Dropped $70 on a soil moisture meter before realizing my finger works fine

Dropped $70 on a fancy soil moisture meter last spring and the probe rusted out after two months. My cheap bamboo skewer trick tells me wet vs dry just as good. Anyone else find a cheap tool that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

marymorgan1mo ago

Is it really that big of a deal if your finger is a little dirty? I mean I've killed plenty of plants by overwatering even with a moisture meter so I'm not sure it was helping that much. My mom just sticks her whole finger in the dirt up to the knuckle and she's got an orchid that's been alive for like a decade. Seems like she's doing fine without spending any money.

sage521mo ago

Isn't repotting and checking the roots more important than just the finger test though? If she hasn't ever changed the soil or checked for root rot, that orchid might just be tough, not necessarily well cared for.