That cheap plastic moisture meter from Home Depot finally broke my trust

I was watering my balcony tomatoes like clockwork every other day. Then last Tuesday I stuck that plastic probe into the pot and it said dry. So I gave them a good soak. Two hours later I pulled the plant out to check the roots and they were completely waterlogged. The meter was way off because the soil near the surface was dry but three inches down it was still wet. That thing cost me $12 and almost killed my Cherokee Purple tomatoes. Now I just stick my finger two inches down and if it feels damp I wait another day. Has anyone else had a meter lie to them like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

charlie2691mo ago

Haha yeah I got burned the same way. Bought one of those two prong deals and it told me my fern was bone dry. Dumped a whole watering can in there and a week later the thing was rotting from the roots. Finger method all the way now, never going back to that junk.

morgan.nancy1mo ago

Oh man, that's rough. I think the real problem isn't even the cheap plastic - it's how those meters read moisture. They measure electrical resistance between two metal prongs, but fertilizer salts in the soil mess that up bad. My meter gave me a dry reading too once, but the soil was actually salty from too much plant food. The salt made it conduct electricity weird. Your finger trick is way smarter, honestly.

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