Do I water or don’t I? Often you don’t know. One challenge of having plants is knowing when to water them rather then how much to water them. Sometimes you figure it must be time to water again when soil appears dry…but then foliage goes limp and turns yellowish and mushy. Or maybe you waited so long that the plant have gone all wrinkly in a heap, drooping.
The truth is, plants can be killed just as easy by overwatering as underwatering (and most people don’t know they’re doing this wrong till it’s already too late). No more guessing: Relying on your finger’s dampness can be notoriously unreliable in deep pots, so for an accurate readout, use the Rapitest soil moisture meter. For an accurate reading, use the Rapitest soil moisture meter. It goes from one (too dry) to ten (too wet), and breaks thing down into thirds. Four to seven on the dial is ideal for most plants; one to three is too dry, and eight to ten is too wet. This tells you when to water and when not to.
How to Water Plants Correctly
To read these figures, keep in mind that each plant has its own requirements. For instance, a fern wants something moister than a cactus does (which prefers to be almost bone-dry). You’ll drown a succulent if you treat it like a fern; its roots will rots in wet soil. Snake plants is drought tolerant, and really do better on the low side of the meter, like from two to three. They can stores up water for themselves, so they can handle being left to dry out. Peace lilies and hydrangeas are some of many plant that need a lot of water, and they want the meter steadily in their happy place: higher, typically from six to eight. A peace lily that sags is thirsty, which translates into high end of the spectrum.
And then there’s the matter of soil; this greatly influences what those numbers mean. In sand (which is quick-draining) the meter might indicate dryness despite having just been watered. In clay (which clings to water like crazy), it will be wet, reading high and for days longer. Ideally, vegetables likes things evenly moist, five or six on the meter, and you need to consider how fast your specific soil loses water. If yours is loam, it’s right about perfect, since it offers a good balance by holding enough moisture without becoming too soggy. Lots of gardeners face more challenging soils different than that.
But it’s also important to know how to properly read what it is telling you. Remember, you want to get down into the root zone, not just at the surface where things dry out rapidly. Roots are wet for a longer period of time then surfaces. Be sure to clean your probe between uses so that build-up of soil salts doesn’t occur; this will cause the instrument to give false readings. A good tool works well if kept in tip-top shape…especially when accuracy counts.
Water plants according to their season: In general, they need less in winter when growing is slowed (watering them on a summer regimen in January is a recipe for disaster). Monitor less often in cooler months; let the soil dry between watering sessions so that you top up later. That’s an easy way to help them get through the dormant period without harm.
You should of watched for this. The right way to deal with moisture is through observation, not by rote: Water when needed, not based off what day of the week it is. The meter helps me make those informed decisions. It’s the best way to keep things growing steadily without browning out any tips. If the number holds within the ideal range, you’re doing it right.