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Moisture meters-experience to share?
+4
Theresa
timwardell
martha
boffer
8 posters
Page 1 of 1
Moisture meters-experience to share?
The suggestion to use one came up in another thread and got me wondering.
I bought one recently and am not trusting the results in Mel's mix. In 'regular' garden soil, I started with dry soil and measured, added some water and measured, and added some more water and measured. The meter results changed accordingly, as I expected them to.
But when I did the same thing in Mel's mix, I got different results. Regardless of water content, the meter readings were inconsistent and erratic, which renders the meter worthless. The meter measures a very small electrical current between two probes. I'm assuming the amount of air entrained in Mel's mix is what's throwing the readings off.
Anyhoo, has anyone else tried one?
(I should stop spending money on gizmos and accept that old school is sometimes the best ie. sticking my finger in the soil to the bottom of the box!)
I bought one recently and am not trusting the results in Mel's mix. In 'regular' garden soil, I started with dry soil and measured, added some water and measured, and added some more water and measured. The meter results changed accordingly, as I expected them to.
But when I did the same thing in Mel's mix, I got different results. Regardless of water content, the meter readings were inconsistent and erratic, which renders the meter worthless. The meter measures a very small electrical current between two probes. I'm assuming the amount of air entrained in Mel's mix is what's throwing the readings off.
Anyhoo, has anyone else tried one?
(I should stop spending money on gizmos and accept that old school is sometimes the best ie. sticking my finger in the soil to the bottom of the box!)
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
I have a really hard time staying away from gizmos, even though they have a low success rate. My guess is the Mel's mix is too friable for them to work.
martha- Posts : 2188
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Interesting point boffer... I use a moisture meter (held over from my days before Mel's Mix) and lately I've been questioning the results as well. My readings haven't been what I'd call erratic, but they do trend drier than what the finger method leads me to believe. I trust the meter, because I've had it for a while and know that it's readings in soil are accurate. However, I'm opting to use it as one tool in my toolbox instead of THE reference that it has been in the past. Nothing beats common sense.
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
I used a similar gizmo for my hanging flower baskets, only mine didn't have a meter, it was a bird and the probes were the birds legs, when it needed water, the bird would sing. I would walk out onto the deck and hear the bird singing over 50 feet away. I have a hard time remembering to water the hanging baskets, so the little chirpy bird saved the lives of my flowers. I use Mel's mix in my hanging baskets and flower pots too.
Theresa
FOUNDER SFG forum 2009
certified SFG instructor- Posts : 211
Join date : 2010-02-26
Age : 70
Location : Illinois Z6
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Theresa wrote:I used a similar gizmo for my hanging flower baskets, only mine didn't have a meter, it was a bird and the probes were the birds legs, when it needed water, the bird would sing. I would walk out onto the deck and hear the bird singing over 50 feet away. I have a hard time remembering to water the hanging baskets, so the little chirpy bird saved the lives of my flowers. I use Mel's mix in my hanging baskets and flower pots too.
Ages likes this!
Ages- Posts : 21
Join date : 2010-03-31
Location : El Paso, TX (Southwestern Deserts)
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Mels Mix is made up of different materials and would throw off the calibration. I would guess the Vermy is messing with it since it is a non-organic item and the electrical conductivity may be differnet
Toastie- Posts : 99
Join date : 2010-04-02
Location : LaPlace, La
Toastie- Posts : 99
Join date : 2010-04-02
Location : LaPlace, La
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
LOL...I've had the little wormie too...If I can see the little wormy is dried out, then I could just see the soil is dried out.
I think what saved me with the chirpy bird was hearing the bird singing gave me the wake up call that I needed to water.
I think what saved me with the chirpy bird was hearing the bird singing gave me the wake up call that I needed to water.
Theresa
FOUNDER SFG forum 2009
certified SFG instructor- Posts : 211
Join date : 2010-02-26
Age : 70
Location : Illinois Z6
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Good point.Toastie wrote:Mels Mix is made up of different materials and would throw off the calibration. I would guess the Vermy is messing with it since it is a non-organic item and the electrical conductivity may be differnet
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Where did you get your chirping bird sensor?Theresa wrote:I used a similar gizmo for my hanging flower baskets, only mine didn't have a meter, it was a bird and the probes were the birds legs, when it needed water, the bird would sing. I would walk out onto the deck and hear the bird singing over 50 feet away. I have a hard time remembering to water the hanging baskets, so the little chirpy bird saved the lives of my flowers. I use Mel's mix in my hanging baskets and flower pots too.
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Hi,
I have planted common violets. I like them, even though they reproduce aggressively. I also have planted them because they are very sensitive to water. They are the first plant to wilt when the garden is drying out. If I see the violets start to wilt, then I know it is time to water the garden. I do well with low tech solutions.
Patty from Yorktown
Ps. I have a picture of my son at about age 2 chewing on one of those clay worms, dirt and all
I have planted common violets. I like them, even though they reproduce aggressively. I also have planted them because they are very sensitive to water. They are the first plant to wilt when the garden is drying out. If I see the violets start to wilt, then I know it is time to water the garden. I do well with low tech solutions.
Patty from Yorktown
Ps. I have a picture of my son at about age 2 chewing on one of those clay worms, dirt and all
Patty from Yorktown- Posts : 350
Join date : 2010-03-05
Location : Yorktown, Virginia
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Patty from Yorktown wrote:
Ps. I have a picture of my son at about age 2 chewing on one of those clay worms, dirt and all
LOL We had a wormie in a big planter in the house, till our Dalmatian chewed it up and spit it out!
Re: Moisture meters-experience to share?
Well, I can't share any experiences with moisture meters as I was only given one this afternoon, but I did probe my Wiggler Hilton and found the reading to be 8 on a scale of 0 to 10, so I am assuming it means 80%.
It is a very simple one: All it says on it is Moisture Meter M-320.
At this moment, on the computer in my kitchen the reading is 40.
It only has one probe, unlike the bird shown in one of the above postings.
It is a very simple one: All it says on it is Moisture Meter M-320.
At this moment, on the computer in my kitchen the reading is 40.
It only has one probe, unlike the bird shown in one of the above postings.
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