The Best Soil Moisture Meters For Perfect Watering
Soil moisture meters help you know when to water, keeping your plants happy. Horticultural expert Lorin Nielsen explains how to pick the best one for your needs in this complete guide.
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Are you having problems deciding when it’s time to water? If so, you’re not alone. That’s where soil moisture meters come into play. These useful devices help you decide when you should be hydrating your plants.
They range from a few dollars to hundreds, and there’s a mix of types, making finding the best soil moisture meter a challenge.
This buyer’s guide features our top choice for soil moisture meters. Better yet, we’ve got tons of information about how to choose the right one for you.
Sustee Plant Moisture Sensor
- Ideal for containers and houseplants
- Comes in three sizes and two colors
- Easy to read
- Great value for money
What is a Moisture Meter?
Sometimes referred to as a soil moisture sensor, these devices do exactly what you expect. They gauge the moisture in soil.
For gardeners, this is essential information. Most plants don’t like having “wet feet”. Soil that’s too soggy can promote root rot conditions from fusarium or other fungi. Excessively dry soil is an issue as well.
Some soils hold moisture for much longer than others, and environmental conditions play a role too. Soil moisture meters help estimate when it’s watering time, taking the guesswork out of the process.
These can also be really effective for people who are composting. A certain amount of moisture is required to boost microbial growth. It can be hard to estimate based on the exterior of the compost pile. But with a probe, you don’t have to turn the pile or even touch it. All that’s required is looking at the meter.
Types of Soil Moisture Meters
There are some elaborate variations of these devices on the market. But the average home gardener doesn’t need something with lots of frills. These are some of the variations and what sets them apart from one another.
Analog
Batteries aren’t included, because they’re not needed for an analog moisture meter. These devices are simple in design but surprisingly effective.
Most of these still work by conduction of electricity. However, they use naturally occurring electricity in the soil. The tips of the probe will have at least two forms of conductive metal. If water is present, any natural electrical current in the soil will be transmitted to the probe.
Water is a natural conductor of energy. More water registers as a higher electrical charge on the meter. A soil moisture reader like this is relatively accurate in most cases.
Digital
These meters have many features that an analog meter might not.
Typically, the probe portion isn’t subject to corrosion like an analog may be. The batteries in the device provide power to the screen. They also provide a tiny electromagnetic pulse that senses moisture. Probes are often on long cables, rather than directly secured into the device.
Both hybrid and basic soil moisture sensors are available as digital devices. Some also have the ability to be charged via USB cables. The USB-enabled ones may also be able to input data on the moisture to computer software.
Wicking
A wicking soil moisture reader is an older style of device, but popular for indoor houseplants. A plant hydrometer like this absorbs moisture from the portion in the soil. The moisture is wicked upward to fabric which changes color if the soil is moist.
The less color change is visible, the dryer the soil is. Intended to be left in place, these indoor moisture readers can tell you when it’s watering time with a glance. However, they don’t work well outside or in direct sunlight.
Hybrids
Hybrid moisture reader types are more common. These will provide you with the most information for your money, as they’re not limited to solely plant hydration.
A garden moisture meter will be one of the key components. But there may also be a sensor that reacts to light. A pH meter may also be included. These usually aren’t as accurate as soil test kits, but at least indicate if you have a problem.
Both digital and analog versions are available in these multi-faceted devices. Digital variations may also include the ambient temperature or testing time.
How to Use a Moisture Meter
Depending on whether you have a digital or analog model, how to read a moisture meter will vary.
Digital models have handy screens that give you an easy-to-read view. Most analog models are gauges, with colored marks denoting dry, moist, or wet soils. Wicking models are all based on the fabric band that changes color when the soil is damp.
And these devices aren’t just for soil! If you have a version that has both moisture and pH readers, you’ll love using this in your worm bin. Since worms are less likely to prefer acidic soil, you can add agricultural lime to reduce the pH of your bin based on your readings.
Compost piles are also greatly improved with one of these. Sure, we can check the moisture of a pile by turning it and feeling it with our hands. But it’s far easier to place a moisture sensor in the pile. If it needs more water, you can add it right away.
Use one of these before preparing a new garden bed to learn about that location’s needs. You can check it a few times during the day to see the status.
Our Top Pick
Sustee’s Plant Moisture Sensor can be tucked into the soil at the base of your plant. After it’s had time to absorb a small amount of moisture, you’ll be able to tell at a glance whether your plant needs to be watered.
When the soil moisture is right, the white panel on the aquameter turns blue. As the soil moisture drops, it slowly turns back to white.
There’s a great perk to these. If you’ve got a plant in the office that’s always overwatered because your coworkers are trying to help, this device is foolproof. Just tell your coworkers to leave it alone when it shows blue!
The moisture meter can be used for all types of plants and soil with these three easy steps:
- Insert Sustee in between the plant and soil.
- Water the plant. It will take 20-30 minutes for the color to change from white to blue.
- Monitor your plant with Sustee. Blue means there is enough water in the soil and white means the plant needs watering.
In the end, the goal is always to make sure you’re not watering too much or too little. If a simple device like this can help you gauge that, what’s not to love?
