. Always remember to wipe off the moisture meter with a napkin or something similar after checking.

In this example, the soil looks dry. When I insert the meter, it registers as dry, but going further down, it gets a bit moister. This plant is a Sansevieria, which is a succulent. You should not overwater succulents, so it’s best to water it when it’s closer to being dry. If it were another type of plant, you might need to water it more urgently.

How far you insert the moisture meter can make a difference. For example, if you insert the meter a little, it may show that the Sansevieria is still dry, but if you push it down further, it might show medium moisture. Even if the top of the soil looks dry, the plant might still have enough moisture lower down. For a Sansevieria, I would leave it alone if it shows medium moisture at the bottom.

Here’s another example: an African violet that was recently watered. African violets need to be kept moist to continue budding. The meter shows that the soil is very moist, so we don’t need to water it right now. The amount of soil clinging to the meter also indicates moisture levels. The wetter the soil, the more it clings to the meter. Even though African violets like moist soil, I would wait until the meter shows a reading closer to four or five before watering again.

If you don’t have a moisture meter, you can use a wooden skewer as an alternative. Wooden skewers are less likely to break compared to a moisture meter. Insert the skewer into the soil and pull it out to check if soil clings to it. This can give you an indication of moisture levels. For larger pots, a skewer is useful as it can go deeper than a finger. It provides a cleaner method to check soil moisture.

That’s it for how to use a moisture meter. Thank you for stopping by today and learning about indoor gardening. Please leave comments about any indoor gardening tutorials you’d like to see. Remember to like, comment, subscribe, and share this video.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a moisture meter and how is it used?

A moisture meter is a tool designed to test the moisture levels in your soil, helping you determine when to water your houseplants. It shows readings from “very dry” to “very moist” using a scale from one to ten.

What should I do if the moisture meter shows incorrect readings?

If the moisture meter shows that very wet soil is dry, or dry soil is wet, it might be broken or your soil might be full of salt. Check if the meter has been dropped or damaged, and if it’s still showing erratic readings, it could be due to high salinity in the soil. Refer to our video on how to leach your houseplants to remove excess salinity.

How do I use a moisture meter correctly?

Insert the moisture meter into the soil. The readings will show from “very dry” to “very moist.” For example, a red zone indicates “very dry” while higher numbers show increasing moisture levels. Remember to wipe off the meter after each use to ensure accurate readings.

What should I do if the moisture meter shows different readings at different soil depths?

The depth at which you insert the moisture meter can affect the reading. For plants like Sansevieria (a succulent), you should water it when it shows closer to “very dry” deeper in the soil. For other plants, if the meter shows medium moisture deeper down, you might not need to water immediately.

How can I tell if an African violet needs watering?

African violets should be kept moist to continue budding. If the moisture meter shows that the soil is very moist, you don’t need to water it right now. The soil’s clinging to the meter can also indicate moisture levels. Wait until the meter shows a reading closer to four or five before watering again.

What is an alternative to using a moisture meter?

If you don’t have a moisture meter, you can use a wooden skewer. Insert the skewer into the soil and pull it out to check if soil clings to it. This method can also indicate moisture levels, and it’s useful for larger pots where a finger might not reach the bottom.